This fall’s Learning Unlimited Banquet Night, the final event of the season, was made special thanks to the efforts of many, including our Hospitality and Applied Skills (HaAS) and Work Based Learning (WBL) students, Chef “Cheffory” Jeffory McLean, teacher Samantha Fowler, Job Training Specialist Diane Brickler, and Operations and Maintenance staff members.

Banquet Night is the most anticipated evening for all the friends in the Learning Unlimited program. The excitement for them began the week before, with a trip to Chef McLean’s commercial bakery at WEMOCO. There, program participants helped to prepare the desserts and cookies for the gala. They followed recipes, measured and mixed – all while learning proper kitchen etiquette and safety procedures.

At the Exceptional Children Learning Center, Samantha Fowler’s HaAS class members have been learning restaurant and catering skills. They put their new talents to work, cleaning, sorting and rolling over 100 sets of silverware into cloth napkins in preparation for the party. On the evening of the dinner, they set beautiful tables for the expected guests. Diane Brickler’s WBL class was busy, too. These talented students created 38 hand-printed t-shirts as gifts for the guests, each with a unique Learning Unlimited logo design.

The event itself featured a catered meal by Mangia Mangia and of course the desserts made by the Learning Unlimited participants the week before. The tables were set perfectly, and the handmade gifts were a special surprise. It was a magical ending that brought friends together one more time to socialize, learn and have fun.

Learning Unlimited, a free 10-week program for adults with disabilities, provides an opportunity for group members to get together to work on social, leisure and independent living skills. It is offered in spring and fall sessions through a grant from OPWDD (Organization for People with Developmental Disabilities). The grant is run through Monroe #1 BOCES; Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES Department for Exceptional Children manages the program for residents on the west side of Rochester. It is free for adults who live at home and qualify for OPWDD services.

Registration for the Spring 2023 program will begin in February. Questions? Please reach out to: Kimberly Stephenson [email protected] or Andrew Fowler [email protected].