By AMY ADAMS
news@readthereporter.com
Janus participants look forward to Summer Fest every year. The annual end-of-summer celebration provides them the opportunity to participate in outdoor games, indoor dance parties, and much more.
“It’s like a field day for them,” said Brennan Greer, Janus manager of community employment. Greer was one of a handful who braved the highly anticipated Wheel of Doom where participants get to bombard beloved staff members with food items like pudding and Jello.
This year, for the first time, in addition to around 85 participants, Janus welcomed nearly 20 members of the Noblesville and Carmel fire and police departments.
Noblesville Fire Department K9 therapy dog Carbon is completely at ease with Janus staff members and participants. (Photo provided by Noblesville Fire Department Division Chief Prevention/Public Relations Trevor Nash)
Career Support Specialist Tori Trevorrow initially brought the idea to Janus leadership on her first day on the job in mid-May. Trevorrow has worked with people of differing abilities since high school, holds a bachelor’s degree from Taylor University in psychology with a minor focus in autism, and worked with Outside the Box prior to coming to Janus Developmental Services.
In Trevorrow’s experience, there can be a gap in the connection between community members with disabilities and police, fire, and emergency workers.
“Sometimes people with disabilities are scared of officers because of what they have seen on TV,” Greer said.
Similarly, Trevorrow noted that while first responders receive training in this area, they aren’t always comfortable interacting with people with communication abilities because they don’t have personal experience in those scenarios.
“I wanted to help first responders feel more comfortable with participants and participants to feel more comfortable with first responders,” she said. “I wanted to put on an event to come together on a good day, so that when there is a bad day, they feel more comfortable with each other.”
Summer Fest provided the perfect opportunity for that kind of positive interaction, and local departments in Noblesville and Carmel responded to the call.
The Noblesville and Carmel fire departments each brought out an engine for the participants to explore, and the Carmel Fire Department set up a tent with information. The fire department presence was such a hit with participants that some chose to wear their fire hats all day.
One particular participant, who has long dreamed of being a firefighter, was able to hang out with Carmel Fire Department Division Chief of Community Relations John Moriarty most of the day.
“He was in hog heaven,” said Janus Development and Communications Director Jerry Jamison.
Another participant bragged that he got to sit by a police officer at lunch.
“These are the things they live for,” Jamison said.
Janus participants created a sign full of hearts to welcome area first responders to Summer Fest 2023. (Photo provided)
Noblesville Firefighter John Sage even jumped right in to participate in the Wheel of Doom, even foregoing the protective poncho, shower cap, and goggles to the utter delight of participants.
In addition, participants got the opportunity to spend time with two K9 therapy dogs who are part of NobleAct, a combined crisis response program of the Noblesville police and fire departments. Noblesville Police Department’s Luna, handled by NobleAct Officer Ben Lugar, and Noblesville Fire Department’s Carbon, handled by Division Chief of Prevention and Public Relations Trevor Hash, are both black English labs trained by Ultimate Canine in Westfield. Two-year-old Luna became the first therapy dog within a public safety agency in Hamilton County and responds to 911 calls, using her specialized skills to de-escalate difficult situations and to snuggle on command. Not quite a year younger, Carbon offers comfort to firefighters in the station and in the community, such as at the Janus Summer Fest.
And, of course, no summer celebration is complete without good food. The For the Love of Janus Guild was on hand serving walking tacos for lunch and ice cream sundaes in the afternoon.
“Having a good day together can break down a bunch of barriers later on,” Trevorrow said. “Today is just the first day in bridging the gap.”
Photo provided by Janus Developmental Services