Our Place Recreation Center
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Age Range: All Ages
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We would like to acknowledge The United Way of Mower County for their generous support of this program.
View the current Program Guide.
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 5-6 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:
- Join friends for overnight, weekend or week-long excursions to places like water parks, camping or theme parks.
- Enjoy day-trips to nearby cities, fairs and festivals and tourist attractions.
- Attend a variety of events such as professional sporting events, movies, concerts, or dinner theater.
- Have fun in activities like camping, hiking, ballgames, swimming or miniature golf.
- Make friends at weekly and monthly activity nights at Our Place, including games, dinners, crafts and theme parties.
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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 [email protected] to learn more about future vacation destinations.
Past Vacations
- 2008 - 2019, Cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, 2021- 2024: 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)
- 2023: Duluth, Minnesota (Attractions: Great Lakes Aquarium, Glensheen Mansion, Gooseberry Falls State Park, Split Rock Lighthouse State Park)
- 2024: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin (Attractions: Lost Canyon Horse Tours, Original Wisconsin Ducks, Dells Upper Boat Tour, Wisconsin Dells Trolley Scenic City and History Tour)
2025: Kansas City, Missouri (Attractions: Union Station, Arrowhead Stadium/Kauffman Stadium, National WW1 Museum and Memorial, Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, Jesse James Birthplace and Bank Museum, Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium, Hallmark Visitors Center, City Hal Observation Deck)
