Sandy Creek, NY -- Former Lacona resident Shirley Smith was miffed that she couldn’t enjoy the Oswego County Fair like everyone else. She was disabled and found it too difficult to maneuver around the throngs of people at the fair. Something had to be done, she thought. Her solution was a special night at the fair for special folks....
View full sizeMerry Dowling, 13, of Oswego, helps her brother, Colin, 8, who has Down syndrome, with a drawing during Oswego County Fair's A Special Time for Special People event Wednesday. Sandy Creek, NY -- Former Lacona resident Shirley Smith was miffed that she couldn’t enjoy the Oswego County Fair like everyone else. She was disabled and found it too difficult to maneuver around the throngs of people at the fair. Something had to be done, she thought.
Her solution was a special night at the fair for special folks. Sixteen years ago, Smith founded Special Times for Special People.
“This allows kids to go and not be subjected to the crowds,” said Kathy MacPherson, who runs the program. She is the former city of Oswego police chief and now is an investigator with the Oswego County District Attorney’s office.
Smith was unable to attend this year because of health reasons, but her idea opened the gates for plenty of others. MacPherson said 290 disabled people, or about 850 people when family members are counted, signed up to attend Wednesday’s event.
The fairgrounds in Sandy Creek opened from 2 to 5 p.m. and the special needs folks came in to enjoy fair food, rides, the exhibits, fair games and the video game arcade and karaoke.
Luke Smart, 33, an Oswego County Opportunities client in Fulton, has been going to the fair event for about seven years and went again Wednesday night. “I like the rides, the Ferris wheels and the bumper cars,” he said. “I like to eat haddock and hamburgers.”
MacPherson said this year’s Special Times for Special People attracted people ages 2 to 82.
“They get the chance to design their own sundae, eat hot dogs, fries and sodas, eat two large sheet cakes, get a half pound of candy at the candy booth, spin a prize wheel, play Bingo, ride all the children’s rides and two of the adult rides and can visit all the exhibits in the buildings,” she said.
The program is operated completely by volunteers who solicit donations to run the event. The budget last year was $6,600.
Those attending the program must sign up in advance. Coordinators of special education at county schools and various nonprofit agencies that deal with people with special needs such as Oswego County Opportunities, ARISE, Catholic Charities, Parents of Special Children, Special Olympics and ARC recommend people to participate.
Contact Debra J. Groom at dgroom@syracuse.com, 470-3254 or 251-5586.