Adults With Special Needs Celebrate a Year of Giving

For members of the Rotary Community Corps of Peachtree City, the Christmas season is less about receiving and more about reflecting on a year spent giving back.

The group recently gathered for its annual holiday party, celebrating a year of service projects led by adults with special needs who are committed to supporting their community through volunteer work. The event marked the close of another active year for the Corps, which has continued to grow since its founding in 2015.

“This isn’t a club where people come to get things,” said Joel Norris, founder of the Peachtree City Rotary Community Corps and a longtime member of the Peachtree City Rotary Club. “It’s a place where they give. They give their time and their efforts to help others, and that gives them a lot of pride.”

A model built on inclusion

Rotary Community Corps are sponsored by local Rotary clubs and are made up of adults with special needs who carry out service projects in their communities. The Peachtree City group holds a unique place in Rotary history, as it was the second Rotary Community Corps established in the United States.

Members include adults over the age of 21 with a wide range of intellectual and physical disabilities, including autism, Down syndrome, blindness, and deafness.

Founded in 2015, the Peachtree City Rotary Community Corps is now marking a decade of service led by adults with special needs.

Norris developed the idea after serving as president of the Peachtree City Rotary Club and recognizing a need for opportunities that would allow adults with special needs to take on leadership roles and participate fully in community service. With support from the Rotary club, the Peachtree City Rotary Community Corps was formally recognized by Rotary International in February 2015.

The group began with 17 charter members and has grown to 48 active members. Members elect officers, lead meetings, and organize projects, operating much like a traditional Rotary club.

“They run the club themselves,” Norris said. “They take responsibility, and that matters.”

Service driven by members

Throughout the year, RCC members participate in service projects across Fayette and Coweta counties. Those include volunteering with the Midwest Food Bank and packing pet stockings for clients of the Real Life Center during the holiday season.

The group’s primary fundraiser is its annual Christmas wreath sale. Proceeds from the sale and donations support the Corps’ service animal initiative. According to RCC records, the club has funded nine trained service dogs through Coco’s Cupboard, a nonprofit organization that provides service animals to individuals with special needs and veterans.

In October, RCC members visited Coco’s Cupboard in Gay, Georgia, where they toured the training facility and presented a check for two additional service dogs to be placed with a veteran or child in need.

Mike Lardie, a Rotary advisor for the Corps, said his family’s connection to RCC began long before he joined the Peachtree City Rotary Club himself.

“When we moved here, we were trying to find something meaningful for our son,” Lardie said. “He became active with the Community Corps first. It gave him friendships and purpose, and that’s what eventually led me to get involved with Rotary.”

Lardie said his son remains an active participant in RCC and has developed lasting connections through the group.

A holiday tradition

The holiday party serves as both a celebration and a thank-you for the year’s work. This year’s event was held at Royal Lanes Social in Peachtree City and included bowling, music, and a visit from Santa Claus. The party was sponsored by Chris Allessio of Edward Jones, who has supported the event for several years.

One highlight of the evening was a performance by RCC member Blake Smith, who is blind and self-taught on the keyboard. Smith played Christmas carols as members bowled and sang along.

“They look forward to this party every year,” Norris said. “It’s a chance to celebrate what they’ve accomplished together.”

Looking ahead

While the holiday season brings the year to a close, RCC leaders said the group’s mission continues year-round.

“Our goal has always been to help our members build confidence and pride through service,” Norris said. “Christmas just gives us a moment to step back and see how much they’ve done.”

Adults with special needs who are interested in learning more about the Rotary Community Corps are welcome to attend a meeting. The group typically meets on the second Monday of each month from 6 to 7 p.m. at Mimi’s Good Food Café in Peachtree City, with occasional meetings held at other community locations. Family members or caregivers may attend with prospective members.