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Disclosure: I am sharing this opinion as an individual and not as a member of the Sudbury School Committee or member of Sudbury’s Commission on Disability.
Last night, approximately 200 children visited the neighborhood of Meadowbrook Circle and Meadowbrook Road to participate in Sudbury’s 2nd Accessible Trick-or-Treat. Neighbors came together to put tables at the end of their driveways. Every house had a bowl of nut-free candy and a bowl of toys. Some neighbors took the day off from work to blow the leaves off the sidewalk, put out extra tables with treats, and decorate their tables. Particular care and attention was made to ensure their neighborhood was a welcoming and accessible space for all trick-or-treaters.
When 5pm came near, the street quickly filled with families. Volunteers were trained to describe toys and candies at their table, if they saw a trick-or-treater with a white cane. They knew all ages could participate; costumes were not required. They brought bowls to children in strollers and wheelchairs and made sure they had all the time they needed to decide if they wanted the blue or green fidget toy. They, along with all the neighbors, greeted every trick-or-treater with huge smiles and kindness. Many parents embraced volunteers or other parents they knew, because they were so overwhelmed by the community and spirit of that neighborhood. It was beautiful to watch.
The word advocacy has seemed to become a “dirty word” these days in Sudbury politics. It’s a word I have also felt uncomfortable using for some time. But, to advocate only means to ask for something you or a group of people need. The truth is that this event came from the advocacy of two sisters who were then aged nine and seven. They wanted to make trick-or-treating a better experience for their peers who had allergies and disabilities. Together they did the work to research and submit the initial idea proposal to get their Mom on board.
Last year, at the first Accessible Trick-or-Treat, two families visiting the area attended and were so moved, they organized their towns’ first Accessible Trick-or-Treats this year in Florida and Missouri. I received updates about their events where 250 to 300 trick-or-treaters attended. At this year’s event, a parent approached me from Chicago who was also visiting from out of town. We exchanged contact information since they too want to organize an Accessible Trick-or-Treat next year.
The metaphor “fabric of society” is used to explain connections and interactions that bind people together. It is often referred to as the basic structure society needs to allow it to function. What makes Sudbury’s Accessible Trick-or-Treat so unique and special is that it highlights and demonstrates how advocacy, kindness, acceptance, and inclusion indeed makes up the fabric of our community in Sudbury and communities beyond.
As I walked around Meadowbrook Circle and Road this morning to pick up dropped toys and candy wrappers on the sidewalk, I thought about the impact advocacy has had on our wonderful community and how because of two young advocates, a total of 800 trick–or-treaters in three states fully participated in the Halloween tradition of going house-to-house to get treats, created long-lasting memories with their families, and most likely crashed from sugar highs at bedtime.
I whole-heartedly want to thank the residents of Meadowbrook Circle and Road, especially Lisa Kouchakdjian who will never admit to how much work she did this year to make this Accessible Trick-or-Treat a success. Thank you to my fellow members on the Commission on Disability, community volunteers, and our generous sponsors. Lastly, thank you to all the advocates who continue to make our social fabric stronger. It’s amazing what a community can do when it comes together.
