SHELBYVILLE, Ind. – The Arc of Indiana has announced the recipient of their 2022 Outstanding Professional Award as Holly Forville.
The Outstanding Professional Award, a part of the annual Impact Awards, recognizes an administrative or an executive level professional for their contribution and impact on the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
As the older sister of Vickie Collins, who was born with Down Syndrome and lived with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Forville has worked with people with disabilities for over 40 years.
In 2009, she helped her father, Don Collins, form the Self-Advocates/Aktion Club of Shelbyville. In 2015, Forville helped re-start The Arc of Shelby County, where her father serves as president. A short time later she conceived and created the SENSES Gym, a sensory gym for children of all abilities. Since then Forville has managed the gym and served over 10,000 children.
Holly was motivated to start the gym when she began exploring ways to assist her grandson, who is on the autism spectrum. Holly applied for and received over 10 grants to help support The Arc, SENSES Gym, and Aktion Club. SENSES Gym is now a partner with Shelbyville Central Schools Golden Bear Preschool and serves over 400 children of all abilities each week.
Forville and her father at the SENSES Gym. Courtesy – The Arc of Bartholomew County.
