There is a pet care business in Burr Ridge that does a lot more than take care of dogs; it also helps people.

The Chicago Canine Club, a dog boarding and daycare service, hosted its first ever fundraiser benefiting people with developmental disabilities on Nov. 13. The business is a branch of Community Support Services, a Brookfield-based nonprofit that offers support services to people with developmental disabilities and their families. The evening featured an art sale consisting of pet-inspired paintings created by Community Support Services' special needs individuals. The night's proceeds benefited the nonprofit. 

"We thought that the customers who come here for their dog may not really know a lot about what we do with people with disabilities, and they may not know the talents that people with disabilities have," said Kaye Masters, vice president of programs at Community Support Services.

"This is a way to showcase some of the people we work with," she said.

The art was created by a class of 12 participants lead by Andrea Finnegan, Community Support Services' chief financial officer. It was a challenge to unify everyone's work under a single theme, according to Finnegan, who is also a CPA, certified art teacher and full-time mom.

The students painted multiple pieces over the six-week course, and Finnegan combined some of them in Photoshop to maintain the overall dog theme for the series. Over the six-week course, Finnegan saw confidence build in her students and said they are continuing to produce work on their own.

"When you're an artist, you're an artist," Finnegan said. "You're not an artist with disabilities, you're just an artist."

Program participant Frank D'Adam, a senior at Argo Community High School, painted a picture of his dog, a one-year-old Great Dane named Bruno. D'Adam enjoyed the class and said his dog was very nice, but still a "little runt."

"I enjoy painting something because I'm probably good at art and all that stuff," D'Adam said. "Also, my mom wanted me to join the [Community Support Services] art club."

Robin D'Adam, Frank's mother, said Community Support Services has helped her family in many ways. Representatives help plan Frank's goals for the school year and also accompany him on outings to the movies or other activities.

"They go above and beyond the call of duty," Robin D'Adam said. "They will find places, they will find resources. They're my best friend. They're there when I need help."

Community Support Services partnered with another dog grooming service in La Grange, The Barker Shop, to open Chicago Canine Club in 2008. 

The Barker Shop's owner, Kathy Deets, manages Chicago Canine Club along with two other managers. In addition to dog grooming and boarding, the club provides vocational training in the pet care industry for Community Support Services' program participants. The Canine Club also serves as an alternative source of funding for the primarily state-funded nonprofit.

Some of Deets' photographs of dogs were used to inspire the art. She said working with Community Support Services has brought her love for dogs to a whole new level because her passion now helps so many people.

"[The event] was really great in that it was the first time we really showed some people what the combination of people with developmental disabilities and the dog world can put together," Deets said. "It's taken a long time to really show people and help people understand what we're doing."

Chicago Canine Club's daycare and boarding services are popular and they are booked for Thanksgiving. At publication, there were still a few spots open for Christmas. Plans are being made to increase capacity.