Brought To You By Evergreen Life Services; Written By Meagan Henry
For people with disabilities, an afternoon of candle-making offered a chance to try something new, express their creativity and be part of the community.
Black Sea or blueberry? Cherry or clean linen? Horses, hearts, butterflies or roses? Those were some of the decisions of the day for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities served by Evergreen Life Services in Pineville, Louisiana, as they spent an afternoon creating their own candles at Aromatic Moments™ in Natchitoches.
The outing began when Katrina Henson, Home Director of Evergreen’s Winston Brown Community Home, spotted an advertisement for a candle-making workshop on Facebook. Thinking the individuals she supports would enjoy the experience, she reached out to her assistant, Christy Charrier, and soon nine individuals and three staff members were headed to Natchitoches.
At the studio, participants chose their favorite fragrances and then personalized their candles with horses, hearts, butterflies, roses and other designs. Many planned to give their finished creations to their parents as gifts, making each candle even more meaningful.
Jerry and Trice, the husband-and-wife team behind Aromatic Moments™, opened their studio two hours early to give the group more individualized attention and helped each person through the process at their own pace. Their warm welcome showed how a local business can help make community inclusion possible by creating a space where everyone matters and can participate.
A full life extends beyond the walls of a house. It happens in shops, restaurants, parks, workshops and neighborhoods, where people can explore their interests, make their own choices and build connections. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve those everyday opportunities as active members of their communities.
Everyone left Aromatic Moments™ with a candle, but also with a story to tell and something created by their own hands.
Evergreen Life Services supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in building lives filled with choice, independence and connection.
Learn more at evergreenls.org.
