Celebrating 40 years of friendships at Coeur d'Alene's Specialized Needs Recreation

COEUR d’ALENE — Tanja Batchelder shook hands and exchanged smiles with guests at Specialized Needs Recreation before she got back to her work on the loom.

Batchelder said it takes weeks to complete a table runner, and the work kept her hands busy during SNR's celebration and open house this week.

"I love SNR and meeting new friends and spending time with them," Batchelder said. 

SNR offers social and recreational engagement for adults and children with disabilities in North Idaho.     

It hosts more than 300 people for activities, evening groups, special events and camps throughout the year.   

Participants take on leadership positions among their peers and grow vegetables in the Shared Harvest Community Garden, host Kiwanis AKTION Club and serve at food banks while gaining leadership experience. 

Two Aktion Club participants were featured speakers at the Kiwanis Service Appreciation Dinner on May 7.    

SNR Executive Director Lindsay Patterson said prior to COVID-19, it was running adult programming three days a week.

"Now we’re running programming for adults five days a week," Patterson said. "We've really been able to grow and serve the community at large."  

Lewis Norman loves connecting with new friends over "Star Wars" and video games but said one of his favorite pastimes is going to SNR to see movies and hang out.

“We saw the 'Minecraft Movie,' which I loved, and 'Thunderbolts*,' Norman said. “We go bowling, and on Thursdays we do crafts around here and listen to music.”  

Board member Suzanne Knutson became aware of SNR by ringing her family member for activities. She saw how much the group meant to people and got more involved. 

Some SNR members come five days a week, others one evening a month. 

Special annual events like prom, a luau and a Christmas party bring their own crowd. 

“Those are the kind of things that draw people from Bonners Ferry all the way to Moscow,” Knutson said. 

Patterson said because there aren’t consistent services in other cities in the region, SNR has stepped up to fill the need. They can always use more support. 

“This is a really unique program, and it just started with Coeur d’Alene Parks and Recreation Department, but we need more support from the cities that we’re serving,” Patterson said. “When they’re not here, they miss their friends. This is a place for them to hang out and where they belong and are accepted.”  

    Lewis Norman makes buttons at the 40th anniversary celebration for Specialized Needs Recreation.
  

    Tanja Batchelder works on her loom Tuesday at Specialized Needs Recreation.
  

    Some baby chicks call Specialized Needs Recreation home. The chicks are favorites among guests and visitors to the disability community group.