A Toast to Talent!

On May 16th, SpArc Philadelphia hosted A Toast to Talent!, an annual talent show celebrating everyone's abilities. Hundreds of audience members enjoyed a matinee show and an evening show. Both shows featured the enthusiasm and talent of Cultural Arts Center artists, including a drum circle, a rousing rendition of "Down by the Riverside," and Morgan Taraska reinterpreting the classic song "My Heart Will Go On."

Volunteering at Awbury Arboretum

For the past two months program participants from Cultural Arts have been volunteering at Awbury Arboretum in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia. The Arboretum has 55 acres of green space including open meadows, ponds, woods, and lawns.

Today we saved five trees by removing invasive ivy from their trunks and branches. We also explored the grounds to see all the beautiful flowering bushes and trees that spring has produced.

Terence smells a flowering tree by the Cope House

Walking the arboretum grounds

Volunteer coordinator Leslie explains how to remove ivy from a tree

Cierra cuts an ivy branch attached to a tree

Terence holds up a branch of ivory he just removed

Things to do with your friends in the spring

As the weather gets warmer, we've been embracing the sunshine by doing many activities outdoors.

Karly read The Sun Also Rises to Robbie, Eric, Mike S., Phoebe, Richard and Tim during Book Club. 

We have also been creating outdoor murals in our back garden that will be able to be seen from the SEPTA commuter trains that pass behind our building. 

Robbie and Rodney participated in newly reinstated Graffiti Club.

Therapy Dog Visits

Over the past month we have been visited by sweet and friendly dogs that come to us through Therapy Dogs International. Both the program participants and the dogs enjoyed spending time with each other!

Everyone meets Raffi for the first time

Ernest and Raffi

Charlene and Raffi

Rytecka and Duxie

Alexis, Sharay and Duxie