West Orange, NJ–JCC MetroWest announces the 6th Annual Special Needs Dance-A-Thon, taking place on Saturday, January 31, 2015. from 7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. at the Leon and Toby Cooperman JCC in West Orange. The Dance-a-Thon is the largest fundraiser for the JCC MetroWest special needs department.

This year’s “Pajama Jam” Dance-A-Thon is being spearheaded by a wonderful group of teens with and without special needs. Working together, they picked the theme, are planning the activities, making the decorations, getting the raffle prizes, fundraising, and orchestrating this event. They look forward to joining special needs individuals, family members, and professionals on the dance floor to celebrate the culmination of all their hard work. As one of the participants said last year, “I have been saving all year for this!” All proceeds from the Dance-a-Thon will go towards supporting the Special Needs Services department at the JCC.

Volunteers are needed and always help make the event even more special by assisting the attendees and organizing the evening’s programming. “It is always heartwarming to see the volunteers interacting with the special needs participants. Everyone involved gets so much out of the experience and I love to see the smiles on all of their faces,” said Amelia Perlstein, Event Chair.

The Special Needs Services department at JCC MetroWest offers those with special needs a wide variety of programs and support including life and social skills training, adaptive aquatics, sports and recreation, personal training, summer camp and summer travel programs, after school enrichment, Jewish education, and weekday and weekend participation in community events.

JCC MetroWest strives to offer inclusion opportunities in all programming throughout the building. Whether it is in the pre-school with a shadow, specialized training in the fitness center, or via the camp friends program at Camp Deeny Riback in Flanders, JCC MetroWest encourages and helps those with special needs to participate in as many community opportunities as possible.

For more information on the Sixth Annual Special Needs Dance-A-Thon please visit www.jccmetrowest.org/special-needs/danceathon, call 973-530-3507, or contact Chrystal Henion, Assistant Director of the Special Needs department at [email protected] or Amelia Perlstein at [email protected].

By Marcy Burach, Jill Kirsch