Sensory-friendly event planner ‘lives the same life’
Kate Chaney describes herself as a warrior.
Chaney, 32, has endured a lot in her life, including a seizure disorder. She was born legally blind, she said, something that wasn’t diagnosed until she was 5 years old, and was later diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and lupus.
“I get a lot of muscle aches, headaches, and a lot of things I don’t wish on anybody,” she said. “I’ve been through so much already. And I want to give back to my special needs community.”
So two years ago, she and her husband, Rob Chaney, founded Inspirational Experiences. The nonprofit hosts sensory-friendly events year-round for people with special needs of all ages, including an annual Sensitive Santa at Christmas and summer events. It currently is at work on its annual Sensitive Easter, which is slated for March 23 at St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church.
Inspirational Experiences is seeking donations for the event through its website and an Amazon wish list.
“We need Easter eggs, we need supplies, inflatable characters, tablecloths, cookies and refreshments and things like that,” said Kate Chaney, who also owns Inspirational Photo Booths, which rents staffed photo booths for all kinds of events.
Sensitive Easter will include photos with the Easter Bunny, as well as refreshments and hands-on activities, including egg decorating. And there will be opportunities for people to share their experiences, along with information on resources.
She would like her organization to help create a sense of togetherness in the special needs community. A key element of making that happen is that she is a part of it, too, said Becca Engle, a friend who also is on the autism spectrum and has helped with some events.
“I think the best part about Inspirational Experiences with Kate is that she lives the same life
as every kid in that room, almost, in terms of disability,” said Engle, 21, who is working toward her teaching certification so she can work with special needs students. “She understands what these kids are going through.”
Other people in the special needs community are helping her fulfill her mission, including Engle and Bryan Espinoza.
“Me and her, we’re kind of in the same boat,” said Espinoza, 33. “We want to help people out, but we’re not sure how. And I’m happy that she started the organization where she can help people out.”
Espinoza, who serves as secretary for Inspirational Experiences’ advisory board, helps with computer and other behind-the-scenes tasks. He also shares his story, which he hopes will inspire others.
“Back in 2006, when I was 16 years old, a buddy of mine and a
couple of friends were in a pickup truck,” he said. “I’m in the back, and (the driver) sped up really fast and then he broke really hard, and I fell off the
truck. I hit my head on the ground. I lost a lot of blood, and my doctor said I should have died. I lost function in the right side of my body, so I’m partially handicapped.
“That motivates me to tell people not to give up, not to ever whine. My best quote is never back down, never give in, just keep pushing forward. No matter what happens, no matter the outcome, you’ve just got to keep pushing forward. That’s the main goal for sure.”
Engle got to know Kate Chaney through Facebook, where they are in several of the same groups. Engle took part in an Inspirational Experiences event last summer, giving a short talk about the challenges she has faced throughout her life. She was nonverbal until the age of 4, she said, and was diagnosed with developmental delays and autism. She and her mother pushed back against those who saw little potential in her, she said, and she now has a bachelor’s degree.
“A lot of families in that room had similar stories,” Engle said. “Their kids are being told things like, ‘Your kid will never succeed, your kid will never leave your side.’ To tell a kid that at the age of 3 is setting a standard that’s holding back so many families and so many children, because the second you say that, not every parent, not every kid will know to disprove that and fight past that. I want to be that voice for hope in that room.”
A guiding idea behind Inspirational Experiences is to create spaces where most of the people in the room are on the same page.
“I wanted to start these events for families that are like me, where I could fit in,” Kate Chaney said. “Once I started fitting in, I found where I belong. It’s amazing. Having this organization means I have a family where I fit in and we get along, we can all be at one event together and grow together.
“What I get to do is I get to learn their stories and they get to learn my story, and we get to work together to help each other grow and help each other to see we’re not alone, we’re in this together, and that I’m not going anywhere because I’m going to keep giving back to those that need me.”