This night was exceptional!
Adults with developmental disabilities danced the night away on April 29 at the twice-yearly Guild for Exceptional Children Spring Fling at St. Joseph’s College on Clinton Avenue.
Student clubs and staff members invited more than 150 people from the Bay Ridge-based do gooder group for an evening of partying and grub at the Clinton Hill college between Willoughby and DeKalb avenues, all while allowing guests and hosts to have a great time, according to one of the organizers.
“The dance floor is always packed, the students are always dancing with the members,” said speech pathology teacher Rosemarie Hamlin, who, along with her students, helped put on the event.
Both guests and organizers enjoyed the jiving so much that at times the they didn’t even have time to give out the food at the event, according to one student who helped organize night.
“Most of my volunteers weren’t even passing out pizza they were dancing,” said Danielle Policaro.
The event included an arts and crafts workshop for those looking to take a break from the fun and frolic, along with a raffle of prizes that included tickets to Broadway shows. Proceeds went back to the Guild, according to Hamlin.
“One of the group home residents won tickets to see ‘Beautiful’ and he was quite excited,” Hamlin said. “They’re so full of joy to win something.”
The shindig allows members from different Guild residences around the borough to come out and meet with each other, according to Policaro
“Putting on something like this gives them an opportunity to enjoy themselves and socialize with other members of the guild. They’re so happy to even be there,” she said.
It also helps the students get some hands-on experience with adults with developmental disabilities, which encouraged the college senior to work with people with developmental disabilities in the future.
“It reassured me that the career path I chose is the right one for me.”
