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ECHO MOTHERS LUNCHEON

As part of our 40th anniversary, on November 10, a luncheon was held at Friendship House by a group of founding mothers of Echo School.    In all, 12 of the original mothers were in attendance.    Echo School was in operation in the 1950’s and 1960’s as a training and day program for children with disabilities.
Echo School was the forerunner of Friendship House.   By 1966, as these children grew into adulthood, the program became Friendship House, and shifted it’s programming from children to adults 18 and over.
Jane McCormick, who was the first Board president at Friendship House, organized the event.  The program, held on November 10, included a tour of the agency, and a luncheon.  Each lady in attendance was given a small wooden replica of Echo School, which was made of the timbers saved from the structure.    The original Echo School was demolished in 2001 to make room for the new Training Center.   Two of the original participants in the program were on hand to make the presentations.  
Ed Whitney, the current Board president was also present, and expressed his gratitude to all those present for their efforts.    Their work in those early years established one of the first community programs for people with developmental disabilities.

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