On Wednesday, February 15, 2012, the Adult Social Night Group met for the first time this semester. One of the longest running volunteer programs at Kean University, the Adult Social Group, has been an unforgettable volunteer experience for numerous students. This is a recreational group for developmentally disabled individuals to socialize and attain different experiences in the community. The group was created 45 years ago in 1967 by a special education professor, and was originally a day camp entitled Camp Star for disabled children. The coordinator then realized there was nowhere for the children to go once they became adults. Therefore social group was established, and meetings were held every Wednesday night. The current coordinator, Ina White, took over the program in 1982 and has been leading it ever since.

For the first meeting, members and volunteers brainstormed ideas for the remainder of the semester. Many members suggested movie nights, as well as arts and crafts. They also started to plan for their goodbye dinner in May, which occurs at the end of every semester. Danny Curry, the longest member of the group, has been a member since November 1965. Before the group existed, Curry attended Camp Star and, when it ended, joined the social group. He is known as the photographer of the group and often takes pictures of the other members, especially at events. Curry stated, "I like coming here a lot. I like every part of it".

"The most important part of this program is to be friends with the members and serve as mentors. Volunteers are very essential to keep this group running," Stated White. Volunteers are expected to interact with the members, help prepare and serve snacks, brainstorm and plan activities, and encourage members to take part. Many of the activities include poetry nights, movie nights, karaoke, dances, board games, dinners, and hygiene and grooming workshops, amongst others. Dana Koenigsberg, senior speech pathology major, has been a volunteer since the fall of 2010. She stated, "I enjoy coming each week because it is fun. The members are always so happy to see everyone and appreciate everything we do. It is so much to see their happy faces each week."

Each semester, many new volunteers sign up to do community service out of their own freewill or for their classes. Deanna Hinman, a sophomore English secondary education major, went to Adult Social Night for the first time and stated, "I came for Professor Linder's disabled persons in society class, but had such a good time I plan on coming every week now."

White stated, "Students do not have to be majors in social work, psychology, or special education to volunteer. We live in a world with so many different people with different abilities. There are many situations in the real world and in classrooms where there are people with disabilities and we need to learn how to interact with them. After interacting, volunteers often learn that the members are just like them because many have the same interests including food, sports, movies etc." Mary Jane French, a long-time member of the group, stated "I like coming because I have a lot of friends here."

The Adult Social Night Group meets every Wednesday in Downs Hall from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The group is currently seeking any volunteers who would like to work with developmentally disabled individuals. To find out more information about this and other volunteer opportunities, contact the Center for Leadership and Service in the University Center room 219, email cls@kean.edu or call 908-737-5170.