Extra Special People Archives - Business RadioX ®

Laura Hope Whitaker CEO of Extra Special People, Inc

June 21, 2023 by Tom Sheldon

Northeast Georgia Business Radio

Laura Hope Whitaker CEO of Extra Special People, Inc

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Laura Hope Whitaker/Extra Special People, Inc

Extra Special People, Inc. (ESP) exists to create transformative experiences for people with disabilities and their families and to change communities for the better.

ESP envisions a world where every ability, in every community has universal access to transformative experiences.

Laura Hope Whitaker began volunteering with ESP as a special ed college student in 2003. She was named Camp Director at just 19-years-old after the sudden passing of their founder. Over the last 19 years, Laura has led ESP to growth and the expansion of their mission. She is passionate about leadership and uses her management strengths to manage staff, oversee multiple year-round programs and raise funds to run programs.

Our Community Partner for this episode of Northeast Georgia Business Radio is Bottom Line Tax Solutions. A giant thank you to Jacqueline and her team for their continued support. Bottom Line Tax Solutions specializes in the 3 “P’s” of income taxes: Tax Preparation, Tax Planning and Tax Problem Solving. Are you paying too much in taxes? You probably are! Bottom Line Tax Solutions saves their clients thousands in taxes each year; visit them today.

The Hardy Realty Show – Devon Smyth with ESP (Extra Special People)

April 10, 2023 by angishields

The Hardy Realty Show

The Hardy Realty Show - Devon Smyth with ESP (Extra Special People)

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Laura Whitaker with ESP (Extra Special People)

September 27, 2018 by Mike

Beyond The Cupola

Laura Whitaker with ESP (Extra Special People)

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“Beyond the Cupola” allows invited customers, community, and team members of Oconee State Bank to have an opportunity to share their stories of success and inspiration, and/or how the “Remarkable” culture of Oconee State Bank has inspired them to mark lives in their own right.

Laura Whitaker/Extra Special People

Extra Special People is the legacy of one woman who had a passion for children and young people with special needs, and a vision of a place where they and their families could focus on their abilities instead of their disabilities. Martha Wyllie founded Extra Special People in 1986, offering high-quality affordable programs for “people with different abilities.” Twenty-one children enrolled in that first summer camp. By the time Martha passed away in 2004, ESP was serving 130 campers with a budget of $150,000 and had acquired a small facility where children could be served on-site.

The year following Martha’s death, ESP Summer Camp was in danger of being eliminated because of lack of funding. When a young camp counselor, Laura Whitaker, heard this, she pulled together the families and made a call to the community to save camp by raising $50,000 in just a matter of months. The founder’s family appointed Laura as the new Executive Director in January of 2006.

Since becoming Executive Director, Laura has led ESP to expanded programming, and the organization now serves more young people than ever before. ESP runs weekend and after-school programs, family support programs, and events in addition to summer camp. After a 5 year capital campaign, ESP opened the doors on a 14,000 sq. ft. facility in Watkinsville in June of 2016. Every day, ESP continues to provide a safe place that individuals with disabilities can call their own.

Through the magic that ESP creates kids, young adults, families, volunteers, donors and staff are changed!

Laura Whitaker with Extra Special People and Jake Berton with Rheos Gear

January 30, 2018 by angishields

CEO Exclusive Radio

Laura Whitaker with Extra Special People and Jake Berton with Rheos Gear

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Laura Whitaker began as a volunteer at Extra Special People in 2003. With her passion for enhancing the lives of children with developmental disabilities and her specialized education in this field, Laura was selected as the Executive Director after Founder Martha Wyllie’s sudden passing in 2004. As Executive Director, Laura uses her leadership and management strengths to manage staff, oversee year-round programs and summer camps, and raise millions of dollars for the organization. Her favorite part of the job is getting to hug the many children who walk through the ESP doors.

Connect with Laura on LinkedIn, and follow ESP on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Jake Berton is a former ESP board member and CEO and Founder of Rheos Gear, a company that “makes floating sunglasses for water junkies and adventurous souls who can’t stand to watch the action from the shoreline”.

Connect with Jake on LinkedIn, and follow Rheos Gear on Twitter and Facebook.