XENIA, Ohio — A game night is growing in popularity in Greene County. It’s organized by young adults with developmental disabilities as part of the All Hands-In Network.
What You Need To Know
- Game Nights happen at least once a month
- The event is free and open to the general public
- Students from the Greene County Career Center help to plan the event
“Everyone is allowed to come and it’s really fun to have everyone get together,” said Morgan Haymer, a student at the Greene County Career Center. “It really helps to bring that community connection back that we need these days.”
Tyler Olmeda, one of Morgan’s fellow students at the career center, gave game night high marks.
“I thought it was very fun and it was a way to connect with everyone in the world to a certain extent,” Olmeda said.
Josh Welhener of the Greene County Board of Developmental Disabilities brought everyone together. A self-described “professional do-gooder,” Welhener said he is on a mission to create an inclusive game night that brings together all kinds of people.
“Individuals with developmental disabilities often lead very segregated and isolated lives, so we’re trying to plan events that are open to everyone,” Welhener said. “I won’t lie, it’s a slow build and it’s challenging to get the community to join us but that’s why we’re doing events like this.”
Welhener said he also goes all out when he plays games during the evening. He believes you do more harm than good if you let those with disabilities win.
“I will not let them win at a game because that’s how I would treat anyone else that I’m playing with,” Welhener said. “Often, they get this kid-glove treatment where people treat them almost like babies and are scared to treat them like anyone else and they know when they’re being treated that way. And I think I have a good rapport with them because they know I’m treating them like everyone else,” he said.
Welhener and his friends are planning an even bigger event for next year: a Comic-Con-style fantasy and comic book-themed festival for Greene County.
“I want them to have a hand in planning that and reaching out to comic book stores and reaching out to venues and everywhere where we’re going to need to pull off an event like (that),” Welhener said. “It’s a great opportunity for them to grow a little bit and take some ownership over their own events.”
