Recreational Opportunities for youth with special needs Fox Valley Region*     Aquatics Adaptive Aquatics – Collaborative effort between UW-Oshkosh Physical Education Department and Oshkosh YMCA.  Classes are offered during the fall semester in the evening.  Contact Mary DeMunck to sign up or to get more information, 920-424-1390 or demunck@uwosh.edu. Center for Aquatic Rehabilitation and Exercise – Program of CP, Inc. of Green Bay.  Offers special needs instructional classes including basic water skills along with therapeutic exercises for children and young adults with disabilities in one of their two warm water (92 degree) pools. For more information or to register for a class call 920-403-7665. Oshkosh YMCA – Offers group swim instruction for children with special needs in six-week blocks.  Offered fall through spring.  Located at the downtown Oshkosh YMCA.   For additional information contact Shauna Coleman at 920-230-8439. Fox Cities YMCA – Have provided open swim and swim instruction for children with special needs.  Call Nikki Boyd at 920-954-7628 with questions or information on how to register for Appleton locations.  Neenah location offers a “Helping Hands” class on Wednesday nights for various ages and disabilities.  Purchase a punch card and attend when you can.  Contact Kathryn Herzog for more information 920-886-2132.   Baseball/Softball Discovery League – Part of Neenah Baseball, Inc. Discovery League provides an “organized baseball opportunity” for people of all ages with special needs. Games are played on Sunday evenings from 6:15 – 7:30pm at Southview Park in Neenah from mid-May through July. For more information, contact Kathy Delchambre at 734-5641. Challenger League – Based in Appleton, the Challenger League is a division of Little League Baseball, Inc. It is designed for children with disabilities ages 8 –18 who play baseball with the assistance of a parent or sibling. Contact Joe Vanevenhoven at 731-7889 for more information.   Basketball Horizons Sports Organization – Horizon Sports serves as a sponsor for a local wheelchair basketball team. Horizons offers a junior league for ages 10-19 (with enough interest) and an adult league for ages 18-40 plus. The team practices one time a week in Green Bay and plays 1-2 games a month with the season typically running October through February. Contact Bruce Makholm at 920-731-5195 or Kevin Whatley at 920-469-8250 for further information.  Team competes as an independent team in the National Basketball Association.   Bowling Sabre Lanes “Roll On” Wheelchair Bowling League – This wheelchair league for people who are physically handicapped is available to people of all ages throughout the Fox Valley. Sessions of the bowling league are offered for 10 weeks in the summer, starting in June, and every other week in the fall at Sabre Lanes in Menasha. Adaptations such as using a bowling ramp or special ball, or having a helper assist in carrying the ball to the alley, are made as needed. For more information, contact Sabre Lanes at 920-739-9161 or Jane Reinl at 920-954-9524.   Clubs Bay Lakes Boy Scout Council – Provides scouting activities for all youth including those with disabilities and special needs.  Contact Jim Wieser, Director of Special Needs Scouting, at 920-734-5705 or jimw@baylakesbsa.org 4-H – Provides children ages 5 years – High School with a positive educational opportunity to learn new skills and contribute to their community. Provide accommodations as needed. Call Cooperative Extension at 920-832-5123 for more information about a group in your area.   Day Camps Camp Hope –Sponsored by the Appleton YMCA and held at Plamann Park in Appleton during the summer. Camp Hope is a day camp for children ages 5-16 who are physically and cognitively challenged as well as deaf/hard of hearing children. Activities include swimming, arts/crafts, singing, games and more! For further details, contact Jason Hurley at Camphope@ymcafoxcities.org or leave a message at 920-882-3668 and you will receive a call back.   Fishing/Hunting Fishing Has No Boundaries – Started in 1986, this organization hosts annual fishing events “to open up the great outdoors for people with disabilities through the world of fishing.” Annual events are scheduled each summer throughout Wisconsin (Chippewa Valley, Eagle River, Fond du Lac, Hayward, Madison, Oshkosh.)  Specialized equipment is provided at each event. For more information, contact the headquarters in Hayward, Wisconsin at 1-800-243-3462 or visit their website www.fhnbinc.org Challenge the Outdoors, Inc. – Dedicated to “serving the recreational needs and desires of the physically challenged sportsperson.”  Provides numerous adaptive sportsman activities including deer hunts, turkey hunts, year round fishing, archery shoots, etc. for those who love the outdoors. Most events include provision of needed equipment, mentors, transportation and food. Also provide a loan closet of adapted equipment for the sportsperson. For more information or a calendar of events call 920-525-1123 or visit their website www.challengetheoutdoors.org. Beyond the Boundaries at Joe’s Lodge, Inc – Provides opportunities for persons with disabilities or other disadvantages to learn about and participate in outdoor activities. Hosts a deer hunt that utilizes a handicapped accessible hunting cabin.  Also hosts other recreational activities such as fishing, archery shoots, a pony-pull and various social events.  Contact Carolyn Fassbender at 920-739-7021 or visit their website www.BeyondtheBoundaries.org. Fishing/Archery Opportunity – First time event will be held at the Green Bay Wild Life Sanctuary on June 23 from 8:00-3:00pm.  Open to any age and any disability interested in having a day of fishing and/or archery.  There is no cost and food is provided as well as the chance to walk the trails and interact with some of the animals.  Contact Options for Independent Living for additional information or to sign up, 888-465-1515.   Football/Soccer Challenger Football League – Sponsored by Fox Valley Pop Warner Football, Inc.  Provides a no contact, flag football experience for boys and girls ages 6 – 15 who have special needs and are unable to participate in other football divisions.  Teams are made up of 8-12 players and are individualized to the players needs with parents/buddies assisting as needed.  Four to five games are played beginning in September.  For additional information contact Sue Hipple at 920-730-9502 or shipple@new.rr.com . TOP Soccer – TOP Soccer stands for The Outreach Program of Soccer, which is available for children ages 6 – 16 that have special needs. Each special needs player is assigned a buddy who encourages, supports, and participates with the child with special needs. The league plays for a total of 16 weeks over the course of the year usually between September to November and resuming from January to March. Games are played from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. on Saturday mornings at Janssen Elementary in Combined Locks. Hosted by the Kimberly Area Soccer Association Inc. but open to all Fox Valley youth, contact Wayne Stoflet at 920-788-5840 for more information.   Horseback Riding Exceptional Equestrians – Offered at Country Kids in De Pere. Exceptional Equestrians is a program for children with special needs ages 3-18 (depending on height & weight). The riding program provides therapeutic benefits as well as teaching horsemanship skills and social skills. Group sessions are offered April through November and are 5-6 weeks in duration. Fall and spring classes usually run 3:30pm - 6:00pm with summer sessions running 9:00am – 3:00pm. Call Donna Sebo at 920-339-0700 with questions or to receive an information packet.  Or visit their website www.eeu1.org Free SPIRIT Riders – Founded in 1987, Free SPIRIT (Special People in Riding Therapy) Riders has a mission to enrich the lives of children and adults with disabilities through safe, therapeutic interaction with horses. Located in Fond du Lac, it’s open to anyone over two years of age with a diagnosed developmental, physical, visual, cognitive, emotional, or social disability. Both riding classes and grooming classes are offered with classes beginning in May. For more information, visit www.freespiritriders.org or call 920-924-9920. Beaming (Bringing Enrichment and Meaning to Initiate New Growth) – Provides therapeutic horseback riding taught by a certified instructor.  Serve riders with any special need from age four through adult.  Sessions are 6-8 weeks and are offered from April through November.  Located in the Neenah area.  For more information contact 920-470-6683.     Music/Dance Music for the Very Young – Special Needs – A part of Lawrence Academy of Music’s well known Music for the Very Young Program, children will “participate in musical activities that focus on interaction and socialization skills as well as fine and gross motor skills.” A board-certified therapist teaches 30 minute classes for early childhood (ages 1-4), elementary class (ages 5-11) and a teen class (ages 12-18). Class size is limited, so early registration is recommended.  One 10-week session is offered each fall, winter and spring. For specific questions about the curriculum and your child’s involvement contact Sara Devine at sdevine@new.rr.com. To register your child, call the Academy of Music at 920-993-6278. Very Special Arts Choir – For those who like music this is a great opportunity.  The choir invites anyone age 18 and over to be a part of their group.  Both the disabled and non-disabled are invited to attend.  The Appleton group meets each Tuesday from September – December and February – May at First English Lutheran Church in Appleton.  They meet from 6:00 – 7:00 each week with a concert in December and May.  Contact Tiffany Vollrath at 920-303-9567 for more information.  For information about the Oshkosh choir contact Kimberly Tatro (920-216-0525) or tatrok47@uwosh.edu . Marcia’s School of Dance – Provides dance classes for children with special needs. Class typically begins in September.  Call 920-733-1552 for more information.   Sport Activities Youth Adaptive Sports Association of NE Wisconsin – YASA’s mission is to allow youth ages 6-18 with physical disabilities opportunities to try out a variety of sports. The locations and activities offered by YASA change yearly dependent upon the interests of the youth involved. Previous offerings have included hockey, rugby, basketball, and horseback riding. For more information, please contact Linn Heider 920-469-1595. Sports for Disabled – Class organized and run by students in UW-Oshkosh’s Adaptive Physical Education Department.  Designed for individuals with disabilities from age 5 and up.  Meets during the fall semester on Wednesday evenings from 6:30pm-7:30pm at Oshkosh North High School Field House. There is no fee to participate.  For more information or to register contact Dr. Bob Weber at 920-424-1389. Special Move and School – Organized and run by students in UW-Oshkosh’s Adaptive Physical Education program.  The class is fitness orientated.  Meets during the spring semester on Thursday evenings at Oshkosh North High School.  Designed for students age 5 and up with any type of disability.  There is no fee for this class.  For more information or to register contact Dr. Bob Weber at 920-424-1389. Special Olympics – Provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of sports.  Must be at least 8 years of age and have a cognitive disability to participate.  Contact Linda Kay Catenacci for additional information, 920-725-0943.     Variety Appleton YMCA – Provides an exercise class called Tuesday’s Twisters from 7:00-8:00pm; offers Bingo on Thursdays from 7:00-8:00pm. These activities are for those 18 and older. Contact Jan Heffner at 920-954-7616 for exercise information and Sue Grosenik at 920-954-7610 for information about bingo.    Caring Hearts – Offers a variety of recreational activities the first Friday of every month.  For children and adults with any disability.  Post cards are sent out each month announcing the activity for that month.  To get on the mailing list or get additional information contact Steve Kolashinski (749-0755) or Monica Betters (725-0954). Creative Play – Sponsored by The Arc Fox Cities for children 3 – 12 years of age who have a developmental disability.  Provides an opportunity for educational and social activities every 4-6 weeks on a weekend, providing parents a break from care giving.    Contact 920-725-0943 or visit www.arcfoxcities.com for additional information. Pal Pod – Social group for children ages 3-12 with and without disabilities.  Fun activities promote friendship building among participants.  Schedule of meetings and locations available at www.arcfoxcities.com or by calling 920-725-0943 Thursday’s Child Playgroup – Offered by Arc Fox Cities.  Held every Thursday morning from 9:30am-11:00 for children with disabilities ages birth – 6, their parents and siblings.  Held at various Fox Valley locations.  Call the Arc for more details 920-725-0943. YARC – Sponsored by the ARC Fox Cities. YARC serves youth with and without disabilities ages 13-23. Bimonthly meetings, as well as additionally scheduled educational, social and recreational activities during the week. Contact 920-725-0943 or visit www.arcfoxcities.com for more details.              This list provided to you by:   Easter Seals Disability HelpLine                820 W. College Avenue                    Appleton, WI 54914                          920-832-0344 www.eastersealswisconsin.com             *This list is provided for information purposes only.  The fact an organization is listed or not listed is not an endorsement or lack of endorsement of the program.  Updated February 2007.