Montgomery nonprofit celebrates 15th anniversary

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Kelcie’s Place Inc., a nonprofit serving families with autistic children, celebrated its 15th anniversary at the Montgomery Zoo Friday.

CEO and founder Rosalyn Roper said the past decade and a half has been a humbling experience.

“We have come from days of being at one room in a church to having a room in one of the facilities here at the community center,” Roper said.

Roper originally started the summer camp program with five people, including her son, Kelcie, who the program is named after.

“Since my child was little, I always wondered about when he grew up, what kind of special needs programs will they offer for them,” she said.

Roper mentioned the group has gotten larger over time.

Kelcie’s Place now serves over 50 autistic children, and they regularly go on trips throughout their summer program, ranging from Montgomery and going as far as Florida and Tennessee.

Roper added the trips help with their social skills.

“They want to do interactions with other children that are so-called normal,” Roper said, “They want to do also the activities, as well.”

Roper hopes to progress and make the nonprofit more successful in the future by acquiring funds to get their own building and a van and “to sustain the program throughout the years.”

Donations can be accepted by going to this website or emailing kplaceinc@aol.com.

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