COMMUNITYCOURIER - Greater Hershey Area - May 18, 2022 - 9
townlively.com
For parents of children with special needs, going to the movies can be overwhelming. The darkness, sounds and crowds can cause anxiety and turn a fun outing into a source of tension. Colleen Ginder understands the issue firsthand. As the parent of a 5-year-old son, Nolan, who has autism, Colleen wanted to provide an opportunity for other families to bring their children to the movies. She arranged for a sensory-friendly movie outing in April at Penn Cinema in Lititz. More than 100 people from 27 families throughout Lancaster County, Lebanon County and Hershey attended a showing of “Sing 2.” “(Nolan) had never been to the movies, and I figured if he has never been, then probably some of his peers have never been either,” said Colleen, who lives in Manheim. “I felt that this event would give families like mine an opportunity to attend an event that we would normally shy away from either because of sensory issues, financial concerns or fear of judgment from people who may not understand our specific needs.” Despite never having planned an event like this before, and with the original date rescheduled due to a snowstorm, Colleen said the day was very well-received. “It went exactly as I had hoped that it would,” she stated. “The kids were able to walk around, sing, talk, sit on the floor, play and just generally do exactly what they needed to do to feel comfortable watching the
movie. The parents as well were able to be present knowing that their children were in a safe environment to be exactly who they needed to be. We were all there for the same reason, and you could feel the support and acceptance in the room.” Colleen said her goal in creating the event was to make it as accessible to as many families as possible, including keeping the cost low. “I know for myself, we have never taken Nolan to the movies. Part of that was because I couldn’t see spending the money on taking our entire family out and then having to face the very real possibility that we would have to leave early or even before the movie even started because of sensory issues or just not being able to follow social norms that are easy for some but not all of us,” she stated. She approached Tom Zern at John A. Zern & Sons Beverage Distributor in Manheim, who donated toward the cost of the theater rental and also provided soda and ice for the event. A family member of Colleen’s covered the rest of the theater rental cost, and Penn Cinema donated free bags of popcorn to the group. “I am definitely hoping to do another event like this,” Colleen said. “The movie was a huge success, so possibly I will try to plan another movie, But I have several other ideas going as well.” To request notifications of upcoming events, contact Colleen at cjoyginder @gmail.com or call or text 717-666-5900.
Chorus To Host Evening Of Song Keystone Capital Chorus will host an evening of singing, fun, and fellowship, and refreshments on Tuesday, May 24, at 7 p.m. The event will take place at Christ Presbyterian Church, 421 Deerfield Road, Camp Hill. The public is invited to attend. For details, contact Don Myers at 717-838-6146 or gnolead@yahoo.com.
kids for delays by letting them know in advance that some setbacks are possible. Expected delays should be built into the itinerary, so people are not stressing out about missing anything. If travelers ex perience no delays, then the weekend begins that much sooner. It is important to do one’s part to avoid surprises or problems that can be anticipated. When traveling by air, travelers should confirm everything they need to get through security and onto the plane as quickly as possible. Travelers should make sure passports and other forms of identification are current. Bags should be packed wisely so there are no surprises at check-in time. The more details tended to in advance of departure, the less stressful the travel day will be. Travelers should also consider a local destination. Another way to beat crowds is to avoid joining them. The National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration estimates that roughly 40% of the American population lives in coastal communities. That means more than 120 million Americans can drive
to coastal areas without having to traverse potentially congested highways and interstates. Stay local for busy travel weekends like Memorial Day and reserve longer trips for other times of the year when fewer people are on the road. Memorial Day travel is historically heavy. Savvy vacationers can employ various strategies to avoid the crowds this year.
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Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial beginning of summer, and this year the roads figure to be as busy as ever as summer travel picks up. Travelers concerned about the prospect of sitting in traffic jams this Memorial Day weekend can heed several tips to ensure their weekends are more fun than frustrating. They include avoiding peak travel times, expecting the trip to take longer than planned, planning ahead to avoid surprises or problems, and considering a local destination. The easiest way to find oneself stuck in Memorial Day traffic is to hit the road during peak travel times. Many people have embraced the trend of leaving early for holiday weekend travel, so the roads may be busier than drivers would ex pect on Thursday afternoon and evening. If it is possible, drivers can hit the road prior to 3 p.m. on the Thursday before the holiday. If work and kids’ school schedules make that impossible, departure should be delayed until late Thursday night or before the sun rises on Friday morning. Late at night or very early in the morning might not make for the most accommodating travel time, but roads tend to be the least congested at these times. Travelers should expect the trip to take longer than planned. Delays are possible, even if traveling during offpeak hours. Recognition of that can make traffic jams or flight delays a little easier to manage. Parents can prepare
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Kindergarten | High School | Trade | Home School | College Share the good news with your family, friends, and neighbors by placing a congratulatory ad in the June 22nd issue of any of our newspapers in Lancaster and Chester counties and the greater Hershey area. Deadline is Monday, June 13 .
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A sensory-friendly movie night was recently held for families of people with special needs.
Beating Holiday Travel Crowds
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A Joy-Filled Day At The Movies
