Child Development Resources

Special Section: Combined Federal Campaign 2009

Local Military Family Invests Time, Work in CDR

By Lindsey Carter
Assistant for Development, Child Development Resources

Kara Trahant has been working at Child Development Resources (CDR) as a speech and language pathologist for the past two and-a-half years. When her husband, Tech. Sgt. Michael Trahant, volunteered to design storage shelving for the many toys and tools the therapists of CDR use, she put him right to work. Trahant designed and built the shelving in one of CDR’s assessment rooms with the help of Kara and their two children, Amanda, 9 and Ethan, 6. They came in a couple of days a week to work on the project, and with their help, CDR has been able to create another workspace for employees and a centralized location for the toys the therapists use every day. The project took about 40 hours to complete and is well received by the many staff at CDR.

Trahant has served for 26 years between the Army and the Air Force, serving as an Air Force jet engine mechanic for the past 10. Trahant has been stationed at Langley Air Force Base for the last three. But this is not the first time he has reached out to help CDR. About a year ago, Trahant took up donations from the engine shop at Langley, and he is not done yet! He would eventually like to paint a mural in the assessment room he shelved with an under the sea theme to create a more interesting environment for the therapy sessions and assessments that take place there.

CDR is truly grateful for all of the great work the Trahants do. Kara is a member of the Infant & Parent Program, which helps babies and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays walk and talk, eat and play, and grow and learn. Her hard work does not go unnoticed. Jennifer Ferrell has been receiving Kara’s services for her daughter Cadence “Cadi” since she was two weeks old. She sees Cadi once a week and has been a tremendous help for Jennifer. Cadi was born with Down syndrome and struggles with feeding issues. Kara, a certified lactation consultant, has been able to help Jennifer to “understand how to help Cadi at Cadi’s pace.”
CDR would not be where it is today without the hard work of our staff and volunteers. It is with the help we receive from families such as the Trahants, that we can continue our work of providing services to young children and their families. For more information on CDR, visit www.cdr.org.

To support Child Development Resources, designate CFC #69284.