Inclusive = Independence

Giving the special-needs population the freedom to explore activities

By Clarence Thomas
Photos: Macon-Bibb Parks & Recreation

In 1996, when her daughter graduated from Central High School in Macon, Ga., Jean Denerson was concerned that her teen with special needs wouldn’t have enough to do anymore. And then the retired educator discovered her town’s adaptive program provided by the Macon-Bibb County Department of Parks and Recreation. “I was overjoyed,” says Denerson, “because” it gave her a chance to develop her own circle of peers and move towards greater independence.”

This is just one of the activities the program is designed to do. The bulk of its offerings are 20 programs that mirror Special Olympics and include bowling, bocce, softball, volleyball, and basketball. Macon-Bibb’s adaptive program started in the 1970s as an annual athletic activity in partnership with Special Olympics. It became a year-round program over time. The program serves special citizens of all backgrounds from among metropolitan Macon’s 229,000 citizens.

Michael Johnson is the supervisor of Macon-Bibb’s Delores A. Brooks Recreation Center—the program’s base of operation. He served as adaptive coordinator for three years and says that, at the heart of any good special-needs program, is inclusion, always making sure a recreation agency is operating with special-needs citizens in mind. “What we want to do is get them as close as possible to being fully functional through recreation. A lot of them haven’t previously been able to do the things we offer. We’re providing them opportunities to do what they really want to do,” adds Johnson.

The Bones Of A Good Program

In the absence of a large staff, Johnson recommends using volunteers to service participants. Volunteers are an integral part of serving the 268 members of Macon-Bibb’s program. The other element that makes the program go is its board. Comprised of a Chief Executive Officer and nine other members, the group has 501(c)(3) status and conducts fundraisers, develops additional programs, and coordinates field trips to provide participants a full, enjoyable experience. The board is composed of mostly volunteers except for its CEO, who doubles as the Adaptive Program Coordinator. “Volunteers are just as important as the athletes,” he says. “Without them, we couldn’t be as effective.”

So, what else does a solid adaptive program contain? Besides good volunteers, Johnson includes the following:

• Outside resources, such as businesses, colleges, philanthropists, and the media (for funding, program presentations, and publicity)

• A facility to house an adaptive program (one that is municipally owned, a church, or even a former school system-owned building)

• Maintained and organized paperwork (for physicals, media releases, and waivers of liability)

• A pipeline of participants through community resources (i.e., school systems, existing users)

• Nonprofit status (Having a 501(c)(3) platform equals the ability to raise funds and incentivize individuals, businesses, and organizations to assist and, in turn, use their donations as a write-off.).

A structured adaptive program has tremendous benefits, according to Johnson. Being organized has resulted in Macon-Bibb’s program becoming one of the department’s most-improved in recent years. In addition, the program routinely brings home loads of gold medals when participating in Georgia’s Special Olympics. And that translates into a good time for the athletes. “It reflects well on those that have sacrificed their time and attention to help these athletes,” Johnson says. Fifty-eight-year-old Cassius Walton agrees. He’s been in the adaptive program for several years. “I love this program. I love my friends and going to do things and having fun,” Walton says. Denerson’s 45-year-old daughter Marquita, one of Walton’s many friends in the program, gets a kick out of being able to participate in athletics, field trips, banquets, and other activities. “I enjoy being a part of our adaptive program because it’s fun,” she says. “I like going and doing the things that we do.”

No Differences, Just Playing

Outcomes like Walton’s and Denerson’s is why Dee Nance started Hoover, Alabama’s Therapeutic Recreation Programs in the mid-1990s. While working for the parks and recreation department, the recreational therapist developed programs for individuals with disabilities, ranging from swim teams to after-school programs and community outings. She is adamant about people with disabilities having municipal recreational opportunities. Today, the veteran works in the mayor’s office as the Community Services Officer, where she led the $2-million, universally designed, inclusive playground project, EXPLORE. The 25,000-square-foot-park, which includes the first splash pad in the city, opened in May 2019. Nance says the intentional design of the park provides accessible, inclusive play opportunities for people of all ages and abilities.

Designed in partnership with GameTime—a national company specializing in playground equipment, the playground exceeded even their expectations for inclusion. The central feature is a 17-foot, two-story clubhouse. As users make their way up the ramp, parallel play opportunities, play panels, slides, and climbers line the way. Musical instruments and a variety of swings pepper the park at ground level. Charging stations are available to power up communication devices or mobility devices. A family changing room with an adult-size changing table provides even the most personal care-dependent individuals the peace-of-mind to relax and enjoy the park. “When people are at this park, there are no differences; people are too busy playing. Recreation is one of the things that everyone should be able to do,” Nance explains.

Other Resources

Municipalities like Macon and Hoover are ahead of the curve. In recent years the national effort to improve equal access to recreational opportunities for residents with special needs has seen a dramatic shift. Outside of recreation, nonprofits remain a go-to as well for startups looking to provide services for the special-needs population. Charity Charge in Austin, Texas, describes itself as a public-benefit corporation, created to provide a free and easy way to support nonprofits, according to its web site www.charitycharge.com. There it lists nine organizations changing the world for special-needs individuals and their families. They include notable names like Easter Seals, Legacy of Hope, and The Arc Alliance.

Nonprofits have traditionally played an important role in the provision of special-needs activities and will continue to do so. But for a taxpayer-funded, free-to-nominally-priced, community-oriented experience, municipal-run adaptive programs are now a great resource as well. “This is their family. They enjoy their time here,” Johnson says. “Recreation programs that successfully invested in meeting the needs of special-needs populations are an excellent resource for families.”

To find out more about starting up, maintaining, or supporting special-needs programs, contact Michael Johnson at tmjohnson@maconbibb.us or Dee Nance at dee.nance@hooveralabama.gov.

Clarence Thomas, Jr., is the Supervisor for the Frank Johnson Recreation Center for the Macon-Bibb County Department of Parks and Recreation in Macon, Ga. Reach him at cwthomas@maconbibb.us.