A new social club for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities has launched in Fishers. The mission of the Thrive Social Club is to connect citizens of all abilities in the community to participate in life enriching social activities.
The club was founded by the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability and was the idea of committee member Mari Kennedy, who has an adult child with disabilities.
“We created Thrive to provide people of all abilities a welcoming and inclusive way to participate in all the social opportunities in Fishers,” Kennedy said.
Fishers City Councilor and Chair of the Fishers Advisory Committee on Disability, Cecilia Coble, says the club can help to fill the gap that exists after high school.
Coble
“My daughter Crysta will be 18 years old in a couple of weeks,” Coble said. “After she graduates from high school, the inclusive social opportunities that are in place in a school setting are difficult to find. Many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities find themselves very isolated and disconnected from the community. This social club will provide a way for people to meet, make friendships, find support, and engage in community events.”
The founders of Thrive hope that the club can help to build community connections during this time of isolation due to COVID-19.
“As human beings, we all want to feel connected with others and to participate in community events,” Coble said. “The COVID-19 situation brought even more isolation to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The Thrive Social Club will help us to connect with one other and engage in the community.”
Connect with Thrive Fishers on Facebook and Instagram.
The first club meetup will be from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Flat Fork Creek, 16141 E. 101st St., Fishers. The club will volunteer with park cleanup as part of Keep Fishers Beautiful, a citywide initiative to support the vibrancy of the city and neighborhoods hosted by the City of Fishers. Attendees should bring their own lunch for a group picnic.