Ravalli Services holds carnival for clients

Oct. 4--With squeals of laughter, cheers of encouragement for their friends and smiles with their eyes above their masks, the clients of Ravalli Services enjoyed a carnival on Friday.

Executive Director Jessica Warnken said this is the first year for the Client Carnival.

"Everything was shut down with COVID this year and our clients were unable to go on trips," she said. "Special Olympics got canceled, all of our picnics were canceled. We're doing the carnival with spread out games so people can social distance and have a good time. All of our staff are wearing masks and we do the best we can with our clients."

The carnival and circus theme had managers and staff dressing up as carnival workers like a ringmaster, a bearded lady and clowns. The carnival food was hot dogs, nachos, popcorn and peanuts. Eight outdoor game stations included fishing, pop the balloons, scoop up the ducks, face painting, yard games and dunk the mayor. Participants won tickets then headed to the prize table to make their selections.

Currently, Ravalli Services Corporation with a motto of "Promoting Independence and Inclusion" works with 71 adults with disabilities in their vocational rehabilitation program. There are 106 staff, four group homes, four 24-hour supported living cites and multiple clients that live with a family or independently.

The big fundraiser for Ravalli Services is their thrift store operation, at 950 N. 1st St., in Hamilton, that takes donated items from the community and sells them for profit.

"Our clients run the operations, the behind the scenes work, and they process all the donations," Warnken said. "All of the money we bring in there helps us to run our operations. It helps with housing individuals and lets our clients have work. So many of our clients wouldn't be able to work in the community for various reasons. It helps us give them the quality of life they are looking for."

Client Eddie Martinez said, "This is a great day."

"I like it," he said as he pulled out nearly 300 tickets that he had won at the carnival games, especially popping balloons, scooping ducks and dunking the mayor.

Elizabeth Jessop, mother of client Nathaniel Jessop, said the carnival was great fun.

"It was such a blast," she said. "Everyone one was wonderful to work with and well-behaved. This community [of clients] hasn't been able to do anything for so long, they canceled the Special Olympics and training practices for the sporting events. So, most of them haven't gone anywhere or done anything. I'm glad the staff decided to mask-up and do it outside, it is so important."

Ravalli Services Director of Day Vocational Services AJ Cranston dressed as a bearded lady and assisted and encouraged clients as they played games. Thrift Store Manager Connie Tayler dressed as a clown and helped clients select their prizes. Day Activity Manager Blythe Myers, Group Home Manager Lindsay Toshach and Direct Care Staff Trey Winters manned the food booth during the carnival.

Dominic Farrenkopf, Hamilton mayor and director of community life at Sapphire Lutheran Homes, said he has worked with Ravalli Services for many years, in both jobs and has noticed, "how their staff always help their clients find meaning and purpose in life."

"Their clients have helped at city council meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance and at Sapphire Lutheran Homes with concerts," Farrenkopf said. "Most people feel like they want to be helpful and allowing them to be helpful helps them fulfill their purpose. I think everyone has a purpose."

Farrenkopf spent the day in the water and said being dunked is his opportunity to give back.

"Of course today everyone gets to dunk me," he said. "The object is to make them laugh. I do the dunk tank everywhere and part of it is heckling, today's heckling is very mild. It is encouraging and it is great to see them encourage each other. Today they are testing their metal, it's a macho thing."

He said the clients at Ravalli Services are "super important" and that the carnival helped to make up for a summer of cancellations due to COVID.

"I believe that we are here on earth to help each other and today's carnival provided a lot of mutual happiness," Farrenkopf said. "Even though everyone is wearing a mask you can see their eyes are smiling. You can hear their laughs, even if they are a bit muffled. Ravalli Services is great to work with, everyone deserves to have fun and have a purpose in life."

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