Community Sharing and Caring bowls a strike Melrose event a hit with special needs families

On Sunday, March 19, a merry band of Melrose kids and their families took over eight lanes of bowling at Town Line Luxury Lanes in Malden. Between several strikes and a few gutter balls (yours truly’s), copious amounts of pizza and French fries were devoured by all.

The fun outing was the idea of Jen Blesso, Melrose resident and Chair of the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). The party was sponsored by Melrose Sharing and Caring (SAC), a Melrose organization that has a rich tradition of supporting the needs of children with special needs in the community since 1972. The party not only gave the SEPAC families a chance to cut loose and blow off some steam with friends, but a chance for SAC members to make meaningful connections with families of district-aged children with special needs.

SAC’s newly revised mission is to engage and assist the families of special needs children, convene stakeholders in the special needs community, and improve the quality of life and networks of both the children and their caregivers embodied by our city motto, “Melrose, One Community, Open to All.”

For SAC founding member and current Vice President Helen Sullivan, the event had special significance.

“In the beginning of our organization we took children with Down syndrome and other disabilities bowling on a monthly basis,” Sullivan said. “To do this now for families, it’s like the organization has come full circle. It’s wonderful to have the parents, brothers and sisters so involved.”

SAC has a long history of discreetly providing assistance to serve its grant recipients’ unique circumstances, whether it’s through a scholarship to a summer camp or the purchase of a learning assistance device. In recent years SAC has, among other things, provided ADA-approved playground equipment at the Lincoln and Horace Mann school playgrounds, and last year sponsored an art therapy after-school pilot program for autistic children at Follow Your Art.

SAC and SEPAC are especially grateful to Town Line Luxury Lanes for graciously providing a steep discount and accommodating the dietary needs of our party-goers. This is the same bowling alley that sponsored the Melrose Human Rights Commission’s party for homeless children living in a nearby motel on Martin Luther King Day.

Melrose is so fortunate to have such a great business as Town Line Luxury Lanes willing to support community causes such as ours. Plus, it’s a really good time. Thank you!

SAC is looking to grow its membership, expand its reach, and explore creative collaborations with other local organizations that believe all children in our community, regardless of ability, deserve to reach their fullest potential and pursue their dreams to lead rich and rewarding lives.

If you’d like to learn more about Sharing and Caring of Melrose and possibly get involved, email melrosesac@gmail.com or check us out on Facebook at Melrose Sharing and Caring. Keep a look out for an SAC open house and info session sometime next fall.

Lisa Sullivan Ballew lives in Melrose.