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Current event coffee talks help get people with disabilities more involved in the community

Posted at 4:45 PM, Sep 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-22 23:21:54-04

DENVER – Usually when you read about programs adapted for people with different abilities the topic is sports.  But Denver Parks & Recreation offers a “coffee talk” program that helps exercise the brain as well.

We checked out a recent session at Europa Café near Denver’s Washington Park.

About a half dozen people had shown up to discuss everything from a hurricane hitting Puerto Rico to the earthquake in Mexico. Even the Denver Broncos win the weekend before.

“This was all part of the plan when I came up with the program a few years ago,” recreation instructor Sarah Swain said. “To get everyone together socializing, having a good time taking turns and listening and bringing things to the table.”

“We all have something in common and that’s some form of disability,” regular Alan Boyd said. “It’s nice to have a bunch of friends you’re going to go spend time with on Wednesday morning.”

Faith Vidrine also makes it a point to go to the talks as often as she can.

“I like being a part of it. It makes me feel good,” she said.

Swain says the point of the group isn’t just to discuss current events. It’s to get people out of their homes and help them meet new people. She also likes the fact that it shows people in the community that people with disabilities have the same concerns about the world as they do.

Alan has yet another reason for going week after week.

“Just because life has handed you some kind of cataclysmic event, which in my case was a stroke, life is not over,” he said.

Denver Parks & Recreation’s Adaptive Recreation program organizes these current event coffee talks every couple of weeks during the fall and spring. They have three more events coming up this fall.

  • October 4 – 9:30 am -- Nixon’s Coffee, 695 E Louisiana Ave.
  • October 18 – 9:30 am -- Purple Door Coffee, 2962 Welton St.
  • November 1 – 9:30 am -- Prodigy Coffee, 3801 E 40th Ave.

Denver Parks & Recreations offers a wide variety of adapted opportunities for people in the community.  You can see a full schedule on their website.