Published Wednesday, August 21, 2002
SHENANGO VALLEY
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Herald Staff Writer
A special art camp for people with special needs created a pretty special three weeks for everyone involved.
The camp, which is sponsored by Diversified Family Services, Hermitage, is led by the Walnut Street Players, Sharpsville, and includes workshops in dance, story creation, art crafts, music, theater and visual arts.
"The concept for the camp is to help those with special needs relate to other people," said Lana Smith, residential program supervisor for the agency. "So many times in their treatment process, they can get so self-absorbed. This camp can help the treatment process."
The emphasis of the workshops has been on ways to communicate other than talking -- through musical instruments, picture collages of themselves and other campers and stage performance.
"We want them to express how they feel about themselves on a bigger palette," said Abbey Alter, who heads up the Walnut Street Players. "One project has them doing a little interview with each other, then trying to capture that (person) in the art medium."
Ms. Alter said she believes the arts can help campers become more aware of their environment.
"It's how they interact with the different levels of the environment," Ms. Alter said. "We try to get people to interact on a different level. That's what theater is really about."
"I wanted to offer it to a wide variety of people, which includes clients from Mercer, Lawrence and Crawford counties, for more high-functioning people," said Ms. Smith, who has a degree in theater.
She decided to try out a camp for older clients after the success of a summer arts camp for children with special needs.
She wanted Ms. Alter's group because the Walnut Street Players are rostered artists with the Pennsylvania Arts Council, which means they are selected by the state to work with schools and communities to combine art with educational experiences, according to Ms. Alter.
The art workshop is geared to ages 12 to 65. "A lot of these people are very independent and have their own jobs," said Ms. Smith. She said the turnout, about 20-plus people a day during the three-week event, has been phenomenal.
"It's amazing how up and ready to go they are, calling us and asking us when their ride is coming (to the art camp)," Ms. Smith said. "Usually it's the other way around."
The special arts workshop ends on Friday and will culminate with a special presentation which will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday evening at Buhl Farm park amphitheater near Shelter One along with an art display. The presentation is open to the public.
For more information, call Diversified Family Services at (724) 346-2123.