Multi-colored, hand-painted owls covered the walls of the craft room, and newspaper lined the tables. Nathaneal, a blond-haired man roughly a head taller than me, greeted me by tapping his forehead with the fingers on his right hand and then gestured his hand toward me — “Hello,” he signed.
He, along with 10 other participants, gather every Tuesday in the bright craft room on Waldron Road for Art at SPARC, one of the many services that the St. Paul’s Ability Resource Center offers to community members with special needs. That afternoon’s project consisted of using crayons and watercolor paint to create vibrant decorations for their Winter Snowball Dance.
Rebecca Johnson, deaconess at St. Paul’s Lutheran, also volunteers at SPARC. Johnson believes that Art at SPARC provides a safe and supportive environment for participants to show express themselves.
“Art shows personalities,” Johnson said. “Some of the most quiet individuals tend to do the coolest art.”
Director Tamra Ryan founded SPARC in 2006 after realizing a need in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church congregation for programs that provide social activities for people with special needs as well as resources for their families. SPARC offers daily life skills classes for their participants. Ryan created a mock kitchen space, bedroom, and laundry room at SPARC to teach participants how to cook healthful meals, vacuum, make a bed, shovel, do laundry, and even ride a bike.
“They get to feel the breeze blowing in their hair just like the rest of us,” Ryan said, “with a helmet on, of course. It is incredible to witness that joy.”
In addition to Tuesday art sessions, on Thursdays, SPARC offers “Hangtime,” where participants play sports like basketball and softball, followed by a Bible study. During the winter months, SPARC hosts Friday Game Nights. SPARC also hosts annual events, such as their Fall Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser, November Baking Day — where participants bake Thanksgiving pies to share with their families — and the Winter Snowball Dance.
“Independence is very important and it is one of our key words, along with joy. It is what we all want.” Ryan said. “The greatest joy is that I get to witness those moments where individuals accomplish something — their ‘I did it!’ moment. It’s special.”
The Hillsdale Community provides financial support for SPARC. Recently, the Hillsdale Chapter of 100 Women Who Care, a group of women who pool monetary donations to support local charities, provided SPARC with a voice-recognition word processing software that helps the receptionist at SPARC to type Facebook posts and newsletters.
The SPARC staff is composed entirely of volunteers, including both Ryan and Johnson. Destiny, volunteer and sister of a SPARC participant, began learning sign language at the age of 8. She assists and communicates with Nathaneal and other non-verbal SPARC participants.
As I sat with the participants at Art at SPARC, I listened to them hum songs or sing “The Itsy-Bitsy Spider.” They smiled with glee as they painted my fingers in cold blue paint. Most importantly, I glimpsed into a community- one that loves each member for who they are, and appreciates the personalities and talents that each individual brings to the table.
After crafting with the SPARC participants, I left with paint-stained fingers and a few new, talented friends — ones that I have more in common with than some might think.
Editor’s note: SPARC is located at 68 Waldron St. in Hillsdale. To donate to SPARC or if you have questions, email sparchillsdale@gmail.com or call 517-797-1227.