It was a day of fun this week when Barbee Library hosted a games party for a group of special needs adults and their caregivers from the JOY Sunday School class at Burkemont Baptist Church in Morganton, North Carolina. The group is here for a week-long work and play vacation.
The JOY class worked hard all last year to fund their trip. Under the leadership of their director, Renee Leonhardt, they held a silent auction, had a Tupperware party and a Candle-lite party, and collected shoes for the GotSneakers fundraiser program.
Their agenda for the week is a nice balance between providing service to the community and enjoying all that Caswell Beach, Oak Island and Southport have to offer. Like most visitors, their first stop was the beach, where they were treated to the rare sighting of a pod of dolphins.
Plans include visiting Sea Biscuit Wildlife Shelter and hearing Mary Ellen Rogers talk about how she rehabilitates injured birds and returns them to their natural habitat. Then they will help her with some clean-up work. That afternoon they will visit the home of FOLSOI member Judy Kurzer to help her with some yard work.
Upon returning to Morganton they will get ready for their next big adventure, a trip to Raleigh to play volleyball in the state Special Olympics in early June. They said they like all sports but especially volleyball because, as one of them put it, “It is a team effort, and we just have fun.”