Scottish Rite clinics across the U.S. provide free care to help children with speech and language disorders to learn the communication skills necessary to succeed in school and throughout their lives. Walker Scottish Rite Clinic in St. Louis, MO at Maryville University is a new facility started with a generous donation from Mr. and Mrs. Earl E. Walker. Maryville University started new degrees in communication disorders and speech-language pathology and students are able to secure observation hours and supervised therapy hours.

Children and their families incur no cost for individualized services and support provided at the Walker Scottish Rite Clinic. They offer bilingual services for native Spanish language homes, and provide screenings in schools and head start programs within a 60-mile radius of the clinic. There is special support provided by area Job’s Daughters’ Bethels, Order to the Eastern Star Chapters, and other Masonic organizations to hold book drives for the lending library. Children receive new books as they progress in treatment to reinforce communication at home.

Sheri Mistretta, Executive Director, noted that there are 200 children in active therapy and serve around 700 per year. She anticipates once the graduate degree begins, there will be greater capacity to serve more children and their families. Sheri expressed her gratitude to The HIKE Fund for awarding grants to several children who have participated in her clinic.