Joy: OKAY COLLEEN IS AROUND
THE CORNER AND WANT YOU TO KNOW
ABOUT ALL THE BEST OPTIONS YOU
HAVE FOR YOUAND YOUR KIDS .
HERE TO TALK TODAY ABOUT A
REALLY NEAT EVENT IS MELANIE
FROM INCLUDE OZARKS.
GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON TODAY.
THANK YOU.
Joy: I LOVE THE IDEA AND
CONCEPT IT IS AN INCLUDE OZARKS
EVENT CALLED OZARKS SENSORY
SAFE TRICK-OR-TREAT.
THAT'S RIGHT.
Joy: FIRST INCLUDE OZARKS
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
IS A NONPROFIT WE STARTED
LOCALLY IN 2016.
WE OFFER RESOURCES AND
EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR
FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS SO WE HAVE PARENT
WORKSHOPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT COMMUNITY TO HELP GET
AWARENESS AND INCREASE
EDUCATION FOR PARENTS.
Tom: THE OPERATIVE WORD AND
THAT IS INCLUDED.
ABSOLUTELY.
YEAH, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE
REALLY FOCUSED ON HELPING
CHILDREN WITH VARIOUS
DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS.
Joy: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE
SENSORY PART OF THIS DEAL.
THIS TIME OF YEAR, AS MUCH FUN
AS IT IS AND IT IS BIG AND BOLD
AND LOUD AND SPOOKY, IT CAN BE
-- YOU MEAN ANY TIME CAN BE
STRAIGHT UP TERRIFYING FOR A
CHILD WITH SENSORY ISSUES.
AND WITH THAT MUCH OVERLOAD YOU
COME UP WITH A WAY TO SORT OF
HELP THAT.
YES, WE HAVE OUR EVENTS AND
WE HAVE REGISTRATION SO
FAMILIES HAVE TO SIGN UP FOR A
TIME TO COME SO WE HAVE THE
NOISE AND SO WE MAKE SURE
THEY'RE NOT BIG BOLD GROUPS OF
PEOPLE SHOWING UP AT ONE TIME.
WE HAVE FOOD, CANDY AND NON-
CANDY TREAT ITEMS FOR FOODS
WITH SENSITIVITIES AND
ALLERGIES.
WHICH A LOT OF KIDS WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS HAVE.
WE TAKE CARE OF IT THAT WAY BUT
WE HAVE LOTS OF FUN AND GAMES
AND THINGS TO PARTICIPATE IN IF
THEY CHOOSE.
THEY CAN COME AND GO THROUGH
THE CALM TRICK-OR-TREAT KIND OF
ENVIRONMENT BUT THEN IF THEY
ARE ABLE TO AND WANT TO STAY
HANG OUT THEY CAN.
AND IT IS MINDFUL OF THE
POSSIBILITY.
ABSOLUTELY.
YOU HAVE SCARY MASKS.
VOLUNTEERS DO NOT HAVE SCARY
THINGS ON.
LIGHTS ARE ALL ON, IT IS DURING
THE DAYTIME, THERE IS NOT ALL
OF THAT LIGHTS AND FLASHING
THINGS AS WELL.
Joy: AND YOU KNOW ALL THE
KIDS LIKE TO GET DRESSED UP AND
GO OUT AND HAVE THE WHOLE
EXPERIENCE.
I LIKE THE WAY THE SORT OF MAKE
AN APPOINTMENT IF YOU WILL TO
BRING IN KIND OF A SMALL GROUP
AND THAT WAY IT WILL NOT BE
NEAR THE RAT RACE FEEL.
Tom: AND ALTHOUGH YOU HAVE
TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WHAT IS
THE COST OF THIS?
COMPLETELY FREE.
Tom: THAT IS A GREAT THING.
WE HAVE GREAT SPONSORS AND
BUSINESSES TO HELP US GET ALL
OF THE ITEMS.
AND WE HAVE A LOCAL VENUE ALSO
VERY AWARE OF CHILDREN WITH
DISABILITIES.
Joy: WHAT'S YOUR EXPERIENCE
BEEN WITH THIS BEFORE?
WHAT IS YOUR FEEDBACK?
HAS BEEN WONDERFUL.
IN 2016 WE HAD OVER 500 PEOPLE
SHOW UP FOR EVENT AND ROUTINELY
WE SEE 5 TO 600 PEOPLE SHOW UP.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT EVENT.
PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OF WE HELP
PEOPLE DRIVE FROM ARKANSAS AND
OTHER PLACES.
Joy: REALLY!
FOR THE FIRST EVENT TO HAVE 500
PEOPLE, THAT IS --
Tom: IMPORTANT TO MEMBER IT
IS NOT 500 PEOPLE JAMMED INTO A
ROOM.
EXACTLY, IT IS VERY CALM.
IN FACT THE FIRST EVENT I
THOUGHT GOSH, THIS IS REALLY
KIND OF BORING TO ME.
YOU KNOW THERE'S NOT A LOT
GOING ON, THERE IS NOT COTTON
CANDY AND BOUNCE HOUSES AND
LOUD THINGS.
SO MANY FAMILIES TOLD US THEY
WERE SO GRATEFUL.
Tom: OKAY, HOW DO PEOPLE
REGISTER AND GIVE THEM THE
DETAILS WHEN AND WHERE.
GO TO FACEBOOK, LOOK AT OUR
INCLUDE OZARKS SITE AND
REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE.
THEY CAN ALSO GO DIRECTLY TO
EVENTBRITE AND SEARCH FOR THE
SENSORY SAFE TRICK-OR-TREAT.
THEY CAN REGISTER THERE.
Joy: MELANIE FROM INCLUDE
OZARKS, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU
DO.
Tom: THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE.
THANK YOU.
Tom: UP NEXT WE WILL GO TO
THE KITCHEN TO SEE WHAT'S
COOKING!
Joy: ONE OF OUR CHEFS FROM
"SHOW ME CHEFS" IS HERE.
WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK.