‘Twas the season for merry events as the The Arc of Essex County Adult Recreation participants enjoyed a variety of activities that centered on the December holidays.

On December 3, a Holiday Shopping Spree for the Community Inclusion group took shoppers to the Livingston Mall to purchase gifts for their loved ones. Group Respite participants enjoyed an Ugly Sweater Cookie Swap at the Opportunity Zone on December 10, where they made cookies, danced to seasonal tunes, and were awarded prizes for the ugliest sweaters. The following week, Group Respite met at Studio Arc for a Gift-Wrapping Workshop where they learned to wrap items and enjoyed lunch together. And on December 16, the Arc’s bowling team enjoyed an end-of-year party after finishing their final games of 2023.

Hotel Respite, which took place from December 15 to 17, was held at the Embassy Suites in Parsippany. The group participated in a holiday party hosted by the SYA board on Friday evening, where all enjoyed dancing, crafts, and a visit from Santa, who had gifts to share. On Saturday, the group went bowling, shopped for gifts, and wrapped presents together.

The Saturday Respite groups celebrated the season together at a Christmas party, which featured holiday activities, games, and music, along with festive attire and, for the leisure group, a poinsettia-making craft.

If your loved one with intellectual or developmental disabilities is interested in educational programming, community experiences, seasonally themed events, or weekend group respite programs, you can learn more about all of these activities at The Arc’s Recreation Services page, and view the Winter-Spring Recreation Catalog. Activities include art classes at Studio Arc, trips to Medieval Times, Mount Airy Casino, and more, and fun seasonal parties. Contact Assistant Director of Adult Services Dacia King-Sarkodie at (973) 535-1181 ext. 1272 or [email protected] for more information.