The transition from high school to adulthood can be difficult for anyone, but it can be particularly hard for differently abled people. The Dublin Community Recreation Center (DCRC) hopes that its Fantastic Friday Night, a year-round adaptive program, alongside the DCRC Adaptive Services, can make that transition smoother.
The Fantastic Friday night program offers adaptive recreation and programming to enhance the social, educational and mental well-being of Dublin residents with varying physical and cognitive disabilities.
“Leisure and recreation are an integral part of community life and are essential to the physical, social and emotional well-being for all people,” says Jodi Shealy, the adaptive services coordinator. “The purpose of adaptive services is to include individuals with all levels of physical and cognitive abilities that may have traditionally experienced limited participation in recreational activities.”
In the kitchen making a healthy meal together.
Fantastic Friday Night provides opportunities for participants to interact with their peers, explore their community and partner with outside agencies. The program also teaches skills for independent and healthy living through recreation, nutrition and fitness education.
Adaptive Services started the program in 2008 with around six participants. Today, 25 Dublin residents ranging from age 19 to 35 participate in Fantastic Friday Night. One participant is Jacki Green. Green is a 26-year-old Dubliner who has been active in adaptive service programs for 11 years.
When she started attending Fantastic Friday Nights, Green knew many of her peers from her school and neighborhood. As time passed, the group expanded, and Green quickly made more friends.
Jacki Green
“The Friday night events have been a lot of fun,” she says, “and it gives all of us an opportunity to be ourselves and to form a bond with others with special needs. It especially gives me a space for self-awareness and an environment that encouraged participation, self-expression and confidence in my abilities.”*
Through the program, Green participates in activities such as swimming, arts and crafts, and ceramics.
DCRC Adaptive Services also hosts programs In the Kitchen, Dine About Town, and other social activities such as game nights and book clubs. Green says through these programs, she has learned proper social etiquette and good eating habits.
The programming has provided Green with many skill sets. She has gained knowledge on nutrition and food safety, and she has learned how to work with others, when to ask for help and how to be respectful.
Green and her parents believe that the adaptive programs have enhanced her social and emotional development, partly because of the DCRC staff’s enthusiasm to connect with special needs individuals.
For a list of summer camps and programs in Dublin, visit www.dublinlifemagazine.com.
“Participating in the various programs and working with the staff at the Dublin rec center has been wonderful,” she says. “They have always encouraged me and have given me confidence to work in the community I grew up in.”
To give back, Green began volunteering with the DCRC in 2012, and in 2019, she was hired as a preschool counselor for My First Camp and Discovery Camp. Green has always enjoyed working with younger children and she connects with them easily. Children make her laugh, and she loves to be called “Miss Jacki.”
She especially enjoys working with special needs kids because she wants to make them feel welcome.
“(I became a camp counselor) because I like working with kids, special needs kids,” she says.
Green feels that her experience as a participant in adaptive programming at the DCRC has helped prepare her to be a camp counselor.
“I have learned to be resourceful and to take the initiative in planning and finding crafts and activities for the campers,” she says.*
While working as a part-time camp counselor, Green also works as a store associate at Donatos Pizza and is an assistant cross country coach at Dublin Jerome High School. In addition to her involvement in Best Buddies and Young Life, she now volunteers with dinner and crafts preparation for Fantastic Friday Night.
Green credits Jodi’s staff at Adaptive Services as being inspiration for her own work and volunteer positions.
“I learned by watching others,” she says. “Jodi has a lot of neat counselors, so I try to be like them.”
*quotes from Jacki with asterisk were provided with assistance and elaboration from her parents
Sarah Grace Smith is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
