NEW GROUP HOME LOTS

We successfully closed on the purchase of two home lots in Hecker on March 21.  They are lots 7 and 8 on Hilgard Street and are in the Freedom Village subdivision.  They are near St. Augustine Catholic Church and a small park.  Hecker is located east of Waterloo where IL Route 159 and IL Route 156 intersect.  The Village of Hecker has 481 residents and was incorporated in 1895.  Up to that point the town was named Freedom but when it was incorporated as a village the US Post Office forced them to rename since there already was a Freedom, Illinois.  They chose Hecker because Col.  Friedrich Hecker lived close by and they wanted to honor him.  The original land in Hecker was owned by Theodore Hilgard for whom Hilgard Street is named.  

NEW COMMUNITY BUILDING

In September HSS opened a new Community Building to improve our support of 20 adults with developmental disabilities that live at our Main Street and Waterloo apartment buildings. Residents at these two sites have comfortable apartments but the two buildings have lacked any space for group activities. Also, the only laundry facilities were in the basement, down some steep steps that were hard to maneuver with laundry baskets. The new handicapped accessible building remedies these deficits. It features a large laundry room that will allow residents and staff to easily access washers and dryers. The building also has a large activity room, an adjacent fully appointed kitchen and a lounge area. Residents can now socialize with friends and family. Staff are able to work with groups of residents on activities that enhance daily living skills. An early favorite activity is bowling on the Wii, using the large screen TV. Gifts from the community helped equip the new building.