OREGON – The Village of Progress, a day training center for adults with disabilities, is bringing members of its program into local school sports events through a new project called Hawk Huddle. Participants help create noisemakers and signs from recycled materials, including tin cans and old dog tags, to cheer on the Oregon Hawks at volleyball, football, and basketball games.
“The first thing that we started doing was making noisemakers, and then we started doing signs. We are going to different games and bringing the individuals and handing out the noisemakers and everything else that we have made for the audience to cheer on your Oregon Hawks,” said Mindy Johnson, program manager at the Village of Progress.
The project pairs program members with volunteer teachers and engages them in social and community activities while supporting student athletes. Village of Progress also provides assistance with employment, Medicare, Medicaid, and other services for adults with disabilities. More information is available at villageofprogress.org.