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GURNEE – The library is a meeting place for people of all kinds and can be claimed by any group within the community, said Jeanne Paskman, Gurnee resident. When Jeanne Paskman’s son Corey Paskman, 27, visits the library, he’s excited to see friends he knows from Warren Special Recreation Association or coworkers from North Point, she said.
"Corey's been working really hard in terms of reading," Jeanne Paskman said.
"We use the library all the time, and we run into Corey's special pals. You can see how enthusiastic they are to see each other, so surprised and happy to see other special people at the library."
SMILE, Special Meeting In the Library Event, met for the first time at Warren-Newport Public Library on Feb. 3.
About 10 participants, all with special needs and many mutual friends from Warren Special Recreation Association, met to draw their own name tags and get a behind-the-scenes tour of the library.
Corey Paskman attended with his girlfriend, Jacqueline LaMarca. The two had fun decorating name-tags and said they want to attend more SMILE events.
Nicole Estrada, recreation specialist from WSRA, helped out with activities. Estrada tossed a beach ball covered in questions around to the group, and each person answered the question closest to their left thumb. After a few rounds, the group was smiling, talking and laughing together.
SMILE participant Scott Sears, of Gurnee, said, “This is a lot of fun and it’s familiarizing me with the library. There’s so much to learn and know, it’s overwhelming. But when you can go at your own pace and easy, it’s good. My mother has been trying to get me to come to the library for a long time. This was the nudge I needed.”
Estrada said SMILE is good for Gurnee’s special needs residents because it gives them community independence outside of programming planned for them at WSRA.
Jeanne Paskman brought up the idea to Jennifer Drinka, youth services librarian, talked it over with executive director Stephen Bero, and SMILE became an official library event this month.
“I thought we should have something for special adults at the library,” Jeanne Paskman said.
Drinka said she hopes SMILE will become “a community of friendship for people looking for library activities.”
Gail Schrader, adult services librarian, said they hope to have SMILE events once per quarter.
“We want them [the attendees] to take ownership of their program and tell us what they want to do,” Schrader said. She said she hopes SMILE will expand to have events at the police and fire departments.
Jeanne Paskman said, “The library is very important to them. They can’t read or write at [grade] level, but they piece things together. I just want them to share with each other the joy of using the library. They need to know that as a group they can master and take ownership of the library.”
Jeanne Paskman hopes SMILE will grow to include upper level computer learning classes, discuss current events and serve other needs and interests of special adults who have aged out of Warren Township Transition Services, which helps people with special needs find jobs.
“I’m so thankful Jennifer Drinka got this going,” Jeanne Paskman said. “The name of the group is SMILE and you can see by their expressions that it’s a good name. They want to be counted and appreciated just like everyone else.”
For information, call 847- 244-5150 or visit www.wnpl.info/.