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~To ensure
Inclusion, Freedom, and Respect for all People ~
OUR MISSION is
to provide supported recreational and educational activities to the
adult disabled community. Our use of many facilities and our
partnerships with other organizations allow
us to be both inclusive and appealing to our community at large. We welcome the diversity and the abilities within our community. We
are a 501(c) (3) nonprofit and have been providing activities since
2002. |
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Volunteering and Contributions
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All Aboard was established in 2002. We offer many activities and events for disabled adults who live in the Puget Sound area, some of which currently include art classes, exercise, music, bowling, clay, karaoke, choir, crafts and after school activities. We also have special outings such as swimming, weightlifting, movies, fieldtrips and picnics. Please come, get out of the house, and enjoy the fun ! Mike is a 24 year old Down Syndrome young man whose sole activity has been watching TV from 7:00 in the morning until 10:00 at night. The only opportunity he really had to get out of the house on his own was a once a week Special Olympics practice that lasted two hours. His parents really tried to help. They took him every where they went, whether it was to the store, to the movies, or out to eat. As time went on, he began to forget what he had learned in school. He was forgetting how to read and write and was becoming more isolated around people. The more he stayed at home, the more he wanted to stay at home. It seemed to be a disease that fed upon itself. We tried to analyze what could be done to help him. Experience told us that there were many others like Mike in exactly the same circumstances. So, in February 2003, a business plan was developed to provide activities for this huge population in Snohomish County. The students are our success. They are developing confidence, interaction, and self-discipline. They are learning about social skills and decision-making. They are expanding their independence. Some of their accomplishments have been significant. When Emily began attending our art classes a year ago she was distracted, disoriented, and uncontrollable. She would wander about the room aimlessly uttering unintelligible gibberish. She was completely off in her own world . She would not participate in any of the class projects. Many times she was belligerent and physically untouchable. We began looking for small victories. To begin with, she was able to sit for ½ hour without moving from her seat. We kept putting paper and colored pens in front of her. She would fill the paper repeatedly with aggressive back and forth "scribbling." As long as you kept the paper coming, she would keep "scribbling." Then one day in early spring, we suddenly realized that she was arriving at class ready to learn. With miraculous skill and ability, Shannon, our art teacher, began to guide Emily to discover her inner self through art. She discovered she could express herself through her creative talents. Her fears and frustrations began to disappear. Emily now knows what she wants. She asks for paints and colors. Rarely do we see her distracted and she is no longer "untouchable". As she now willingly hugs us, each of us are brought close to tears when we think of the amazing transformation that has taken place with this girl. Emily has shown us that art can be an instrument that can provide people with disabilities opportunities to express themselves and break through the barriers of society. |
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