By JON HARRISON/ Staff Reporter

The Arc of Shelby Counting is hoping to get the community involved in the loving spirit with its Valentine’s Dance on Feb 13.

The Valentine’s dance will bring awareness to the R.E.A.C.T. program which is provided by the Arc of Shelby County.

The Arc of Shelby County is an advocacy agency serving more than 1,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families with programs and services.

R.E.A.C.T. stands for Recreational Educational and Community Training.

The program was developed for adults with developmental disabilities to stay involved in the community and educated about important subjects in todays society according to Heather Bell-Lawing, director of employment services at the Arc of Shelby County.

“The reason we started R.E.A.C.T.,” said Bell-Lawing, “was because the people we work with are transition age, and we noticed that they missed their friends.”

Transition age means these adults are graduating high school and are moving into the next phase of their life and trying to find their place in the community.

“Some of these students have been around the same people since kindergarten and the idea of R.E.A.C.T. is for them to be able to keep in touvh with those friends,” said Bell-Lawing.

The Valentine’s dance is a part of the recreation in R.E.A.C.T.

“The guys love it when we have anything where they get to dance,” said Bell-Lawing.

Bell-Lawing said everyone in the community is welcome to come because inclusion is a large part of the R.E.A.C.T. program.

The Valentine’s dance will be held at the Pelham YMCA, the dress code is semi-formal and admission is $5.