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STEUBENVILLE – With autumn activities abound, it's time to celebrate the season with the inclusive Special Connections Fall Festival on Oct. 24.
The free event will be held from 1-3 p.m. at Bright Promise, which is located at 256 John Scott Highway in Steubenville, and will include lots of fall-based fun from pumpkin painting to a maze. It is being planned by Special Connections, a partnership between the Jefferson County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Special Needs Parents of the Ohio Valley Support Group Facebook page, and Crossroads Christian Church.
Mindy Aleksiejczyk, coordinator for the online support group and president of the JCBDD board, said the Fall Festival offers something for everyone.
"We will have games, pumpkin painting, baby goats, a candy apple bar, a maze, refreshments, and more," she said. "In the past, we've held a trunk-or-treat, but this year we decided to bring an inclusive fall festival to the community."
The games are accessible while seasonal treats and local resources will also be available. Aleksiejczyk added that Special Connections has been hosting fall events for the past five years as a way to offer something for all ages and abilities, and the festivities typically have drawn about 150 people.
Special Connections began about five years ago and last year became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. In addition to the fall event, it has hosted annual Easter Egg hunts and Special Summer Bash carnivals to the Sensory-Friendly Santa gatherings at Christmastime, as well as sponsored regular meetings with the Arc of Ohio to share programs and resources with families and caregivers while younger individuals share some camaraderie.
"Special Connections is a nonprofit organization and all events are free community events," Aleksiejczyk said. "We are an organization that brings inclusive events to our community that have individuals with disabilities in mind. Our events are wonderful events that happen in the community and allow every person and family to be exactly who they are without judgment. At every event, I am so grateful for the environment that we create and everyone that helps us to make these very events happen."
For more information, contact Aleksiejczyk at 740-457-9941, email specialconnections740@gmail.com, or visit the Special Connections Facebook page.