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Special Kids Of Toms River Brings Tears To Freeholders' Eyes
By Bill McLaughlin
It's not often that the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders' work brings tears to their eyes.
But it happens at least once every year, as was the case at the Board's January 17 meeting, when the Freeholders had their yearly visit from the Special Kids of Toms River. The support group usually stops by in January to pay their respects and, unlike some visitors, doesn't come looking for a handout.
Instead, the group presented Freeholder Director John P. Kelly a check for $3,000 to be applied to the county's cost for the DETS program. DETS, or the Disabled Employees Transportation Service, connects clients on a regular work schedule with a safe, reliable ride to work.
Every year, "the Kids" - most now adults - pay back what they can to their benefactors.
"I look forward every year to this visit. It's one of the happiest times for me," Kelly said with a tear in his eye.
As he accepted the money, Kelly handed the microphone to Chris Valentine, a program participant for the past nine years.
"I get to work and back thanks to DETS," Valentine said. "Thank you. Without you, I wouldn't have a way to work."
Kelly choked up as he spoke of DETS as, "one of the most compassionate programs in the county. It helps individuals with special disabilities to be productive members of society."
There are 34 members with another eight hopefuls on a waiting list for the transportation program, which gets members to jobs at government agencies, retail stores, the
YMCA and other work places.
"There're always welcome," Kelly said. "They brighten our day with their smiles
whenever they're here."
Freeholder Gerry Little joined Kelly in praising the program, through which the county transportation system subcontracts with local transport services.
Special Kids of Toms River was founded in 1981 by parents of special needs kids as a support group. The original name is sort of a misnomer now since children and adults from all over Ocean County - and one from Monmouth - belong.
As the children got older, the needs changed and the county government adapted.
One of the stumbling blocks to preventing special needs people from taking part in everyday work is a transportation need. The Freeholders, through Ocean Ride, found a way to help them become working class citizens.
The Special Kids group is independent, then as now made up mainly of parents who have been part of the group from the beginning.
"We needed some kind of parent group to help with the kids' socialization," said Laura Weisneck, one of the founders. "The kids did sports like bowling and other group activities. Back then the county had no programs for a group like ours."
Through Ocean County College, Weisneck said, continuing education classes on life skills have opened up a new world for group members. They provide their own recreation activities, but finding a way to join the work force was difficult.
"When we started to reach work age, we were looking for ways to assimilate," she said. "The kids only worked two or three hours a day in most cases, but the transportation was always a problem. As the kids got older, we did too."
Some parents couldn't keep up with the demands of a daily schedule. That's where the county came to the rescue.
The payback comes from money raised by the group's annual transportation dance, which was sabotaged last June by one of the worst thunderstorms of the summer. That hurt attendance by half. In years past, the check has been as large as $6,000.
"For years, Mr. Mancini (the late Freeholder James Mancini) was our guardian angel," Weisneck said. "He helped any way he could. Now, Mr. Little helps take care of our needs."
Weisneck and Bev Valentine did most of the leg work in finding a way to help their sons be more a part of society.
"My son, Billy, and Bev's son, Chris, were the first ones in our group that needed a ride," Weisneck said. "It was amazing the difference. They were free. For the first time in their lives they really felt a sense of accomplishment."
To qualify, members have to have a set work schedule, be willing to pay between $3 and $5 per ride, be out of school and use the service for work only.
"We pay for each ride because (the
service) is so expensive," Weisneck said. "Kathy Edmond (of the county transportation
office) and her staff work hard to make this work, so we make sure everybody qualifies or they don't ride."
Weisneck said her group also regularly applies for county special grants for outings like the annual Special Olympics or for a stage presentation.
The costs are defrayed somewhat by a gift auction held on the third Tuesday in August each year. On a good year, the net result is about $10,000.
"We get a lot of support from stores and merchants," she said. "The money helps run our program all year round. Everyone is a volunteer; so the money is all used for the kids."
Weisneck said as the parents age, they're more reluctant to drive - especially after dark. It puts a strain on being able to do all they want to do.
"The kids need those social outings they otherwise wouldn't get," Weisneck concluded.
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