Her 5-year-old son was all the inspiration Jenny Schatzley needed to start Jump-a-Roo Bounce House.
Anthony Schatzley is autistic and has Sensory Processing Disorder. He has trouble communicating, yet at the same time, he can hear the high-pitched whine of a light bulb.
“There’s not much that entertains Anthony outside of television or the trampoline,” Jenny said. “So the wintertime is rough, every year wintertime is rough for us. Literally, he takes all the mattresses off of all our beds and jumps on them.
“When we found out about inflatable bounce houses and we brought him to some he jumped for forever, and when he came home he was not running around aimlessly … He was calm and relaxed.”
When she saw what shedding a little extra energy did for her son, Jenny was sold, but she couldn’t find a nearby bounce house in Neosho. So she asked her sister to join her in a business venture.
The business opened Saturday, but Jenny and Joe Schatzley and Wes and Colleen Cook have been busy the last couple months setting up to make their business a success. After Colleen said she’d help, the sisters scanned the Internet, searching for the right inflatables. They got financing, found a location and convinced their husbands to help them get set up.
Jump-a-Roo Bounce House is closed Wednesday, but opens at 3 p.m. on other weekdays. Saturday, it opens at 10 a.m., Sunday at 1 p.m.,, and during Christmas break they plan to open early. The business can be rented for birthday parties with Joey the Kangaroo making a special appearance
Jump-a-Roo is located at 216 Old Seneca behind the old Chrysler dealership. For hours or information call 451-7725.
