Providing Opportunities for Recreation

Meridian Services' Social Recreation program provides opportunities for recreation activities for people with developmental disabilities. As it is for all people, it is important for those with developmental disabilities to have the opportunity to participate in recreation activities with friends in the community. Our Social Recreation program provides a way for people with developmental disabilities to become involved in the community, in a relaxed atmosphere with their peers.

Experiencing New Activities and Developing New Interests

We offer Social Recreation in small groups, providing the opportunity for participants to experience activities and to develop interests that they otherwise may not have tried. Social Recreation offers individuals the opportunity to expand their social circles by participating in activities with peers and developing relationships with each other. We have found that this has been particularly important for those who have recently graduated from high school and who otherwise might lose the friendships and leisure opportunities that they had in that setting. Participants in the program interact with others who share common interests and abilities. We invite participants to make suggestions and to determine for themselves the activities in which they will participate. We welcome and encourage openness to new ideas.

Becoming a Part of Their Communities

Through Social Recreation services, participants become more familiar with the recreational opportunities that are available to them in their own communities. Once participants are more familiar with what is available to them, they are more likely to seek out these recreational activities independently and choose to go out with peers outside of the structured program. Social Recreation is offered to people with various disabilities and ability levels who require less than twenty-four hour supervision.

A Wide Range of Recreation Options

Social Recreation events have included going to the Mall of America, Underwater World, the Ellingson Car Museum, the Shrine Circus, the Oliver H Kelly Farm, Como and the Minnesota Zoos, the Princeton Speedway, the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, the Minneapolis Planetarium, and the Science Museum of Minnesota. The activities have included swimming, bingo, bowling, mini-golf, going to the movies, and going out for pizza. Participants have attended professional and high school baseball, basketball, hockey and football games, as well as band and choir concerts, county and state fairs, and a Mississippi River cruise. Meridian Services provides transportation, and the only cost to participants is the potential individual admission cost to activities.

Supporting Independence

As with all of the services that Meridian Services provides, the primary purpose of Social Recreation is to support consumers in all aspects of their lives as they develop to their fullest potential, achieving the most normal lifestyle possible. The goal of this program is to help to promote their further integration into the community.