Our Place Recreation Center
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Age Range: 16 And Up
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We would like to acknowledge The United Way of Mower County for their generous support of this program.
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Our Place Recreation Center is a social enrichment and skill-development center dedicated to serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our Place is Austin's and Mower County's premier educational, recreational and social facility for this very deserving population.
Located in Austin, Our Place serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities from Austin and surrounding communities. We are open 5-7 days a week, and offer programs for youth, adults and senior citizens. Most of our members have some degree of intellectual or developmental disabilities, however, many program participants have secondary disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Prader-Willi, Down Syndrome, visual and hearing impairments and/or emotional and behavioral disorders. At Our Place, we believe that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve more opportunities for education, skill building, friendships and fun. All our programs have a dual focus: they are designed so that participants can acquire new skills and so that they can have the chance to socialize with peers. For individuals who are affected by intellectual and developmental disabilities, Our Place represents a nurturing, welcoming second home of sorts. It is a place where they can feel they truly belong, and where new opportunities, new challenges and new friendships await them. Do you want to have fun and be involved in the community? LIFE Mower County's Our Place Recreation Center gives you opportunities to have fun, learn social skills and participate in community activities. Give your self confidence a boost and develop lifelong friendships. These are some of the fun things you can do:
Our Place Recreation Center Amenities:
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(Day Trips):
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Vacations
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Age Range: 18 And Up
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Future Vacations
Contact Jamey Helgeson at 507-473-4832 or jamey@lifemowercounty.org to learn more about future vacation destinations.
Past Vacations
- 2008 - 2019, Cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, 2021- 2022: Brindley's Harbor Resort on Leech Lake, Walker, Minnesota
- 2012: Duluth, Minnesota (Attractions: Lake Superior Zoo, Glensheen Mansion, North Shore Scenic Railroad, Vista Fleet Boat)
- 2013: Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Attractions: Milwaukee Boat Tour, Miller Brewery, Pabst Mansion)
- 2014: Omaha, Nebraska (Attractions: Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge and Activities, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Durham Museum, Heartland of America Park and Fountain, Bridge Beats Outdoor Concert)
- 2015: Green Bay, Wisconsin (Attractions: Waterboard Warriors Water Ski Show, Neville Public Museum, National Railroad Museum, Lambeau Field)
- 2016: Minneapolis & St. Paul, Minnesota (Attractions: Mall of America, Como Zoo, Mill City Museum, Fort Snelling)
- 2017: Quad Cities, Iowa & Illinois (Attractions: Field Of Dreams, National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, Niabi Zoo, Celebration River Cruise, John Deere Pavilion and Gift Shop)
- 2018: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin (Attractions: Tommy Bartlett Water Ski Show, Original Wisconsin Ducks, Ripley's Believe It Or Not, Top Secret and Pirates Cove Mini Golf)
- 2019: Rapid City, South Dakota (Attractions: Corn Palace, 1880 Train, National Presidential Wax Museum, Crazy Horse Memorial, Mount Rushmore, National Air and Space Museum, Badlands National Park, Wall Drug, Bear Country USA)
- 2020: Des Moines, Iowa - Cancelled due to COVID-19
- 2021: Mackinaw City, Michigan - Postponed to 2022 due to COVID-19
- 2022: Mackinaw City, Michigan (Attractions: Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, Colonial Michilimackinac, Mackinaw Island, Mackinaw Bridge Museum)
Vacation Policies
Fees
Fees vary with each trip and cover the costs for lodging, some meals, attractions, travel staff, and transportation. Variations in price reflect length of stay and season. Travelers need to bring spending money for some meals and all souvenirs. Please refer to specific vacation descriptions for details. A deposit is required and is applied toward the total fee.
Pay Now…Travel Later
Participants who receive an unexpected monetary gift, refund or back payment which requires a “spend down” can pay for their vacation ahead of time. Put your money safely on account with us and choose your vacation destination at a later date.
Payment Plans
We are happy to work with you to create a plan that’s flexible and meets your needs. Once your trip deposit is made, we can set up easy monthly payments for as low as $50 per month. Contact us to learn more.
Occupancy
Double occupancy is the standard accommodation for travelers. If a traveler is interested in single occupancy, please note this request. Fees will be adjusted to meet these accommodations.
Rooming Requests
If two people wish to room together, please indicate this at time of registration. LIFE will make every attempt to meet your requests, however cannot guarantee this.
Supervision during the Night
Travelers must be able to go unsupervised during the hours of 10:00 pm – 8:00 am while in their rooms. LIFE staff will always be available if they are needed. LIFE staff do not share rooms with travelers. Those requiring an awake staff during normal hours of sleep cannot be accommodated on LIFE Vacations. Smoking is never allowed in the rooms.
Personal Care Staff
LIFE staff are unable to provide one to one care for travelers due to the extent of our vacations. If a traveler would like to have a residential/personal staff travel with them, they may do so. Both the traveler and their staff would have to pay the fee.
Admission Criteria
Each individual participant should be able to maintain adequate self-help skills or be able to adequately communicate his/her needs. LIFE Mower County will not accept individuals who fall into the following categories:
Fees vary with each trip and cover the costs for lodging, some meals, attractions, travel staff, and transportation. Variations in price reflect length of stay and season. Travelers need to bring spending money for some meals and all souvenirs. Please refer to specific vacation descriptions for details. A deposit is required and is applied toward the total fee.
Pay Now…Travel Later
Participants who receive an unexpected monetary gift, refund or back payment which requires a “spend down” can pay for their vacation ahead of time. Put your money safely on account with us and choose your vacation destination at a later date.
Payment Plans
We are happy to work with you to create a plan that’s flexible and meets your needs. Once your trip deposit is made, we can set up easy monthly payments for as low as $50 per month. Contact us to learn more.
Occupancy
Double occupancy is the standard accommodation for travelers. If a traveler is interested in single occupancy, please note this request. Fees will be adjusted to meet these accommodations.
Rooming Requests
If two people wish to room together, please indicate this at time of registration. LIFE will make every attempt to meet your requests, however cannot guarantee this.
Supervision during the Night
Travelers must be able to go unsupervised during the hours of 10:00 pm – 8:00 am while in their rooms. LIFE staff will always be available if they are needed. LIFE staff do not share rooms with travelers. Those requiring an awake staff during normal hours of sleep cannot be accommodated on LIFE Vacations. Smoking is never allowed in the rooms.
Personal Care Staff
LIFE staff are unable to provide one to one care for travelers due to the extent of our vacations. If a traveler would like to have a residential/personal staff travel with them, they may do so. Both the traveler and their staff would have to pay the fee.
Admission Criteria
Each individual participant should be able to maintain adequate self-help skills or be able to adequately communicate his/her needs. LIFE Mower County will not accept individuals who fall into the following categories:
- Someone who requires 24-hour awake overnight supervision.
- Someone who is abusive to him/herself or others (This includes physical and verbal abuse; behavior determined to jeopardize the health and safety of others; or any behavior deemed violent.
- Someone who requires the supervision or actual care of nursing staff, such as insulin injections, urine tests, routine blood pressure screenings, enemas, etc.
- Someone who has serious medical issues.
- Someone who has a disability where he/she would not benefit from the program (this includes severe emotional and behavioral problems).
- Please note: LIFE Mower County staff are available to all participants on a 24 hours “as needed” emergency basis; LIFE Mower County does not provide 24 hour awake/overnight supervision or one-on-one coverage.
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Vacation Cancellation:
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Camp Opportunities:
Vacation Opportunities:
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