RVSRA makes presentation to Manteno board

MANTENO – Looking to expand its partnerships, the River Valley Special Recreation Association made a presentation at Monday’s Manteno Board meeting about bringing the village online with its mission.

The RVRSA provides community-based therapeutic recreation to individuals with disabilities or special needs. It already has partnerships with the Bourbonnais Township Park District, the Kankakee Valley Park District and the Limestone Township Park District.

“My purpose in coming today is to share with all of you a little bit more about what we do at River Valley Special Recreation Association to give you a little bit of overview of how we’re funded our services, and then also to invite you to potentially collaborate with us,” said Kristin Giacchino, executive director of RVRSA. “I truly believe that together, we are stronger, and I would love nothing more than to have the village of Manteno join us in partnership.”

The member districts, through tax dollars, make up 95% of the RVRSA’s operational budget.

In 2024 The RVRSA provided programming to approximately 22 Manteno residents, offering 105 different programs, Giacchino said. Collectively those residents spent $19,415 for the RVRSA services.

Because the residents of Manteno had to pay out-of-district fees for the services, those families spent 25% to 40% more than the RVRSA’s in-district families.

Giacchino said that those families could have saved $7,716.

“We believe that through a partnership, this could offer great value to your residents and also provide them with high quality programming,” she said.

Some of those include Special Olympics programs of basketball, volleyball, bocce ball, swimming, softball and golf among other sports. It also does day trips for the participants and other activities.

In order to be a part of the RVRSA, Manteno would have to provide a tax levy for the association or possibly contribute from its general budget.

“We would greatly welcome the village of Manteno into our partnership,” Giacchino said. “We believe that together, all of us will benefit through with that collaboration.”

Manteno Village Administrator Chris LaRocque said the village is considering a couple ways to assist its residents who use the RVSRA’s programming.

“We’re not interested in putting another tax on residents,” he said. “But they’ve thought about doing [something] similar to what we do with the Splash Valley.”

Manteno would pay the difference between in-resident and out-of-resident fees. It would be paid through a voucher.

“That’s one way we could do it,” LaRocque said. “Another would be to just actually give them an outright donation. So that’s something they’ll talk about coming up in the committee meetings and decide what they want to do.”

LaRocque said it would fall under either the Properties and Recreation or Public Works committees.

Board member Wendell Phillips said he has a grandson who has used various programming like RVSRA.

“It has changed his whole life,” Phillips said. “He actually feels part of what’s going on. ... I thank you people for what you do.”