Build It And They Will Come

Last night during evening rush hour we had a dust storm followed by rain complete with high winds. Every Wednesday our routine for the past few months has been to pick up my husband at work (the hospital is half way between home and my son's school so we commute together) then go to the SpoFit (http:\\www.spofit.org) where my son climbs the Rockwall. The weather delayed our plans and cancelled our time in the SpoFit pool but as soon as the storm broke we jumped on the freeway and headed out. SpoFit has a Kids Corner program where the staff plays organized games with the kids. Last night it was just my son zooming around on a gym scooter and trying his best to shoot hoops along with my husband. We now are adding Kids Corner on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday's to our routine. Swim lessons begin in a few weeks and over break my son will be attending 3 weeks of summer camp for a few hours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Afterward we'll swim. SpoFit is the best kept secret in town. It was built with money from City of Phoenix municipal bonds and is for people with disabilities and their families. A family membership only costs us $60 per month. Like everything else it is a drive, but watching my son and his father on those gym scooters last night was well worth the 40 minute drive even during a storm. While we love having the facility all to ourselves, I am amazed it isn't crowded. Enjoying the local Y a few miles from our house isn't an option right now but we hope after spending time at SpoFit it will become one. Integration as much as possible always is our goal. I had brunch with some of the moms from my son's school today. Word of SpoFit is beginning to circulate among the autism community. It will be fun watching it go viral. We like that our son meets people with different challenges and that it reminds us we are part of the larger disability community not just autism land. We're going to continue enjoying having the facility to ourselves for now because very soon it will be humming.