The Carroll City Council approved a contract during last night’s (Monday) meeting to expand recreational opportunities for children and residents with special needs. Parks and Recreation Director Chad Tiemeyer says several local families approached the council seeking a partnership with Can Play, a Des Moines-based non-profit.
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Can Play was founded in 2012 by Melissa Clarke-Wharff. Her son, who was diagnosed with special needs, made her aware of the lack of recreational opportunities, so she created the non-profit to assist cities in incorporating adaptive programming, such as soccer, basketball, and diamond ball.
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The Can Play contract includes an initial $2,500 fee to begin the partnership and a $1,000 annual fee to continue the program. Carroll Parks and Recreation staff will receive regular training on adaptive programming, coaching techniques, and more. Tiemeyer notes that the city already has most of the equipment necessary to adopt the program, so it could be up and running around the end of the year.
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Other sports will be added in the following seasons. Can Play doesn’t focus solely on children’s programming, as they offer recreational opportunities for nearly every age group. Tiemeyer adds that the program has quite a following and could draw families from as far as an hour away to participate in Carroll’s Can Play offerings.
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The Carroll City Council unanimously approved the Can Play contract and directed city staff to begin acquainting themselves with the program and participants’ needs.