How Happy Valley FitLink creates a wellness community for adults with intellectual disabilities

Centre Daily Times - 9/27/2021

Sep. 27—Two years ago, as Jonna Belanger was teaching her disability sport class at Penn State, she gave her students a message and a challenge.

Her goal, she said, is to give her students the confidence to go out and open doors for people.

"To be the people that say 'yes.' "

It's the same message Belanger gives to all of her students. But that year, Jacob Corey was taking the class while volunteering with LifeLink PSU, a life skills program for young adults with intellectual disabilities.

"While volunteering with them, it became apparent that they did not have as many opportunities for physical activity as individuals like myself, without disabilities," Corey said.

Corey approached Belanger after the class ended and told her he was "ready to say 'yes' " — he wanted to start an adaptive fitness program for people with intellectual disabilities.

"From there I was like, 'OK, let's do it,'" Belanger said. "And so we got started."

Now, Happy Valley FitLink offers three workouts a week for adults with intellectual disabilities.

The average FitLink class starts with a "free dance" followed by cardio drumming with pool noodles on exercise balls, then ends with a guided workout that participants can adapt based on their skill level. FitLink holds its classes at the State College YMCA, the Grace Lutheran Church or over Zoom, and Corey said the average class has anywhere from five to 13 participants.

The guided workout has a different theme each week. On Sept. 18, the day of Penn State football's White Out game, FitLink held a White Out workout — participants practiced transitioning from squats into jumping (to "cheer for a touchdown"), running with and handing off a medicine ball, and doing different types of kicks.

"The classes (have) very upbeat, positive, happy, welcoming environments," said Corey, who graduated from Penn State last year with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology. "We really do strive for building social relationships with everybody that comes to the class."

FitLink started as a de facto offshoot of LifeLink, with mostly LifeLink students in attendance, but has developed a much wider reach. Since the program has no funding and classes are free, Corey said, it's grown mostly through word of mouth.

Although FitLink focuses on strength, endurance and cardio-respiratory health, Belanger and Corey said they see people benefit just as much in their confidence and ability to socialize.

Kendall Roth, who goes to FitLink's Zoom classes once a week, said socializing with other people is her favorite part. She noted that other people in the class tend to look at her for a model of what to do during workouts if they get confused.

Roth, who has autism, continued to attend FitLink's classes after she moved from Pennsylvania to Tennessee, and said she plans to take them for the foreseeable future.

FitLink's classes are structured to improve participants' confidence and self-advocacy, Belanger said.

Instructors present each part of FitLink's workouts with several variations and encourage participants to choose what works best for them.

"We very intentionally use the term 'variation' versus 'modification,'" Belanger said. "Because 'modification' often feels like, to the individual ... that we're saying, 'You can't do this, so let's have you do this.' "

Belanger and Corey feel the next step for FitLink is expanding their classes to kids with intellectual disabilities rather than just adults.

"I would say the biggest thing that's surprised us on our journey is just how supportive the community has been and how excited they've been to support us," Belanger said.

For Belanger, FitLink is in some ways a confirmation that she's succeeded in her life's work.

Belanger has two family members with intellectual disabilities. Her lifelong familiarity with their needs inspired her to get a bachelor's degree in adapted physical education, followed by her Ph.D. in adapted physical activity.

"I worked as a K-12 teacher in adaptive physical activity (and) loved it," she said. However, "I knew that advocacy is the next step. And now I've got to figure out how to teach more people to open these doors."

For more information on Happy Valley FitLink, visit happyvalleyfitlink.wixsite.com/happyvalleyfitlink.

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