Very special picnic a collaboration
PENN TWP — Zach Pry, of Cherry Township, was quick to share his thoughts on the annual picnic on Wednesday evening, June 20, at Succop Nature Park hosted by Alliance for Nonprofit Resources and Butler County’s Human Service department.
“It is a blast,” said Pry. “I love picnics and hanging out with my friends.”
The picnic was for those with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, autism and medically complex children who are in the county’s Intellectual Disabilities program.
Melissa Vettori, family liaison for Butler County, said the picnic normally draws 60 to 80 people.
“This year, 215 signed up,” she said as she took a break from dishing up hot dogs.
Vettori said the increase likely was due to the addition of first responders to the event.
Ambulances from Butler Ambulance and Cranberry EMS, a state police booth, Penn Township Volunteer Fire Department, the county’s massive emergency services unit vehicle, the county Sheriff’s Department, Middlesex Township Police Department’s K9 unit and others set up in the parking lot at the nature park, much to the delight of those in attendance.
Mandy Cousins, outreach coordinator for Cranberry EMS, distributed a new concept in stickers for homes and cars that she developed alongside officials at ANR and the human services department.
The stickers alert first responders at the scene of a fire, accident or any situation that someone lives in the home or is in the vehicle may respond differently to the situation by hiding, having difficulty communicating, running away or other unexpected response.
The shield-shaped stickers alert officers, firefighters, paramedics and others that “occupant may not respond as expected.”
Cousins said the stickers also would benefit those with deafness, dementia, difficulty communicating or other disabilities.
She said many parents took stickers for their homes and cars.
“It’s something they always worry about,” Cousins said.
She is trying to get funding to have more stickers made so they can be widely distributed throughout the county.
Vettori said the main reason picnic organizers decided to add first responders to the event was so those with disabilities would interact with officers, firefighters and ambulance personnel in a nonemergency setting.
“And everyone is enjoying the first responders,” she said.
Nancy Zacherl Agency set up a booth at the picnic, as State Farm was an event sponsor, along with Guardian Security.
Zacherl and her employee, Nicole Rodriguez, handed out first aid kits, autism stickers, coloring books and other items.
“We insure a lot of people with special needs,” Zacherl said, “and we believe in community involvement.”
Audrey Hamilton of Butler Township attended her third picnic.
“I really enjoy them, having fun with my friends,” Hamilton said.
She also liked Succop Nature Park, where the picnic was held for the first time.
“I like all the atmosphere,” she said.
Karen Spohn, of Butler, brought her daughter, Veronica, who flitted from one friend to another with a huge grin.
Karen said the picnic provides not only fun, but an opportunity for her daughter to socialize.
“She remembers everybody,” she said.
Alex Weber, of Jefferson Township, enjoyed the firetruck and ambulances, and the ambience at the leafy nature park.
“It’s nice,” he said.
His mother, Christine, said she hopes the interaction with emergency responders makes him more comfortable around those in uniform.
“If there were ever an emergency, he wouldn’t be panicked,” she said.
Jacob Sabo also enjoyed the fire truck and huge emergency services unit vehicle.
“It’s fantastic here,” he said before insisting on a group hug with his family.
Bill Glace, fire chief at Penn Township VFD, said most people wanted to sit in the big yellow rescue truck or ask questions about the plethora of equipment it carries.
“Everybody loves a fire truck,” he said.
Vettori hopes to have the picnic at the nature park again next year.
“It’s beautiful,” she said. “It has a walking trail, if they brought a fishing pole, they can fish, and it’s handicap accessible.”
She said families enjoy the picnic too, as they have gotten to know one another through human services’ monthly parent support group.
