Fun and Fellowship

Family Support Services

Everyone needs a little fun and relaxation once in a while. The Arc provides a range of services to help people with disabilities and their families to do just that!

Recreation/Respite* is a program that operates every weeknight in Utica and Rome to take people out in small groups for a supervised recreational experience in the community with friends. Some of the groups are set up to deal with special populations: i.e. children, people with multiple disabilities, people who live in rural areas.

Barrier-Free Recreation Respite* offers recreation respite to individuals who have more intensive staffing needs or who line in rural areas of Oneida County.

Supported Recreation* offers the support of staff to facilitate the integration of individual with disabilities into community recreational and social activities, which can be wonderful experiences. The Arc staff help people with disabilities with preparations, provide and needed guidance and support, and make transportation arrangements.

Recreation In addition to the recreation programs listed above, the agency provides a calendar of extra events each month to give individuals a chance to socialize with friends. A calendar is distributed to both Lewis and Oneida Counties each month to inform families of dances, bingo nights, arts and crafts, Special Olympic training, and any other activities that can be arranged. What is offered is dependent upon the desires of the consumers.

Dial-A-Drive is a transportation program that provides transportation to day services for those unable to use public transportation. It also operates evenings at low cost when public transportation is unavailable.

Leisure Weekends These are weekend getaway opportunities for individuals where they travel with staff to vacation spots in the area. The trips are usually from Saturday at about 10 am to late afternoon on Sunday. Usually about 10 to15 consumers participate on any given weekend.

Leisure Center opened in March and is located at 14 Arnold Avenue, Utica NY. This site will be open on weekend afternoons and evenings to give people a place to meet friends and use as a base for community events.
Leisure Center Recreation Calendar

Summer Day Camp  is a program is open during the months of June and July. Individuals get a break from their regular daily activities and spend a relaxed week with their friends. Special weeks are designated for an integrated children’s camp where children with disabilities and their siblings are able to go to camp together.

StageWorks Each year a group of people come together to plan and rehearse for a musical performance to be held in the fall.  The group also does extra performances at smaller venues throughout the year.

CompuCamp  is another camping opportunity is the which is offered at 245 Genesee Street to allow children a week’s exposure to the power of a computer and a chance to improve their skills.

PALS   is a recreation program targeted to people who live independently in the community, but need support in order to take full advantage of recreation activities with their friends.

The Great Adventure program is a cooperative program offered by The Arc and the YMCA of the Greater Tri-Valley, Rome Branch. Small group community recreational outings are offered along with some larger group activities at the YMCA. Transportation is offered for the group outings.

T.G.I.F. Friday is "Funday" for children with disabilities, when Arc support staff take them into the community to join in all kinds of recreational activities. Anything from field trips to local attractions, to picnics, to fireworks may be on the menu! The program is open to children between the ages of 5 and 21.

For more information contact our Community Recreation Coordinator.

* These services are available only to individuals living with their families.

For more information e-mail comfamily@thearcolc.org  or call us