The city of Lake Elsinore’s A.R.I.S.E. program celebrated its fourth anniversary May 15 with a birthday party focused on creating an inclusive space for children and adults with special needs and their families.
A.R.I.S.E. stands for Adaptive Recreation Incorporating Social Enrichment. It is a program that provides activities and events for individuals with special needs, with an emphasis on inclusion, social interaction and accessibility.
The event featured music, balloon animals, beaded crafts and coloring activities for attendees. Staff also served pizza and birthday cake as families gathered to celebrate the program’s growth over the past four years.
A.R.I.S.E. Recreation Coordinator Julie Matull said the program was brought back after a previous special needs program, called Special L.E., ended during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We started with an Easter egg hunt over at Launch Pointe, and then just wanted to get it going again and get everyone involved,” Matull said.
The program now hosts monthly activities, including karaoke nights, glow-themed parties and canvas paintings. An upcoming game night scheduled for June 5 will feature activities such as chair volleyball, balloon tennis and Giant Connect 4.
Matull said one of the program’s biggest goals is creating a safe space for participants and families. She also said the program has helped build strong connections over time.
“We have seen so many people come and make friends through this,” she said. “I’ve even seen the parents or the caregivers make friends.”
Several parents said the events give their children opportunities to socialize in an environment they feel comfortable in.
Lake Elsinore resident Alisa Sharon said her and her daughter Shannon, who is nonverbal, attend A.R.I.S.E. events regularly.
“We’ve been coming to these events for about a year,” Sharon said. “She always enjoys it.”
Sharon said the family attends programs in multiple cities and appreciated that A.R.I.S.E. staff accommodate her daughter’s dietary needs by providing sugar-free options at the party.
Sharon said events like these give participants opportunities “to be able to socialize and to be around other people.”
Another event attendee, Amanda Dalgleish, said she has been bringing her children to A.R.I.S.E events for the past two years.
“It allows kids on the spectrum to go ahead and socialize with their other peers on the spectrum,” Dalgleish said. “It also lets the kids express themselves in many different ways.”
She said her children now look through the program booklet themselves and get excited when choosing which activities they want to attend.
Jeanette Ramirez, who also attended the event with her children, said the welcoming environment is what keeps her family coming back.
“My son is able to have fun and be himself,” Ramirez said. “He’s able to play and run around rather than if I take him to other places, it’s more like I have to keep him calm and quiet, but he’s able to be himself here.”
Ramirez said the events give her son opportunities to interact with others outside of therapy appointments and home activities.
Volunteer Maria Wharton, who has helped with A.R.I.S.E. events since last year, said she enjoys seeing participants interact with each other and with their families.
“I just want to help,” Wharton said. “It does my soul and heart good to be able to do something like this.”
