The addition of the Aaron’s Acres School Year Program is an important one in the history of this organization.

When a group of parents met 25 years ago, they were focused on creating a camp program for their children, ages 5-9 with varying disabilities. They did not believe that there was an already existing program that would meet their children’s needs. Once the camp program was established, the same parents shared that during the school year, their children were home on Friday afternoon from the time school ended until Monday morning when the school week began again.

For children who don’t have any disabilities, participating in a sport, getting involved in a religious youth group, or taking a class at the local community center is often the norm. Socializing with their peers while engaging in recreational activities is what many families experience for their children. Unfortunately, this was, and continues to not be, the case for those with disabilities. 

In response to parents’ requests, a monthly recreational program was established during the school year. At first, it was on Sunday afternoons. However, as the ages of the participants increased, a Friday night program was established for those between the ages of 13-21. Then a Saturday evening program was established for those between the ages of 5-12. In this way, we were able to offer age-appropriate activities for different age groups, focusing on developing and strengthening socialization and communication skills. 

Our Older Adolescent Program on Friday nights includes activities such as going to Hershey Park, bowling, visiting a corn maze and having a dance. On Saturday evenings, the Younger Children Program meets at Millersville University for a night of games, crafts, dinner, and snacks, while also focusing on socialization and communication. Aaron’s Acres has been partnering with Millersville University for approximately 25 years and provides internship opportunities for undergraduate students studying special education. Students gain course credit while providing this monthly program under the supervision of the staff at Aaron’s Acres. Presently, our Friday night program takes place in Lancaster and Dauphin counties.

Years ago, one parent shared that she loved going into her office on the Monday after the Hershey Park trip because when her co-workers were sharing with one another what their kids did over the past weekend, for the first time, she was able to partake in the conversation and say, “Yes, my daughter was with her friends and went to Hershey Park on Friday night”. It was the first time that she felt like an active participant with her fellow workers, and the first time her child was able to participate in typical activities like any other teenager might on the weekend.

All children and young adults need to partake in recreational activities, separate and apart from their parents. They need to feel like every other young person, having their own time with friends and doing fun activities that all kids want to do. At Aaron’s Acres, we are committed to providing those experiences for everyone, regardless of how challenging their disabilities might be! As we move forward, we will always remain committed to that goal.