RECREATION
The Recreation Program provides individuals with disabilities the opportunity to participate in a variety of recreational clubs and leisure activities that may be of interest to them. Recreational activities are offered in the evenings and on weekends to encourage maximum participation from individuals in the community who are involved in work, school or day program activities during daytime hours. Evening activities generally last from 6:00 - 8:00 pm on Monday – Friday and weekend activities are usually scheduled during daytime hours. The hours of weekend operation may vary according to the planned activity. Some of the Friday evening and weekend activities consist of: Bingo nights, Karaoke Nights, Movie Nights, Friday Night Live events, and community trips. One of our most popular events is our Dinner/Dances where we have between 75 and 100 people in attendance!
For additional, and more advanced activities, people can sign up for our weekly recreation clubs. Some examples of our weekly recreation clubs offered include: Visual Arts, Drama and Music. The Visual Arts Club provides choices to individuals who have limited or no exposure to independent expression and decision-making. The class operates with each artist focusing on their own art production or the liberty to join in creating a group drawing. Adults in the program work with professional artists that create visual art, primarily through drawing, painting, mixed media, as well as the “drip art” process. The teachers facilitate the program, but leave the artistic decisions to the artist.
Music Club
The Arc Mercer Music Club is designed to promote the individual’s ability to express themselves through a variety of musical outlets. Be it vocal, instrumental, or lyrical we encourage participants to make their own artistic choices in an effort to facilitate communication through the medium of music. Participants can showcase their skills at monthly community performances, interactions with professional musicians, as well as recordings produced, both in-house and at area studios.
Drama Club
Transcending the label of disability, the Arc Mercer Drama Club is a class that seeks to honor and celebrate the individual. We facilitate a safe and judgment free environment, encouraging participants to collaborate together, as an ensemble, as well as discover their individual voices. The Drama Club allows our actors to have a voice in a particular field, which has not represented the disabled population on a large scale through filming videos, movies, and still pictures. The Vision of the Drama Club is to showcase our multi-talented actors on a national level. We will help to erase the stigma of labels in order to allow our audiences to see that true talent has no boundaries. The program is designed for the participant to grow through experience and hard work. Performing at local theaters and colleges, we are currently filming multiple videos, movies which will expand our horizon, and influence the drama community, throughout the Greater Mercer County area.
Arcade
Within the Arc Mercer's main facility is a full size interactive arcade adjacent to the Arc Mercer Café. The Arcade offers opportunity for inclusive socialization for all ages. It is equipped with pool tables, basketball shooting games, race car driving games, Pac-Man, Play Station 4, claw vending machine, skeeball and more. The machines are primarily purchased and set up in pairs with the intent of creating a more inclusive and engaging environment. The arcade is a host to our integrated billiard league that consists of local firefighters and/or police officers and consumers from throughout the county. The arcade also offers a variety friendly completions throughout the year that brings an extra amount of excitement
For more information contact the Recreation Department at 609-406-0181, ext.191 or email recreation@arcmercer.org.