Anticipation, curiosity, wonder and a little anxiousness may be on the minds of first-time participants at the non-denominational Respite Nights program offered at Lemont’s First Church of the Nazarene, according to Pastor Adam Lewis.

However, he said, any sense of apprehension soon is relieved as special needs children and their siblings see the fun they can have.

Offered for special needs children up to 18 years old and their siblings, Respite Nights includes time for crafts, sensory integration, music, snacks and more, Lewis said, adding that trained professionals and volunteers make up the staff. The offering runs from 6 to 8 p.m. every fourth Saturday of the month from September to May at 12725 Bell Road and is well-received. Registration goes from 5:30 to 6 p.m.

“The kids love it because they have a good time, and the parents love it because it gives them a break from their kids,” Lewis said. “It is a time parents can take a deep breath and have a couple of hours for themselves without worrying about their children.”

A free service to the community, the program kicked off in the fall of 2007 and has been successful from the beginning, according to Lewis.

“The first night was overwhelming. The gym was alive and hopping,” he said. “Two dino-jumps were going full blast, I heard laughter while the kids ran in circles with the parachute as part of a parachute game, and the snacks were being consumed like the kids were going on a six-month famine.”

The children were happy, parents were thrilled and volunteers were excited, he added as he noted appreciation expressed that very night.

“A husband and wife returned after two the hours to pick up their boy,” Lewis said. “When they arrived, they appeared refreshed and were laughing.

“They stood at the door of our gym, and I started a conversation with the dad. He began to cry and stated to me that this was the first time in nine years that he and his wife had time alone together,” he added. “That night, they were able to reconnect and energize their marriage. He shook my hand and said, ‘We will be back next month for sure.’”

Andy Combs, another pastor at the church, said he doesn’t know of any other programs like Respite Nights in the area.

“For some parents, it’s the only time they have for themselves,” he said. “We even have some very, very young children, and you can just see the parents and kids look forward to being there. The parents know the children will be in a safe, nurturing and caring environment.”

Everyone is welcomed, Combs said.

“There’s no requirement that you be Nazarene or any denomination — that’s not the point,” he added. “The program is just for the benefit of the children and their parents.”
For more information, call Lewis at (708) 349-0454, ext. 41 or visit www.chicagofirstnaz.org.