03/27/2026
Last but certainly not least, meet our friend, Juli!
My name is Julianne. Most people call me Juli, but my nickname is Juju. I live with my mom and dad, and I also have siblings. I do not have any pets of my own, but my sister has dogs that I love. The dogs’ names are Oakley, Jetta, and Millie. I also love my Grandpa Joe.
Growing up, I thought school was fun. I attended the Reach Program at Minooka High School. Josh was my friend growing up, we went to school together.
For fun, I like puzzles, drawing, spending time with Jill, swimming, and learning about horses. Dogs and horses are my favorite animals. I like to ride horses. If I could go anywhere in the world, I would go to Disney again. I went there with my family recently for vacation and had so much fun.
My favorite person at IVI is Jill, and it makes me happy to see her every day. Staff help me with outings and help me with my money when I am out in the community. I participate in Job Club and cooking skills while I am at the day program. I also know some sign language, and I enjoy learning more.
I am in the Special Olympics. My favorite holiday is Christmas. I help decorate my house and even leave out cookies and milk for Santa.
I am an early bird. My favorite foods are salad, hot cocoa, McDonald’s, and mashed potatoes. I do not enjoy sweets. My least favorite food is soup.
I love volunteering! Some of the places I have volunteered are Community Nutrition Network (CNN), Mobile Meals, Morris Library, and We Care.
Juli’s mom said,” Julianne was diagnosed with hydrocephalus and low muscle tone at birth. A shunt was placed at six months old and she had several revisions after. She started at Easter Seals at eight months old. At two and a half years old she fell and hit her head on the kitchen floor, then had a seizure that lasted over two hours. At Children's Memorial Hospital she was on a ventilator for over 10 days. At that time the doctors didn't think her outcome would be good. Even though she can't read or write and her speech is severely limited, she is enjoying her life and doing great.
Juli attended Oak Valley, Mazon, Saratoga, and the Minooka High School Reach Program before coming to Illinois Valley Industries Day Program when she turned 21.
She has a sister Angela, a brother-in-law Steve, a brother Matthew, a sister-in-law Megan, and five nephews. Her nephews’ names are Ethan, Aiden, Evan, Charles, and Franklin. She also has a very large extended family, including her Grandpa Joe, many aunts and uncles, and lots of cousins. She loves spending time with all of them.
Juli is an animal lover. Jetta, Oakley, Millie, Lulu, and Coco are her favorite dogs, and she loves playing with them.
She is very involved in the Special Olympics. She currently does track and field, soccer skills, basketball skills,corn hole, and bowling. She has also competed in bocce, golf skills, and equestrian, and has won lots of medals at regional and state competitions. Juli loves competing and having fun.
She is a great cheerleader at her nephews’ sporting events and can be very loud. She loves going fishing with her dad, spending time on her iPad, coloring, and looking at pictures. She enjoys watching wrestling, animal shows, and Rescue 911.
Juli loves attending the day program at Illinois Valley Industries, where she feels like she belongs and enjoys all the activities offered to her. When she isn’t able to go, she worries that her friends are sad and crying because she isn’t there.
She has a very big heart and cares about everyone. She especially loves giving and receiving hugs. Julianne is a very sweet young lady. She can be very quiet at times, but also very loud at others. She loves to have fun with family and friends and take part in community activities.
She also loves going shopping at Walmart and buying her own things. Our last family trip to Disney was amazing, and she had a blast.
Even though her speech is very limited, she usually knows how to get her point across. She has taught us a lot about patience, never giving up, and unconditional love.”
