Forsyth County Sheriff's Department Puts Smiles on Faces of Students with Disabilities

This is a story that Lisa Farrimond, who is the administrative assistant to the director in the Exceptional Children Division, wrote for the November issue of The Exceptional Times:

Fall in the Piedmont means the Dixie Classic Fair here in Forsyth County.  Rides, food, games, cotton candy or candy apples, exhibits, art work and more food. Every year, the Dixie Classic Fair opens the gates with free admission on Wednesdays for individuals with disabilities to experience the joy of the fair. For eight years, I have had the honor and privilege to be a part of this wonderful opportunity. Each year, art work from our students is hung and awarded ribbons, and a judges’ choice ribbon is presented to one art work from the elementary, middle and high school levels. 

This year, with the threat of Hurricane Joaquin off the coast of North Carolina during opening weekend of the fair, there was concern about whether the weather would hold for our students to attend on Wednesday. The sun came out the day before, drying the ground, and the weather held up for the students, teachers, teacher assistants and chaperones.

The Exceptional Children’s Division would like to give a HUGE shout-out to the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department. For the past five years, the sheriff’s office has collected stuffed toys and handed them out on Special Education Day at the fair. Sgt. Sayers explained that the first year was so well-received by both the kids and the officers that it has become an annual event for them.

“We love doing this for them,” he said. “You can see it makes their day.”

The officers have a booth just to the right as you enter the main gate of the Dixie Classic Fair. The officers form an assembly line and hand out the stuffed toys until the last one is given out. This year, they collected and handed out 1,000 stuffed toys in 68 minutes.

“When the kids are leaving for the day, you’ll see them kissing and hugging their new stuffed toy,” Sgt. Sayers said. “That’s a great sight.”

If you’re interested in donating a new stuff toy for this worthy cause contact Sgt. Sayers at sayerscp@fcso.us.

The EC Division would like to extend a special “Thank You” to the following for their work behind the scenes making this a success for our students: Trish Moody, Mary Todd-Allen, Brad Oliver, David Singletary, Elizabeth Singley, Sgt. Sayers and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department.

To read the November issue, go to The Exceptional Times