MCA organizer Sonja Baker (left) and mother Louise Hoffman (right) watch as Anthony Turner and Jack Hoffman play a heated game of Candyland.

On the first and third Wednesdays of any given month from around 3 p.m. until 5 p.m., hellos, hugs and bouts of laughter fill the rooms of White’s Chapel Community Center in Moody.  A social club is meeting behind the building’s walls and a group of challenged adults are having an afternoon together filled with fun.

Some are golfing, others are peering over a hand of cards and a group at a table located in the back is caught up in a heated board game. The group, known as Moody’s Challenged Adults (MCA), is in the middle of mingling during an afternoon they say they look forward to every couple of weeks.

Moody Challenged Adults started a year ago when a group of local parents and caregivers with disabilities started discussing the idea of having a place where their children could meet and interact with friends, play games and do other activities.  They think of it as an opportunity for the areas challenged adults and their parents or caregivers to make new friends, visit with old friends and share stories.

“Alright!” shouts a member of the group after getting a hole in one on the golfing tee.  “Great job!” says Sonja Baker one of the MCA’s organizers.  Sonja says she and her mother Kay Hammett started the program because their family has been directly impacted by the challenges many families with special needs adults face. Her brother, Scott, is part of the group as well as her nephew Bart.

“Unfortunately, there is just not a lot of things for them to do when they get out of high school,” she says. “Some of the members have jobs, attend church activities and play ball at Moody Miracle League, but they don’t have any other chances to socialize.” On Wednesdays they get that chance.

Approximately 10 to 15 adults attend the bi-monthly event. Sonja says they are not all from Moody. They come from Trussville, Odenville, Pell City and cities in between to take part in the entertainment.  “The city has been extremely helpful,” Sonja adds. “They let us come and play.”

Family and friends donate snacks, games and prizes at the facility.  “Most of our participants came from cities nearby and have said, ‘I wish we had this for so long,’” says Sonja adding she hopes that one day all the challenged adults around could come take part.  “They all look forward to it and the most important part is that they are socializing,” she says. “A lot of times this is it other than family.”

Aimee Lesley, 33, says she really enjoys Wednesday afternoons at White’s Chapel. “I just like it here,” she says with a grin. “I’ll just put it that way.”  She adds some of those she likes to socialize with play softball with her through Miracle League. She admits she likes to stay in touch with her friends. “On Wednesdays, I like to play puzzles and dominos,” she says.

Amiee is involved with a number of activities to keep her busy. She works at St. Vincent’s East as a Pink Lady volunteer where she has been for 14 years and at Applebee’s five days a week. She also attends church.  “I just love to get out and socialize,” she says.

Jennifer Brock, 36, is putting together her favorite puzzle, one that depicts all the states and their capitals and waiting for the main event, bingo. She says she also enjoys meetings at White Chapel’s Community Center. “I like to play games out here, eat snacks and meet new friends,” she says. “When I’m not doing that I help my mom at home and my dad, my brothers too and my sisters and sister-in-laws. I stay busy, but I like hanging out with my friends.”

“I also enjoy watching everyone do their activities and having fun,” remarks Keith Hess, 36, who is seated beside Jennifer having an afternoon snack of chips and dip. “It’s a good time to be with friends.”  Keith says he has a lot of good friends at the meetings that he has known for a long time, but that he is happy to meet new friends as well.  

“We are so glad they let us come out,” says Jennifer and Keith almost in unison.

Matthew Cunningham, 26, says he enjoys playing cards at White’s Chapel. He sits playing Uno and enjoying the company of friends.  He attends the Arc of St. Clair County during the week, but not all the friends he sees on Wednesdays are able to attend the Arc.

“I like to see my friends,” he says. “Sometimes I play cards, sometimes I play board games.”

Thomas Postal, 39, one of the facility’s best golfers, says he has not been involved in the activities very long. However, he says he is really enjoying it. “The board games are fun,” he says. “My favorite part would be bingo.” He adds he really has met a lot of new friends.  He says he is working to find a job, but at least he gets to get out and meet new people. In the past he had a job as a courtesy clerk, but that his place of employment closed.  Right now, he helps at the church in the choir, but MCA gets him out of the house.

MCA is a place that always welcomes new friends and volunteers.

To learn more about Moody’s Challenged Adults, please call Sonja Baker at (205)-305-3126 or Steve Mitchell with the City of Moody at (205) 640-5121