Bona Vista Programs started out as a preschool for children with special needs in a former church parsonage in downtown Kokomo.

Since its start in 1958, Bona Vista has grown to offer programs for those with special needs and developmental disabilities across north central Indiana.

And while it’s grown incredibly beyond its original purpose, the organization’s mission remains the same, even as it begins its 50th year of service.

“Our service and our focus has always been what the community needed and that was helping the mentally and developmentally disabled by designing programs just for them,” said Bona Vista president Jill Dunn.

“Bona Vista was the first organization with a mission developed specifically to that population.”

Bona Vista began in the fall of 1958, when parents of children with special needs began renting space from Calvary Baptist Church at 317 W. Walnut St. for a school.

“At the time, traditional schools weren’t able to accommodate children with special needs,” said Brianne Boles, its vice president of public relations and development. “Parents were told to keep the school-age children at home.”

Those beginnings are still reflected in Bona Vista’s programs.

“That’s why early childhood development is such a key component of our services,” Dunn said.

Dale Kingseed has been involved with Bona Vista in a number of ways since 1962.

“When we moved back from Milwaukee, we had a son who was involved. He was 4 years old and went to the nursery school,” said Kingseed, who is a member of the board of directors and its executive committee. “Initially, the public schools would not take the mentally challenged. We had quite a round with that. I was involved with that when it was determined they would set up special education in the schools.

“Bona Vista has brought a place for enhancing the capabilities of special needs children. That’s what it was designed to do, and we’ve pretty well carried that mission on through, doing things that, if we didn’t do it, then it wouldn’t be done.”

In the mid-1960s, United Cerebral Palsy got involved with Bona Vista and its funding led to the opening of the adult industries.

Ask Dennis Kenner, and he’ll tell you he grew up with Bona Vista.

“I took some classes when I was very young and that’s where I started working. I was 16 and working in the workshop doing piece work,” the 48-year-old man said. “After a few years, they let me teach with adults on how to count money and how to write in the workshop.

“I worked there 15 years and it taught me a lot about work ethic and how to work.”

Another important change came in the mid-1970s when it expanded into child development.

“Many parents were taking their children to Riley Hospital and when they came back, there was no place to take their children here,” Dunn said. “We talked to the doctors here and it was felt there was a need for child development programs here.

“The county medical association brought in Dr. Marilyn Bull, who is still at Riley, and she gave a presentation on child development and how to look for developmental delays. That was the beginning of a very strong early childhood program in Kokomo.”

Those programs include Early Head Start, Keys for Kids Early Childhood Services, American Montessori Academy and Positive Results for Kids.

“All of our early childhood programs are built around the philosophy of providing safe, excellent programs that foster outstanding educational services,” Boles said.

The services offered by Positive Results for Kids got Rhoda Reyburn involved with Bona Vista nearly seven years ago on the recommendation of her son’s pediatrician.

“My son was born with a heart problem and shortly after he was born, he started on physical, occupational and speech therapy,” she said. “He had a lot weaknesses from his heart problem and he had a lot of heart surgeries and that delayed him in his development. He did those therapies on and off for five years.

“He also went to the Montessori Academy. He finished there last year and is in first grade. He went through this summer with occupational and physical therapy with hand strength and motor skills.”

A boost to Bona Vista occurred with the introduction of the Build Indiana Funds brought about by the Hoosier Lottery.

“Bona Vista was ranked No. 2 in the state for funding from Build Indiana funds in order to increase our enrollment and space in Howard County,” Dunn said, “and to go into Miami County and bring its services up to state standards.”

Those funds brought in $1.67 million and a capital campaign raised another $1.5 million in Kokomo. Kresge Foundation funds also allowed Bona Vista to match grants.

“We were able to renovate the Kokomo facility and we built the Peru building with absolutely no debt,” she said. “That really allowed us to increase our capacity with adults. We were able to take in more clients and reach out to people.

“Now, we’re receiving children from Cass County and we’re getting more adults from there.”

Those involved with Bona Vista point out that much of the success is its staff, which numbers more than 350.

“What we do here couldn’t happen without the dedication and the love of mission our staff has,” Boles said.

“We protect and love the people we serve like they’re our own,” Dunn added. “Our staff feels passionate about each child and adult.”

It’s not unusual, Dunn said, for staff members to go out in public and have a family approach them.

“They’ll talk about how their son or daughter was in preschool and how they’re now working in the community,” she said. “The children in the preschool are our family and they became our adults.”

Kenner praised the staff he worked with.

“I had a special supervisor in Bobby Manis. She wanted to take it easy on me because I was in the wheelchair,” he said. “Then we had a talk and I told her she could be as hard on me as she would anyone else.

“She and Pat Mayfield, they made me a better person. I learned a lot from watching them and Jill Dunn. Jill is a go-getter and I admired her for that. She doesn’t get enough credit because women of that caliber often don’t get enough credit for the hard work they do.”

When Bona Vista began, there were no more than five other programs statewide helping those with special needs.

“We’re very, very fortunate to have a place like Bona Vista,” Kingseed said. “Bona Vista is somewhat of a model for other facilities within the state.”