Carnival fun for disabled kids

Summer fun was in full swing at the Queens Centers for Progress — Children’s Center as disabled children, enrolled in the Center’s summer program, played miniature golf, rode Thomas the Tank Engine and retrieved rubber ducks from a water tub at this year’s carnival, which took place on Wednesday, August 6.
The children engaged in activities adapted to their disabilities, explained Mary Hollenbeck, an occupational therapist at the Jamaica Center. “It’s a fun session, but we try to involve activities that help them with balance, vestibulation and other types of stimulation,” Hollenbeck said.
She explained that the kids’ conditions include Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and developmental delays.
Councilmember James Gennaro, who attended the event and played miniature golf with the kids, contributes funding for the program. “These special children have needs and we have to take care of [them],” Gennaro explained.
The Children’s Center serves a total of 180 kids and is located on 82-25 164th Street in Jamaica.
Queens Centers for Progress is an agency offering education, therapy, and job training, among other services, to disabled adults and children. For more information, call 718-374-0002.