Meet the Denver Playhouse’s First Intern

We are so excited to welcome our first intern to help spread the word about GiGi’s Playhouse Denver to our community.

Introducing Anneke:

Hello everyone! My name is Anneke Carlo, and I am in the last semester of my Master of Occupational therapy program at D’Youville University in Buffalo, NY. I am new to GiGi’s Playhouse, as well as new to the Denver area. I am currently taking a class called “Community Practice,” which incorporates completing a practicum in a community-based setting. The goal of this class is to understand a community organization and how we can best support the needs of the organization using our occupational therapy lens.


I am completing my practicum at GiGi’s Playhouse Denver because I love their vision: “To see a world where individuals with Down syndrome are accepted and embraced in their families, schools, and communities.” Acceptance and accessibility for all are two things that are very important to me. And all the programs GiGi’s Playhouse offers are free to participants and their families. As a future occupational therapist, I am passionate about accessibility and removing barriers for individuals to receive services.

Anneke’s Role at the Playhouse:

At the Denver Playhouse, I am helping with the Fantastic Friends program, and assisting with social media and blog posts to spread awareness for GiGi’s to individuals who would benefit from it. I have attended the last three Fantastic Friends programs and enjoyed every second. It was great to see how much the participants of GiGi’s love their peers, the volunteers, and the Playhouse itself.

Anneke Volunteering at Fantastic Friends Bowling Night!

I am looking forward to working with the wonderful people of GiGi’s Playhouse Denver and applying my occupational therapy knowledge to best support the participants of GiGi’s!

Volunteer or Intern at the Denver Playhouse:

We’re always looking at expanding our volunteer base to offer more programs and opportunities for our participants and their families to come to the Playhouse even more. So, if you are a college student interested in internships or anyone who may want to help out, please e-mail us at volunteerdenver@gigisplayhouse.org or fill out a Volunteer Interest Form. We will be in touch soon with the next steps.

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1 Comments

  1. Peter Harris on March 15, 2023 at 10:32 am

    Very inspiring story! Thank you so much for sharing. Anneke Carlo, welcome to Denver! I applaud your committment to volunteering with such a great community asset as GiGi’s Playhouse as well as your choice to go into pediatric OT as a profession.

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