East Windsor Residents Still Active in Special Olympics

One of the treatments for autism is to establish a routine, keep the individual as active as possible.

For the members of the East Windsor Eden Acres home, that has always included participation in the Special Olympics.

"It's very important to stay active," noted Mona Shahid, the coordinator for three Eden Acres group homes in Mercer County. "The more down time there is, the more the frustration levels rise."

Eden Institute, located in Princeton, is a highly regarded facility for the treatment of individuals with autism. People from around the country have come there to get their family members help.

Through time spent at Eden Institute, the older individuals are often placed in Eden Acres, groups homes where they live and can establish a sense of community.

Seven people live in the East Windsor group home, located on Maple Stream
Road. Two of those indviduals, Eric Tam and David Paparozzi, were competing in
the Special Olympics New Jersey Summer Games, held this past weekend at The
College of New Jersey.

"The group homes take the guys to Mercer County Park to practice for the Special Olympics," Shahid noted. "We also take the guys to tryouts at Eden Institute. You have to qualify for this."

Between the Eden Acres group homes in Hamilton, Robbinsville, Lawrence and
East Windsor, 12 individuals qualified for the Summer Games.

During action on Saturday, both Paparozzi and Tam earned medals in the 50
yard dash. Both men also qualified to compete in the softball throw on Sunday.

"I'm proud of all of them," Shahid said.

The Summer Games is a major event. Athletes move into the dorms at The
College of New Jersey for the weekend. There is a Opening Ceremony and Torch
Run. Over 2,300 athletes competed in the games and thousands more were in
attendance to volunteer or watch the action.

This week, Tam and Paparozzi are back to their more normal routine. They get up and ready for the day like anyone else. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., they go to Eden Institute for job training. According to Shahid, Wawa, the Garden Theatre in Princeton and Dr. Jays (an onlline clothing store with a local warehouse), are three of the local businesses that have been great about employing individuals from Eden.

"The great thing is they really treat our guys with respect and dignity," Shahid said. "They don't separate them. They treat them like normal employees."

There are also specific times in the day for medication, meals, showers and
leisure activities.

In her over six years she has spent working for Eden, Shahid has learned the more time she helps these men and women live, the more they become a part of her own life.

"I love my job," Shahid said. "When I get up, I want to go to work. Every day, there's something different. We have a good team. It's a great experience."