Social Setting
Sharon Nichols loves animals. When let out of its cage, her pet love bird will fly from place to place in her room, and she is trying to train it to peck more gently at her arms.
Although the love bird provides some entertainment, Nichols said she still craves social time with people.
"I'd like to have a friend that's single and likes to hang out," said the 26-year-old Cranberry Township woman, explaining many of her acquaintances have children and jobs, leaving them mostly unavailable.
"I think everyone has trouble with that. It's hard," she said.
Nichols' social circle expanded last fall after her mother saw an ad for the Friendship Club.
Designed for higher functioning mentally challenged adults, the group was formed in May 2009 by Nancy Robertson and Christine Braho, longtime friends who recognized a need for the social outlet.
Robertson, 56, teaches special education at Butler Junior High School. Over time, she has come to know many mentally challenged adults who are largely self-sufficient, yet not completely integrated into mainstream life.
Braho's son Phil, 26, is among them. A charter member of the club, he agrees the group fills a void.
"It was one of those good chances to meet new people and maybe make some friends," said Phil, who has become a "phone friend" with Nichols.
Robertson said social relationships often decline for the club's target group when they hit their late teens and early 20s. Throughout school, inclusion programs keep mentally challenged youths connected to other students. But after graduation, most of those peers go away to college.
On the other end of the spectrum are lower functioning mentally challenged teens, who often can access social programs through agencies like PARC.
"I think that people tend to think because these kids function: because some of them drive, some of them go to work 'Okay, they're fine.' But I don't think they see behind the social issues," Braho said.
"The normal IQ kids just are doing different things, going different ways."
The club, which ranges between five and 10 regular members, usually meets two Thursdays a month: once for a dinner and game night at the South Butler Assembly of God Church in Penn Township, and once for a preplanned outing.The most recent outing featured a bike-and-hike activity Thursday at Adams Township Park, where the group also shared a meal.Upcoming outings will include an apple farm visit in October, a rest home visit in November and a trip to Hartwood Acres in December.Although club attendees rely largely on family for transportation, Robertson said the club can arrange rides for potential members who need them.Other members, like Alicia Voll, can drive themselves to the outings.Somewhat new to the group, Voll said she initially was reluctant to attend, but now is glad she did."It gets me out of the house," she said."I want more friends to be with."
<B>WHAT: </B>Friendship Club<B>WHEN: </B>Meets from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. every other Thursday.<B>WHERE: </B>Meetings alternate between dinner and game nights at South Butler Assembly of God Church, 160 Brownsdale Road, Butler Township, and various preplanned outings.<B>INFO: </B>For information, contact Nancy Robertson at 724-482-2587 or nlrob2@aol.com or Christine Braho at 724-285-1594 or christine@braho.com.
