The Rotary Clubs of North Sonoma County are offering an activity program for children and youth with special needs and their families.
Ten two-hour Saturday sessions, Jan. 13 through March 24, will be filled with fun and enriching activities to support personal growth, camaraderie and creativity.
The program is open to children and youth with special needs, aged 5-22. Siblings and friends are welcome to participate. Each child will have a buddy/companion from the local schools and/or community service organizations.
The program will be supervised by recreation and special education professionals as well as volunteers from the local Rotary Clubs. Each day will begin with exercises to foster camaraderie and wrap up with refreshments, participant recognition and joy.
A concurrent parents program includes refreshments and presentations of service resources and activity ideas for parents of special needs youth as well as an opportunity for socializing and discussing common themes and challenges. Programs include:
The Beat Goes On: Fun with Music and Dance — For kids of all different levels of abilities to focus on healthy rhythms and fun. Dance and music appreciation with a variety of dance, body movement exercises and music-making to improve motor skills and expressions of joy and emotion.
My Gym Time: Fun-Time Movement — Group exercises to improve motor skills and body coordination, including: low-impact gymnastics, tumbling and floor exercises; Zumba (body exercise to music) for healthy and fun body movement; physical/accuracy games involving catching, throwing and flexibility; yoga and stretching for body and spirit; and building a healthy snack with healthy food choices.
Express Yourself Through Art! Fun with Arts & Crafts — Children and youth will express themselves through a variety of arts and crafts activities and mediums: modeling with clay; finger painting; watercolors; and Lego and model building.
CARNIVAL: Fun & Games — The 10-week program wraps up with a fun day which includes: challenging games such as bean bag toss with prizes for all; face painting, animal balloon maker, clown; and healthy treats, popcorn and snow cones.
Programs will take place at the Healdsburg Foss Creek Community Center, 1557 Healdsburg Avenue, from 10 a.m. to noon. Voluntary donations of $30 for all 10 sessions or $5 for each session will be appreciated. For more information and a registration form, visit www.RotaryCares.org.
Rotary Cares is a collaboration of four North Sonoma County Rotary clubs — the Cloverdale, Healdsburg Noon and Sunrise and Windsor clubs. The Rotary Cares purpose is to enhance the quality of life for children with special needs and their families and to foster a greater sense of inclusion, goodwill and acceptance in our communities and schools.
— submitted by George Lawson
