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Something's Cooking At Shriners Hospital

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By JOYCE McKENZIE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 3, 2008

UNIVERSITY AREA - Brittany Barrett finds it almost impossible to resist the alluring smells and scrumptious tastes of freshly baked treats.

The 16-year-old from Spring Hill often volunteers to be the guinea pig for friends' and family members' homemade goodies.

But last week was the first time Barrett, who is paraplegic and uses a wheelchair, had the opportunity to turn out a recipe of peanut butter-and-chocolate bars on her own.

As an outpatient of the Shriners Hospitals for Children - Tampa, Barrett helped inaugurate what she called its "really nice" new kitchen built with people like her in mind. Its countertop and sink are lower than the standard height, and the dishwasher is more elevated than those found in most kitchens. The drawers are designed for effortless opening, and its under-counter cabinets, raised several inches off the floor so users can easily maneuver their wheelchair footrests between them and the flooring, contain turntables for easy access to pots and pans.

"It's a typical kitchen except that everything has been adapted to fit the needs of kids in wheelchairs," said Sandy Smith, director of the hospital's rehabilitation services.

The objective, she added, is to provide Shriners patients a place where they can develop their motor and cognitive skills while learning to prepare basic meals.

"For our younger kids, it can even be used as a reward to make cookies," Smith said.

Alice Lanford, the hospital's administrator, called the new facility "fantastic."

"To have kids function as best they can is our ultimate goal," she said. "This kind of therapy helps them defy the odds and prepares them to be productive adults."

The undertaking was funded primarily by retired Shriners occupational therapist and volunteer Toni Amis and her husband, Dave, of South Tampa, who requested that in lieu of gifts, guests at their wedding last year contribute money toward the project.

"I'd like to thank the people who came to our wedding because they know how dedicated we both are to the mission of Shriners and to this project," Toni Amis said.

Smith said the staff is delighted to have more tools that help make a difference in the children's lives.

"She Toni has been a Shriners cheerleader from the get-go," Smith said. "She's always very energetic and the kids love her."

Doug Byrd, owner of Wall2Wall Construction in St. Petersburg, also donated some of the materials and labor to build the kitchen.

"We've done a lot of projects, but one of the most amazing things about this one was watching the kids. They do such great work with them here," Byrd said. "And today, just watching this young girl operating in the kitchen, you get a really good feeling inside."

A.J. Juneja's wife, Elizabeth, and mother, Michele, were on hand at the kitchen unveiling ceremony to represent their respective husband and son, the owner of Mon Krest Stone, who donated the countertop granite. He died unexpectedly before the project's completion.

"He loved children and thought it would be a great project," Elizabeth Juneja said.

Michele Juneja concurred.

"He would have wanted to do even more," she said.

Dave Amis, a semiretired former business owner, said his wish is that more people who marry for the second or third time and have accumulated enough "stuff" for themselves should consider asking for monetary gifts.

"That way, they could also do something like this - it's been a wonderful thing."

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849 or jmckenzie@tampatrib.com.

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