Thrive Support & Advocacy hosts third annual Prom for All Ages for disabled community
WORCESTER — Thrive Support & Advocacy rolled out the red carpet Thursday evening for its third annual Prom for All Ages at Polar Park. Attendees walked the carpet and posed for photos together at the end of the carpet. After their photos, each attendee was interviewed by WCCA TV.
Erin D. and Beth D. said they met through Thrive in 2006. They have been best friends since. Along with the prom, they participate in softball and soccer through Thrive. They said Thrive is "one big happy family," and events like these bring everyone closer.
"I think this is great to get together and be back to normal because it was hard (during the COVID-19 pandemic)," Beth said. "I'm happy this is our third prom and I'm happy we're all together. We're one happy family, and I get to see my friends and have a blast."
Thrive began its Prom for All Ages after its previous fundraising event, the Jim Forrest Road Race, was retired. Thrive President Sean Rose suggested a promlike event to take its place and said it has been a success ever since.
"COVID has been really troublesome to our population. They lost a couple of years of social interaction and recreating, which is literally the thing that keeps them going with their lives, physically and emotionally," Rose said. "To do the prom right afterward has just created such positive energy and really good enthusiasm."
Around 150 people attended their first prom. This year's prom had 225 attendees.
"(Everyone) is very motivated to participate and to just be a part of this," Rose said. "The lead-up to it was already the winner. Any proceeds (of the event) go into their social and recreation, or our food pantry specific for those in the disability community or any other initiatives to kind of help them move and recreate and interact in a way on a pre-COVID level."
Rose said people with intellectual disabilities "thrive" on connection and interaction. They like feeling cared for and the compassion their caregivers and loved ones give them.
Some members of Thrive have been a part of the organization for over 50 years, Rose said, to avoid going to a state hospital. Some members, who are now in their 70s, live together through Thrive's residential programming.
"We've created this magnificent golden thread of services, compassion, care and love. Things like tonight is one night everyone gets to come together," Rose said. "You might walk through and see someone who hasn't seen someone in a long time and they're running at each other, hugging. That's the type of joy that was robbed from them in COVID."
As for Beth and Erin, events like these allow them to connect and have fun with others in Thrive.
"It is phenomenal," Erin said. "I just think that this is a great opportunity for this program to socialize with friends and see all the people you haven't seen in a while. I think this is great."
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Thrive hosts third annual Prom for All for disabled community
