Nancy Martinez has been attending EL ARCA since last year, and she says the classes – ranging from math and computer skills to art and sports – have opened up exciting new worlds for her.
“It helps me more than other programs because I used to go to another program, and we used to do sewing and stuff, and I got bored, and my mom said, it’s time for you to go!” Nancy explains. “So I think EL ARCA helps me in so many ways.”
Nancy likes EL ARCA so much that she referred two people from her neighborhood. She is planning on recruiting additional program participants when she participates in the 2015 Special Olympics for, hopefully, bocce ball and her specialty, swimming.
This will be Nancy’s second time as a Special Olympian. She says she is adept at the breast stroke, back stroke and butterfly. “I used to know how to swim before I learned how to walk,” she explains.
Calm and collected in person, the organization’s staff describe Nancy, 37, as having an old soul, a woman who always demonstrates compassion for her friends in the Adult Day Support Center program. “If somebody is crying, I say, ‘Don’t cry because you’re going to make me cry,’” Nancy explains.
She also goes the extra mile to make sure others feel good. On Valentine’s Day, she brought chocolates for the staff and program participants. She says she also has an Easter surprise up her sleeve. “I’m not saying what it is,” she notes, laughing.” I’m not saying nuthin’!”
- Nancy Martinez
Participant, ADSC