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Show The TfumderSinf Monday Octo6cr 15, 1984 Page 7 Theres laughter in the air The Beehive Activity Center helps the handicapped by Monica Cox The day is very busy and active. The phone rings constantly. There is a peaceful and pleasant calmness. There is an abundance of laughter. This is the Beehive Activity Center for the handicapped. The center is an SUSC program run under the State Department of Social Services and is located at South Elementary. Virginia Higbee has been director of the program for the past three years. She is also in charge of Early Intervention Preschool for handicapped kids, Project Passage Preschool, and a new Headstart program. The Activity Center started with 12 students and has grown to 21. The ages of the workers range anywhere from 20 to 65. The program was started to help the handicapped to be accepted in society by learning social and vocational skills. Some of the students are in wheelchairs. Some have speech impairments that make it difficult to understand them. Some of the disabilities include Downs Syndrome, The students learn survival and social skills. Even crossing the street can be an important thing to know. Cerebral Palsy, and brain damage due to injuries at birth. There are also emotional handicaps that can be greater than the physical ones. Most of the students at the center are classified as being undiagnosed. They have handicaps for no given reason. A very small staff consisting of three e people handles the production and teaching at the center. Randy Hoyt is the production manager. He also manages the new Fiddlers Raquetball Club and helps with the exercises of the students. Jan Parke is the training manager. Cleone Cox is also an important member of the staff. Higbee encourages people to become volunteers at the center. They can use e with extra help in working individuals. SUSC credit can also be arranged in Psychology and Child Development. Higbee said they need dependable volunteers that can come as infrequently as one hour a week. The schedule for the center includes teaching social, survival, community living, rehabilitation, and motor skills. These important skills help the workers to function in society. They also help the students to be able to take criticism and to like themselves. The social skills inelucle grooming, coordinating colors, nutrition, full-tim- one-on-on- cleanliness, appropriate behavior in crowds, and learning to say please and thank you. Survival skills such as learning how to cross a street and how to read traffic lights and signs are taught for safety. Community living covers a little first aid, such as when to go to the doctor and not to panic at the sight of blood. It also includes instructions on how to exit a burning building, how to write out a check, how to budget money, and how to keep from being cheated by someone. Motor skills consist of cutting and tracing, but also exercise and training for the Special Olympics. They usually walk around the bjock daily to build endurance. They also do stretches which help their muscles become more flexible. The rehabilitation skills are those used to prepare the students for employment. In other words, they work. The women learn sewing techniques and the men are taught to work u'ith wood. Two to three hours a day are spent working on handicrafts. These handicrafts include a number of different items. They tie quilts, knit, crochet, and macrame. They make wooden napkin holders, pencil boxes, and even mini picnic tables that hold ketchup and mustard. Most of these items are sold on consignment, but anyone can purchase them. The students get paid for their work w'hich gives them some money of their own to manage. The students have other activities besides their lessons and work. They go to Fiddlers Raquetball Club on Mondays for aerobics. They have instructors come and teach ballroom and folk dancing. They have basketball practice on Thursday nights. They also participate in area spring and indoor games and have three huge trophies and a number of ribbons from a bowling tournament in St. George. They train and practice for the Special Olympics. You might expect that on weekends they like nothing better than resting from their labors, but when asked about that they answered in unison, Party! They all seem to really enjoy spending time at the center. They even like the school lunches. Were enthusiastic about the wok activity program. It gives the clients or workers not only a place to be, but social and vocational skills training. It also gives the parents a break, I guess, from all that responsibility. said Higbee. I really admire them (the parents). It e is another job taking care of a handicapped person, she said. The Beehive Activity Center does a great job in helping the handicapped be accepted in societv. They not only bnng dignity to d.? center, but also gve dignity to the handjeanned. - 4 f I Raymond Heaton, top, and Lorie Stephens, bottom, work on the products that will be sold to help support the Beehive Activity Center. The center helps handicapped adults learn to use their talents designing and building marketable items. full-tim- in I N 1 Ik! |