A place for peace, a salute to teacher

Cindy Hilsabeck wore a lot of hats during her 25-year tenure at Marklund.

But it was Hilsabeck's tireless work in teaching children with developmental disabilities that really made her stand out.

"That was her passion," said Lisa Custardo, the executive director of Marklund, a nonprofit network of services that caters to infants, children and adults with severe developmental disabilities. "She had the ability to become the student."

About 100 employees, parents and residents came to Marklund's Philip Center for Children in Bloomingdale on Sunday to dedicate a new garden and peace pole, a project spurred by the vision of several Marklund employees, including Hilsabeck, who died earlier this year.

Hilsabeck, who worked as the day school's principal, was honored for her work with the center with a commemorative stone in the shape of a butterfly with imprints of both her hands and those of her son David.

The garden, adjacent to the campus building, is free and open to the public. Organizers began planning the site one year ago to raise consciousness of world peace.

"This is our gift to you," Custardo told the audience. "Whenever you find yourself in a situation that's difficult, feel free to use this as a sacred space. This place is supposed to be a place for relaxation and meditation."

The garden offers a variety of sensory-stimulating features including a butterfly area, natural prairie plant life, benches, swings, water fountains and, at its core, a peace pole. The octagonal pole, made of western red cedar, displays the message "May peace prevail on Earth" in eight languages representing the cultural backgrounds of some of Marklund's clients.

Members of both the Concert Chorus Ensemble of Anima - formerly the Glen Ellyn Children's Choir - sang for the audience, and several American Indian dancers from the Midwest SOARRING Foundation performed during the afternoon dedication.

Marklund's clients "are without a doubt the reason and inspiration for this peaceful space," said Susan Anderson, chairwoman of the committee charged with planning the construction of the garden. "We honor them with its creation."