Staying committed to a workout can be a challenge, but for some Gainesville students, buddies are making it easier and more fun.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, students from the Sidney Lanier School, a school for students with intellectual disabilities, travel to the O’Connell Center Weight Room to exercise with UF students from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
The goal is to have three volunteers per Sidney Lanier student, said Melodie Tamse, the program’s director of operations.
“We don’t want them standing around doing nothing,” Tamse said. “We want them active the whole time.”
Volunteers are assigned to specific students, age 17 to 22, based on their personality types to help everyone enjoy their time together.
This semester, seven more Sidney Lanier students are in the program, which requires about 20 more volunteers. Last semester, about 30 volunteers teamed up with 13 students.
Tony Delisle, a research director for the program, said the Sidney Lanier students love the attention from the volunteers and feel like they have their own personal entourage. Delisle assesses the students’ progress in physical fitness and the psychological, emotional and social aspects the program has on the participants.
Sidney Lanier students involved in the program tend to be more active, independent and improve their social skills, Delisle said. He added the same is true for the volunteers.
Rebecca Danta, a UF freshman, is a new volunteer this semester and thinks the experience is going to be hard but rewarding.
Although she was initially anxious to work with students with intellectual disabilities, Danta said it’s a good cause and an important issue.
“There’s a stigma about being mentally disabled,” Danta said. “A lot of times they’ve been rejected. I want to show them that I can be a safe haven to them and that I can show love to them.”
Students who wish to volunteer should e-mail Delisle at twave@hhp.ufl.edu .
Correction: The Alligator initially reported that the event starts at noon every Tuesday and Thursday. It begins at 12:30 p.m.
