Special Needs community feels the love at Valentine's Day dance

By Emily Blackwood
| 2:17 p.m. February 16, 2015

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Ormond Beach Observer
Neighbors

The Special Populations Activity and Recreation Council hosted the annual event.

Edna Fager doesn’t know what her child would special needs would do if they weren’t involved with the Special Populations Activity and Recreation Council. She began volunteering for SPARC 13 years ago, when her and her son moved to Florida from New Jersey.

“They wouldn’t have anything if it wasn’t for this,” Fager said. “If they didn’t have this, they would be sitting home in front of the TV.”

SPARC, a countywide organization, hosted its annual Valentine’s Day Dance Feb. 13 at the Nova Community Center and Park. The city of Ormond Beach partners with the organization to bring many events to the special needs community.

“We started out with five people,” Volunteer Chantal Jordan said. “We have over 400 now. We started out in New Smyrna and we’ve grown to go all over. Everyone working together kept it alive.”

The event drew in 276 people plus volunteers for Valentine’s Day pictures, dancing, food and music.

SPARC President Brooks Casey, who has held the title for 10 years, said the dances are their more popular events.

“We want them to have a normal livelihood,” Casey said. “Just like everybody else needs recreation so do people with special needs.”