Lima Sertoma club celebrates end of summer with Faurot Park picnic

LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) - The Lima Sertoma Club finished their summer program with an outdoor picnic in Faurot Park. 

The club hosted nearly 50 children during its Summer Speech and Hearing Program, where they worked with licensed speech-language pathologists on speech and articulation skills. 

Over five weeks, kids participated in games, worksheets and activities to help improve their language, social and articulation skills.

Kids were sent off with a picnic to help celebrate the community behind the program. 

Club members said the program gives a chance for kids to brush up on their verbal skills while school is out. 

"There honestly aren't a lot of opportunities for speech over the summer for kids. There are outpatient services and some private practices, but there's just not a lot of opportunities for kids to practice those skills over the summer," said Emily Looser, program coordinator. 

"Giving these kinds of intensive quick sessions helps them refresh their skills for when they go back into the school year."

Parents of children in the program said it has helped engage their kids' interests and improve their speech through their activities and games.

"He has different games that he plays that are specialized for speech and articulation, and they have really helped him. He loves to play board games anyway and they have helped him slow down also when speaking to be understood clearer," said Susan Decker, grandparent of a program attendant.

Officials said funding for the program came from fundraisers held by Sertoma throughout the year, including their golf outing and Pancake Day.