Making the impossible a reality for our kids

Friday Night Fever (FNF) is a program that was started over a decade ago by two of our employees – Sheryl Manier and Michelle Lee. Their premise was simple; they had adolescents and young adults who were doing well in therapy who had no real social circle outside of their immediate families. Today, the group consists of young people between the ages of 13 to 21 years, interested in supportive recreational or social activities.

The concept was that they would host one group activity each month and invite these kids to attend. The program was so successful that it expanded to Toms River, where Laurel Leithauser took the charge.

We now have two big programs in Mountainside and Toms River. The program is led fearlessly by Kaylee McGuire (Rec Ther, Mtn), Carolyn Romond (Rec Ther, TR 94 Stevens), and Bobbi Jo Pansier (Rec Ther, TR 94 Stevens). The program is staffed with volunteers – many of which are staff at Children’s Specialized Hospital who give their time for these kids. Groups are kept at a smaller scale, to provide a more typical feel when the events are held in a more public setting, with approximately 30 people in a group.

The activities that the team arranges for each month are varied from a prom – which incorporates volunteer expertise from the event planners association – to holiday shopping with the Elizabeth Police Department, visits to  New York, yoga and all sorts of fun things typical teens like to do together.

The teenagers and young adults who participate in FNF have a variety of or sometimes multiple special needs, such as cerebral palsy, seizure disorders, autism spectrum disorders, intellectual challenges, and traumatic brain injuries. Most importantly, in FNF they help the kids accomplish what they thought they couldn’t do.

Would you believe me if I told you that one of the trips the FNF group took recently was a camping trip where each attendee zipped down a zip line?

Well believe it. Here is how Kaylee remembered the event:

The overnight camping & zip lining trip exemplified everything that Friday Night Fever & Children’s Specialized Hospital is about—helping our members break through limitations that the world places on them & help them recognize their abilities. There is something truly magical about being so close to nature. It was a bonding experience for the teens as well as the staff that volunteered. It was quite an accomplishment for our group—one that I use now to remind myself of what we can do, and to inspire our team to push the limits for future events & programs.  

 

It is a huge amount of work to plan each excursion, but what it has done for our kids – is truly amazing! Both the volunteers and the kids who attend have developed lasting friendships and learned how to play. There have been teenage romances and even a few broken hearts.

It has been truly amazing to watch the program grow and to see how these kids have learned to love and care for each other. Annually, FNF conducts a graduation ceremony recognizing program participants for accomplishments. Past participants have moved on to greater things, including college. It is because of the support of a program like FNF, that these members have built such strength.

My favorite memory is the Shore Dreams event, where the boating organization donated their time and boats to take our kids out on the ocean.

This was one of the first events I attended, and one of the kids in a wheelchair had never been in a boat before. She was so excited; she screamed (happy screams) the whole time. The unmitigated joy on her face is something I will never forget. 

If you’re interested in volunteering for an upcoming Friday Night Fever event, please contact Kaylee McGuire at kmcguire@childrens-specialized.org.

Do you have a favorite memory – either through Friday Night Fever or Children’s Specialized in general – that makes you smile when you think back on it? Please share below!