ST. GEORGE — A series of mini-events celebrating and supporting individuals with disabilities or disorders will get underway on October 6 at Thunder Junction All Abilities Park in St. George. To be held every other month, each of the upcoming Thunder Junction Awareness Days will highlight and support a different disability. On these special days, train rides will be free for everyone.
“With these new events, the City of St. George will demonstrate our ongoing commitment to ‘Creating Miles of Smiles’ for individuals of all abilities,” said Hannah Keller, Recreation Supervisor. “Awareness Days will prioritize community wellbeing by centering All Abilities Park operations on fostering a thriving, connected population and providing inclusive recreation.”
From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. a variety of different organizations will be at the park with different fun and free activities for attendees to do. Prickly Pear Pediatric Therapy will be doing free speech screenings and Walk with Autism will have a “Sensory Treasure Hunt. Other booths will include Root For Kids, WCSD UPSTART, Prevent Child Abuse Utah, RRCI and more! Dairy Farmers of America will provide ice cream sandwiches for attendees while supplies last, starting at 4 pm.
From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Awareness Days, “sensory-friendly” train rides also will be available for individuals who benefit from a calmer, more accommodating experience. Pre-registration is required for this time slot, but rides will remain free for all participants.
Keller added that the new initiative has a three-fold goal: Guaranteeing inclusivity and accessibility; promoting visibility and understanding the importance of inclusion, accessibility, and disability awareness in the community; and addressing and removing physical, social and informational barriers.
Local organizations are invited to attend and host a booth during each event to share information about their services, and provide an engaging activity for attendees.
“It’s a great opportunity to connect with the community, and raise awareness of valuable resources,” Keller noted.
The October 6 event will celebrate World Cerebral Palsy Day, and park visitors will be encouraged to wear green. December 3 will mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, with purple attire recommended; February 28 will be Rare Disease Day, when stripes will be fashionable; and March 21 will mark World Down Syndrome Day, with mismatched or colorful socks preferred.
Thunder Junction All Abilities Park is located inside Tonaquint Park at 1851 S. Dixie Drive.
More information
sgcityutah.gov/thunderjunction
About the City of St. George
St. George is the largest city in Washington County and the fifth-largest city in Utah with more than 100,000 residents. In recent years, people from across the United States have been attracted to St. George’s world class healthcare, active lifestyle, access to university education and proximity to unrivaled recreation. Scenic beauty abounds throughout the city and region including Snow Canyon State Park, Quail Creek and Sand Hollow Reservoirs and Zion National Park. With an average of about 300 days of sunshine per year, the community welcomes all to live, work, play and eat and experience the ‘Brighter Side’ in St. George, Utah.
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