Prior to adding a service to Kayla’s Directory, I like to get feedback from someone who has experienced the activity, place, or service being offered. I also like to check things out personally and make sure they are suitable, safe, and fun for children with special needs. As the growing list of services listed on Kayla’s Directory indicates, I have come to realize there are a bunch of amazing activities in Vermont that children with special needs can access. I am especially happy to add a new one to the directory: Northern Lights Center in Essex.
I visited Northern Lights recently to see what types of programs they offer children with special needs and was blown away by their offerings.
Northern Lights Rock and Ice in Essex is a ropes and ice-climbing facility that caters to all types of individuals. They offer team building experience, summer camps, individual lessons, and group lessons. They also cater to programs in the community. One program they have worked with for several years is Partners in Adventures. Partners in Adventure serves children and adults who have physical, cognitive, or emotional disabilities. They meet once a week out in the community as well as offer summer camps and week long camps throughout the year. They can serve from fifteen to thirty individuals at a time.
I went to Northern Lights to observe a Partners in Adventures session and while waiting for the class to begin, I perused the facilities and was very impressed with what I saw: two zip lines, a huge swing, an ice wall, and a huge climbing tower with a rope climb and suspended bridge. Prior to the class, I was introduced to Jay Plantillas, who is the directory of the facilities. He is an energetic young man who fills me in on the day’s plan. There will be thirteen individuals who are participating on this particular day and each will have turns on the long zip line and the swing. He expects that it will take approximately four hours to complete the activities.
The individuals who came had all types of disabilities and were a wide variety of ages but all were enthusiastically greeted by Jay. A couple came in wheelchairs or used a walker, some came with an assistant to help and other came alone. They all were beaming with excitement and anticipation of the events at Northern Lights.
The staff at Northern Lights got everyone appropriately suited in a harness and then we trekked over to the zip line. The creativity and accessibility was clever as a few of the students were pulled in a sled rather then having to struggle with their wheelchairs or walkers. Jay hooked up a sling to get one individual up to the top of the tower while all the other students, staff, and assistants pulled the individual to the top. The amount of team work, strength, creativity, and manpower to get this done was astounding! It took over thirty minutes to get him to the top. The dedication and commitment was commendable but the thrill of the accomplishment, not only for the individual at the top but for all the others in their team effort was the true reward.
Watching the individual come down the zip line with a smile nearly too wide for his face as staff members caught him, unhooked him, and placed him in the sled was very moving. I was nearly brought to tears at the opportunity Northern Lights was providing for people with special needs. The entire staff was friendly, outgoing, caring, accommodating, and connected so well to all the campers that were in attendance. Jay was absolutely amazing! He was energetic, engaging, and provided such a welcoming experience!
I hope that every child with special needs gets to experience Northern Lights. The compassion that I saw was stellar and it is one of the best programs yet that I have seen in our community.