Colorado rec center hosts inclusive Halloween party in Aurora
There are over 100,000 Coloradans in Arapahoe County with disabilities, but few places to accommodate them recreationally. People visit Seb's Rec Center to have what able-bodied people and neurotypical minds often take for granted, even on Halloween.
In 2018, Sebian Holiday passed away at the age of 16. He suffered from scoliosis and had limited control of his body, but his mind never suffered. Doctors said he wouldn't live past the age of 9, but not only did he overcome that expectation, he left behind a legacy.
He dreamed of a place where able-bodied people and people with disabilities could do the same activities without feeling like they're different. He worked with his father Keithan Holiday to oversee a first-of-its-kind recreation center.
RELATED: Teen behind inclusive rec center vision remembered
CBS Colorado spoke with the duo shortly after its opening.
At one point, Keithan Holiday said he couldn't get 15 people through the door. Today Seb's Rec Center has nearly 600 members, and they all stay active. He's worked tirelessly to grow Seb's vision since his passing.
"People here aren't asking questions like 'Hey, how did you get like this? Hey, what's wrong with you?' None of those questions come up in this environment," said Keithan Holiday. "People come here and have normalcy."
RELATED: Rec center opens its doors, 5 years after boy with special needs has a vision
The rec center is now equipped with several wheelchair-accessible weight machines, massage therapy, speech training, an arts and games area, plus a media and music center. He wants to find a space that can accommodate more programs like aquatics.
Tuesday, the staff at Seb's Rec Center brought inclusivity to the holiday. They hosted a Halloween party tailored to those with a variety of disabilities.
For some of his members, trick or treating isn't all fun and games.
"If you're in a wheelchair, some driveways are not wheelchair accessible. You have to pop them up on the curb. Just being seen in a wheelchair is a problem. We know they have reflections, but if they're decorating their wheelchair as part of their costumes, they're hard to see in the evening time," explained Keithan Holiday. "If they don't feel safe out in public, we wanted them to come here."
On Halloween night, it's not just trick-or-treaters that are masked.
Keithan Holiday understands there are disabilities you can't see.
"Some people like noise, so we have an area that has a lot of noise. Some need it to be quiet, so we have an area for that. Some don't really want to be around a lot of people, so we have an area for that," said Keithan Holiday. "We also have a massage room where we do aromatherapy. If we have someone who is overwhelmed, we get them in there and it seems to calm them down."
At the party, CBS News Colorado caught up with Geneva Martinez Mejia, a teenager with Down's Syndrome.
Parents know that worried feeling when their child leaves the house.
That worry is even greater when they have special needs.
"It's hard to trust the community nowadays. We have to be careful. Geneva doesn't move as fast as other kids," said Rosa Mejia, Geneva's mom. "I know she is safe and happy here. I'm so grateful."
Keithan Holiday has plans to expand the Rec Center and offer more programs. He's working on ways to find more space.
As he spends the afternoon bringing joy to other parents' kids, he can't help but think of his son: "Sebian would say 'Dad, it's a great start, but we have a lot of work to do. The goal is to help as many people as we can, not just be satisfied with what we have.' That's what he would say."
For more information on Seb's Rec Center visit, sebsrec.org.
