Jack-O-Smash funds assist special needs community
The $24,000 in donations raised last fall through the Jack-O-Smash Run and Family Festival continue to benefit the special needs community.
Funding has enhanced resources for special education students in Poway Unified School District, including the Transition program at Abraxas High School, and PoVa’s horse therapy instructional program for the developmentally disabled.
“In PUSD, 23 mini-grants have benefitted more than 3,500 students across the district’s 37 campuses,” said Mark Exley, president of the PUSD Special Education Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to augment students’ educational experiences and successes.
“Several of the grants were for specialist and district departments, each with large caseloads in areas such as speech, dyslexia and occupational therapy. Students of all ages benefit, because the teachers and specialists have more tools and resources to help them,” he added.
Abraxas Transition teacher Janice Pepin said the donations helped buy more sensory equipment for its community-based program, which promotes greater independence for young adults (18-22) with developmental disabilities.
“We purchased various sensory equipment, such as, stationary pedaling equipment, mini trampolines and therapy bands. Plus, we just increased our Transition caseload by a large number of students this year. We will be putting together our list of necessary items to fit their needs and purchase these items with the Jack-O-Smash funding,” she said.
Abraxas Principal Dave MacLeod envisions that one day the funding will be used to build “sensory room mini houses” for student enrichment, he said.
At PoVa Therapeutic Riding Center, the grant money subsidized more than 100 riding lessons at the Poway-based non-profit. PoVa supports people with various disabilities and diagnoses.
Riders experience lasting benefits as the horse’s movement coupled with the educational components of each lesson are the basis of therapeutic riding’s cognitive, emotional, and physical benefits, said Ingrid Mourey, Executive Director.
“Parent and professional testimonials and instructor records document the tremendous benefits gained by every rider. One parent stated, ‘(Riding) built our daughter’s confidence and balance. She went from walking in a walker to walking all by herself because of therapeutic riding. She has been progressing with great strides since she started riding at PoVa. Her increased confidence allows her to try new things and be more open to learning,’ ” Mourey said.
One mother shared that therapeutic riding is the most important therapy her non-verbal 6-year old receives; riding improves her daughter’s communication, strength and coordination, she added.
Plans for Jack-O-Smash 2016 are underway. The third annual event will be held Sunday, Oct. 30, at Sportsplex USA, 12349 McIvers Ct, Poway. Jack-O-Smash offers four race distances: a 1-mile fun run, 5K, 10K and 15K. For information go to www.jackosmash.org.
The Family Fun Festival takes place after the races and features a celebrity softball game with Poway Padres and Sports for Exceptional Athletes, kids’ fun zone, music, Guinness World Record Largest Plinko Board and the popular pumpkin-smashing trebuchet.
“Sportsplex USA is proud to host this positive and exciting event for the third consecutive year,” said Chris Vertrees, director of marketing. “We are committed to serving our community by donating the use of the park to help raise funds for children with special needs. It is our honor to support these special families in Poway and our neighboring communities.”