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Therapeutic Recreation

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Recreation and Leisure programs provided for individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities in a variety of interest areas including sports, dance, arts and crafts, day camps, travel, and special events.  

Windy Hill Community Center

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photo of therapeutics participants bowling

1885 Roswell St SE
Smyrna, GA 30080
Office: (770) 528-2562
Fax: (770) 528-2568 

Office Hours

Monday - Friday
9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Recreation Coordinator III:  Debbie Parrish, CTRS, (770) 528-2679

Therapeutic Services Staff

  • Ann Bonds, Recreation Coordinator I (Adults) (770) 528-2570
  • Matthew Ulmer, Recreation Coordinator I (School Age) (770) 528-2569
  • Kimberly Battiste, Local Coordinator Special Olympics Georgia-Cobb (770) 528-2583
  • Lynette Joseph, Ambassadors Day Program (770) 528-2562

The Therapeutic Recreation unit provides recreational, leisure, & educational opportunities for persons with various disabilities. Our goals are to increase social skills; promote community awareness, emotional and physical well-being; and for participants to learn new skills through structured activities!

Opportunities are available to individuals with, but not limited to:

  • Developmental Disabilities
  • Learning Disabilities & Delays
  • Physical Disabilities
  • Hearing/Speech Impairments
  • Attention Deficit Disorder
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders

Recreational programs are provided for participants in a variety of interest areas including sports, dance, arts and crafts, day camps, travel, and special events.

Therapeutic Recreation Services Medical Form

Quarterly Newsletter

NEWSLETTERS:  Here is an easy way to find programs taking place with a little more description!  Remember all registration is online!  Don't forget to check registration deadline dates!!!!  Questions??  Just give us a call!  

Fall Newsletter 2024

***SEPTEMBER 24 is Special Populations Night at the North Georgia State Fair!!!!!  Check out this flyer for all information!!!!  

Fair 2024

Monthly Calendars: TRS & Special Olympics

Ambassadors Club

ATTENTION: All future Ambassadors Day Program assessments and registration will be put on hold until further notice.  We are reaching maximum capacity each day with registration and want to be able to serve everyone interested and eligible.  If you already have an assessment scheduled, that WILL be honored!  In the mean time, we will be exploring various possibilities to accommodate all future Ambassadors!  Thank you for your understanding!  

The Ambassadors Day Program is a community-based program that provides educational, vocational, recreation and leisure opportunities for adults with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities.  Participants are exposed to a variety of activities that allow for development of life skills, social skills, and recreational interests.  The ultimate goal of the Ambassadors Day Program is to guide participants to maximize their independence and fully integrate into the community.  

Ambassadors operates Monday-Thursday from 9:00am-4:00pm.  

**THURSDAYS:  During Bowling sessions, many Ambassadors register for bowling and are PICKED UP AT THE BOWLING ALLEY at 4pm.  If they are not registered for bowling, they should be picked up at WHCC by 1:30pm. 

Fee is $20 per day.  Participants must be registered 24 hours in advance.  Please refer to the appropriate monthly calendar above for activities and the schedule.  

Interested participants must meet eligibility criteria, complete the assessment process, AND complete a trial period to ensure all needs are met, prior to fully registering for the program.     

We are closed on all holidays.  We can also give you information about the para-transit services offered through Cobb Community Transit.  If you are interested in obtaining information about this program please call (770) 528-2562.

Types of Activities Offered

Field Trips

Don't miss out on these great field trips offered. Trips are offered to various parks, museums,  movie theaters, different community establishments, and many more. Parents will be notified weekly and participants may need extra money for the trip.

Life Skills

These classes will consist of the participant learning about personal hygiene, how to fold clothes, as well as additional skills used on a daily basis.  

Team Building Skills

Team building has benefits of self-development, positive communication, leadership skills, and the ability to work closely together as a team to solve problems. 

Exercise Wii

Everyone knows playing the Wii is fun! The Nintendo® Wii™ is a video gaming system that directly involves the player in the game. The player is required to move their body and the game controller in active ways that can challenge their balance and coordination. Playing games such as virtual bowling, tennis, basketball, fitness exercising, dancing, and many more will make the participant exert plenty of energy for a workout.

Arts & Crafts

Our arts and crafts classes will challenge any artist minded person. We try to touch a little bit of everything from jewelry making to canvas paintings. The sky will be the limit.

Sports

Sports activities offer another way to get our participants active. They will be introduced to the rules of the various games, as well as, being taught different skills.

Cooking Class

This class is centered around cooking and preparing a meal.  Everyone will start by deciding on a recipe and forming a list.  After purchasing the items, the preparation is underway!  This class will potentially use a microwave, stove top, and oven. 

Policies

Inclement Weather

If a program is canceled due to weather, the program will be made up at a later date or refunds will be issued.

Payment, Refunds, and Fees

Payment Policy

Full payment of program fees must be included with the registration form. No partial payments will be accepted. We now accept MasterCard & Visa. You may call in your registration and give your credit card information over the phone or walk-in with your credit card. Please do not write your credit card information on your registration form to mail in. There is a $25 fee on any checks returned unpaid by your bank.

Refund Policy

Refunds will be issued only if TRS has not incurred costs due to purchase of tickets, rentals, supplies, refreshments, deposits, etc. Requests for a refund must be made a minimum of 48 hours before the program. Participants will not receive a refund or credit for any missed special events or other programs.  Refunds will be processed at the end of the quarter.

Non-Resident Policy

A mandatory fee will be charged to all out-of-county residents participating in Cobb County 's TRS program. The out-of-county fee is 50% of the activity fee.

Extra fees

  • Participant Insurance (optional)    
  • $13.55 per year for ages 19 and older.
  • TRS Non-resident fee (if applicable)   $25 per quarter

Volunteers

Cobb PARKS Therapeutic Recreation Services utilizes many volunteers for their programs. Volunteers are needed to assist  with the special needs participants in a variety of settings. Please call the office at 770-528-2562 for more information.  

Transportation

CobbLinc offers Paratransit Services

Special Olympics

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Images of Special Olympics Skiiers

Special Olympics is a year round program of training and competition for children (ages 8 & up) and adults with special needs. Participants receive opportunities to increase physical fitness, demonstrate courage, and develop friendships with other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Special Olympics offers a variety of athletic opportunities including bowling, gymnastics, ice skating, basketball, alpine skiing golf and tennis to name a few. Athletes practice/train for at least 8 weeks before state level competitions. Please note the time of year during which your sport is held, and expect to be contacted by your coach. If you do not hear from your coach 8 -10 weeks prior to each listed State Games Competition, please contact our office.

Additionally, Cobb County is looking for athletes interested in Unified Sports. Unified Sports are programs that pair a special athlete with a corporate athlete or community athlete for training and competition.

To participate, call (770) 528-2583 to request information or download athlete packet from the "How to Participate" section below.  After completing the packet, call Kim Battiste at (770)528-2583 to return it.  

When your registration is complete, you will be contacted from the coach of your selected sport.

How to register for Special Olympics programs...

All coaches, volunteer, and unified partners 18 and older must complete the Protective Behavior Training Quiz online here.

Volunteering

Special Olympics GA-Cobb needs caring individuals who are able to donate their time during sports practices as well as doing various local,  area and state competitions. Opportunities are available throughout the year. If you or someone you know is interested, complete the below Volunteer packet and return it to Kim Battiste at kimberly.battiste@cobbcounty.org.

SOGA-Cobb Volunteer Packet

If you have any questions, please contact Kim Battiste at 770-528-2583 or kimberly.battiste@cobbcounty.org for more information.

 

 

Eligibility

In Special Olympics, you must be at least 8 years of age and be diagnosed by an agency or professional with one of the fol­lowing conditions: intellectual disabilities, cognitive delays as measured by formal assessment, or significant learning or vocation challenges due to cognitive delays that require or have required specially designed instructions.

 

How to Participate

Contact the office to request a registration packet. Each athlete must complete the following: a physi­cal exam by a licensed examiner, a Special Olympics medical form "application for participation form", Behavior Code of Conduct Policy, release form, and the sports selection/yearly registration form. Complete all forms and make sure the appro­priate person(s) sign the forms. When this packet is completed and returned to our office, you will receive a call from the coach of your selected sport. He/she will give you information regarding training, practice dates, and more.  Athletes are welcome to participate in multiple practices for sports; however, they must choose ONLY ONE sport to actually compete in. 

Please retain a copy of the medical form for your records. Please return completed packet to Kim Battiste.  

Special Olympics Athlete Packet

 

Training Programs

Cobb County offers a number of programs in which athletes receive coaching and training in certain sports specifically for competition in Special Olympic meets. 

Please note: ALL Special Olympics sports now require certification from Special Olympics International. Training is provided throughout the year at various locations around the state. Please call our office to find out when and where a clinic is offered for you sport. 

Donating

As most of you know, our Special Olympics program is funded solely by contributions and the funds we raise. There is no budget for our athletes' uniforms, equipment, meals while traveling or charter buses to transport us to the many competitions we attend every year. With this in mind, please consider becoming one of our individual, civic, or corporate financial supporters. Whether you know someone who participates in the program or not, it is easy to make a tax deductible contribution. There are many businesses and organizations that have money allotted for charitable contributions, but are not aware of our need. Dona­tions of any size are greatly appreciated, and all donations go directly into Cobb County 's Special Olympics program.

Checks can be made payable and mailed to:

SPECIAL OLYMPICS GA-COBB                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1885 Roswell St SE                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Smyrna, GA 30080           

Contact Kim Battiste for more information at (770) 528-2583 or Kimberly.battiste@cobbcounty.org

Special Olympics Georgia Management Team

Team Members:

  • Ron Snyder - Team Chairperson 
  • Dee Woods – Recording Secretary 
  • Greg Arnold – Finance Chairperson 
  • VACANT - Family Chairperson
  • Emily Thoreson - Competition Chairperson 
  • Tama Romero – Fundraising Chairperson 
  • VACANT - Public Relations Chairperson
  • Jada Holcomb - Volunteer Chairperson
  • Taylor Woods - Athlete Representative 
  • Evan Hodge - Athlete Representative 
  • Kimberly Battiste - Local Coordinator

Management Team Meetings

3rd Monday of each month 7:00 pm

Windy Hill Community Center
1885 Roswell Street SE 
Smyrna, GA 30080