This young person wasn’t sure exactly what he thought of his face as he looked in the mirror after a volunteer painted him to look a cartoon character. He was one of many to choose a design from a book and then have it painted on.
A beautiful day enhances Special Kids Carnival
By Dee Longfellow
For The Elmhurst Independent
On Saturday, Aug. 19, the annual Special Kids Day Carnival was held on the site of the Jaycees Carnival, held over the past weekend. A beautiful day brought out many families who enjoyed rides, treats and games without the glare of flashing lights and the loud noises that typically come with a carnival, creating a better environment for those with special needs and their families.
“The best thing about this is that it is for the whole family,” said Rich Rosenberg, founder of Special Kids Day, Inc., and the Special Kids Carnival. “It shouldn’t be about the disabled child, it’s about the entire family. That’s what the park in Butterfield is all about — it’s for the whole family so all the siblings can play together.
“No one has to go to a park or recreation area that is only geared for special needs kids, it’s a place where everyone can play.”
Don’t worry, that’s not a vicious tiger riding on the Merry-Go-Round at the Special Kids Carnival! It’s a boy with a painted face, being held securely by his mother. He was just one of many children and families to come out and enjoyed the beautiful weather as well as rides, games and attractions geared especially for them.
And play they did!
In addition to carnival games, there were games set up just for the event, games like ring toss, ball toss, a hula-hoop game and much more. Everyone was able to receive a prize, which was a choice of a dinosaur figure or a stuffed version of Billy Crystal’s character from Monsters Inc., a little green round fella with arms and legs and one big eye.
A volunteer was on the sidelines blowing bubbles over the crowd that played the games and enjoyed snacks and bottled water provided by Special Kids Day, Inc. When the time came to wrap it up, no one wanted to leave.
Special Kids Day Inc. sponsors an annual Christmas party, usually at Wilder Mansion, and according to Rosenberg, they have been holding a Halloween Dance for ages 12 and older.
“That way, there are no little kids, it’s the more mature kids that like to dance and maybe even want to ask someone else to dance,” he said. “The kids love it, they dance in pairs, they dance in large groups, they dance by themselves, they don’t care, they just love it.”
Rosenberg told a sweet story about encouraging a young man with special needs to ask a girl sitting on the sidelines to dance with him.
“He finally got up the courage and approached, but he didn’t really say anything, he just gestured with his hand for her to join him on the dance floor, which she did,” he said. “Later her mother came up to me and said that was the first time she had ever been asked to dance by a boy. So it was special moment for them both.”
The Independent will provide details on the other events when details are available.
