To help raise awareness of developmental disabilities, the South Central Mental Health Center partnered with the Miracle League of Covington County and the City of Andalusia to host a fun day out at the Miracle Park at Johnson Park for children and adults with disabilities on Thursday.

“March is actually Developmental Disability Awareness Month,” South Central Mental Health Center activity coordinator Staci Wilson said. “We have never done anything before for this month and we just wanted to start somewhere. We called the Miracle League, and together with the City of Andalusia we were able to pull this off. Everyone seems to be having a really good time and we hope for this to become an annual event.”

The event was set up to help raise awareness to people in the community.

“We just want raise awareness and knock down the barriers,” Wilson said. “They are people just like you and I. They enjoy the same things that we enjoy, but they just might enjoy them in a different way. We want to knock away the ‘dis’ in disability.”

Wilson said that the children and adults enjoyed all of the available activities.

“We got started with a baseball game on the Miracle League field,” Wilson said. “There is also a bounce house and we will be having a hot dog lunch that was donated by Ben E. Keith Food.”

Miracle League of Covington County president Jill Ainsworth said that the event has been great and said she looks forward to future events.

“It’s been a really great day,” Ainsworth said. “There are a lot of people who came together to make this happen. The people from Kona Ice gave us a great deal and everyone is able to enjoy unlimited icees all day. Jumping Maniacs in Opp donated the jump house, and many people have donated their time to make this happen.”