- April 19, 2024
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Flagler Beach resident Blake Ray and Palm Coast resident Isaiah Wiggins enjoy the fishing game. Photo by Paige Wilson
Palm Coast resident Marley Anderson dances at the spring carnival. Photo by Paige Wilson
Satsuma resident Aaron VanWart hops off the inflatable slide. Photo by Paige Wilson
Palm Coast residents Alyssa, Giovanni, Kason and Aiden Rivera smile in a group hug. Photo by Paige Wilson
Ormond Beach resident Skai Jones rides the tire swing. Photo by Paige Wilson
Mikaela, 2, of Palm Coast, and Palm Coast resident Kali Diggett play in the inflatable bounce house. Photo by Paige Wilson
As 11-year-old Marley Anderson jumped around to the beat of the music, a smile lit up her face. A face-painting of a rainbow was on her left cheek, and her right cheek had a colorful butterfly with a flower beneath it, which she explained was to make it look like the butterfly was getting nectar.
She was just one of about 100 guests who attended the spring carnival on Saturday, March 24, at Whispering Meadows Ranch, a nonprofit located at 5011 John Anderson Highway, Flagler Beach. The ranch focuses on helping people with disabilities and special needs through recreational, educational and equine-assisted programs.
Programs Director Kristine Aguirre said this was the ranch's first spring event, as Hurricane Irma postponed plans for their typical fall carnival.
"Today is just about celebrating them and having a day for them outside to play and have a good time and enjoy their families in an outdoor environment," Aguirre said. "It's not a fundraiser of any kind for the ranch. It was a low cost to get in just to cover expenses."
For $5 per person, families were able to enjoy picnic food, bounce houses and carnival-style games scattered around the property for a relaxing afternoon.
"There aren't a lot of events for them to just come here and relax without it being a benefit," Aguirre said. "A lot of them come to us and say, 'We just want a safe place for our kids to run around,' and they feel safe and they have a good time."
The ranch holds lessons for individuals with special needs from September to May, following the school calendar. Over the summer, there are opportunities for youth living in foster care to participate in a camp as well.
"The kids, even though they're in a lesson, they don't get to play together; they're in a lesson and they're doing therapy," said Tracey Columbus, a Palm Coast resident who has one child rider involved with the ranch. "But here they get to see each other and socialize. For a lot of these kids, when socializing with peers that have similar issues with themselves, they can relax. They don't have to be scared to be themselves. They can be just like all the other kids here."
Marley Anderson's grandmother Toni Anderson added that the carnival's low-key atmosphere helps the families get to know each other better.
"To share the riding and everything is fantastic," said Flagler Beach resident Toni Anderson. "Then, in a social setting it's also nice because we become like a family, especially with the people we're with week after week, year after year."
Visit whisperingmeadowsranch.org.
