“I think a lot of times they’re segregated oh we’ll keep the special needs community over here and the rest of everybody is over here,” High Point Village Coordinator Jaimie Havens said. “That’s not at all what we want. We want everybody to be a big happy family, one community. That’s what’s so important about people coming out and buying cookies today. I know it seems small but it’s not small at all.”
High Point Village partnered with Texas Tech University Occupational Therapy Students on a six-week long project that works towards teaching life skills to their clients, otherwise known as villagers, in their mission for independence.
Starting at about 1 p.m. Wednesday, the final stages of the bake sale fundraiser came together on the corner of 26th Street and Boston Avenue.
“What we’re trying to teach these guys is be more independent,” Havens said. “Basic daily living skills. How to live on your own and do things and take ownership for things so doing this program has been so cool for them to be able to take something like a bake sale, bake all the stuff, have to go grocery shopping those skills are really important if they want to be independent one day.”
Tech students facilitated the project, however, villagers executed each task for a specific purpose.
“We’ve done money management, appropriate social skills, leadership roles, we’ve done identifying groceries lists,” TTU Occupational Student Ashley Fitzpatrick said. “Then we went and took them to Market Street, where they had to actually get the items for their baking today.”
Villagers designed the bake sale items, created the grocery list, shopped for ingredients, prepared the food, and sold to community members.
“Teaching them those every day skills that we may take for granted that are really important for everyone to have and just for them to experience that,” TTU Occupational Student Taylor Norris said.
Halfway through the event, they raised over $300 and counting. They added all proceeds will go back to High Point.
