Events with The Arc of Hanover
Ongoing classes and book clubs, special events, support group meetings, volunteering opportunities in our community,
and so much more. Join us!
Monster Mash Dance at
Around The Table
Adult self-advocates: 'Tis the season for costumes -- and DANCING!
Join our co-sponsors at QLife and Around The Table restaurant in Ashland for a fun evening of food, dancing and a Halloween costume contest. Thursday, October 29th, from 5 to 7:30 PM. Support professionals and family are welcome.
RSVP here, and get ready to enjoy the music of DJ Chef Kev and a pumpkin full of fun!
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One Really, REALLY, BIG Party:
The 2026 "TRUNK or TREAT"
SELF-ADVOCATES/Coffee Cart Business Teachers & Staff
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We are going to have so much fun this year!
Come out to our annual "Trunk or Treat" event. Costumes are welcome! Please bring a "treat" bag with you!
You're invited to visit the participating "trunks" -- with costumed characters and "treats." We will have coffee [of course!] and other beverages at the Raise Trailer as we celebrate our 10th Anniversary together!
Music and the traditional "cake walk" will also be part of the event. That's right -- you have the chance to win a cake for playing a game. Trust us: It's a winner every time!
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Details:
Saturday, October 31st
2 to 4 PM
Cool Spring Baptist Church (back parking lot) 9283 Atlee Station Road
Mechanicsville, VA 23116
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This is a FREE event. We are celebrating us but, most especially, YOU, for supporting and volunteering with us for the past 10 years.
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Questions? Contact Melodie Fearnow-Kenney.​​
"Trunk" Hosts and Raise Trailer Volunteers
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We are excited to not only be hosting another "Trunk or Treat" -- one of our favorite events -- but also to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Raise Coffee.
Would you help us out by volunteering to host a "trunk"? We will have many self-advocates visiting and we want to give them an amazing experience with fun costuming, themed "trunks" and yummy treats. (And we ask that you please be allergy-friendly with your "treats," so more of our visitors can participate in more "trunks." Thanks!)
We would also love to have some volunteers helping inside our Raise Trailer, which will be serving coffee [of course!] and other beverages during the afternoon. Music and the traditional "cake walk" will also be a part of the event.
Details:
Saturday, October 31st
2 to 4 PM
Cool Spring Baptist Church (back parking lot) 9283 Atlee Station Road
Mechanicsville, VA 23116
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You can start arriving to park your vehicles in the rear of Cool Spring Baptist Church after 1 PM.
Questions? Contact Melodie Fearnow-Kenney. Ready to sign up to help? Visit here.​​
Adult Self-Advocates: Community Engagement through Partnership Programs with the Ashland Branch Library
The "Next Chapter" Book Club is one of many such clubs around the world, "helping people with disabilities enjoy books, friends, and their community."
One such Hanover-based book club meets at the Ashland Branch Library of the Pamunkey Regional Library system (201 S. Railroad Ave., Ashland). The group meets weekly from 10:30 to 11:30 AM in one of the library's conference rooms. Club members are supported by library assistants and volunteers.
For more information, contact Diane Gallegos, Director of Program for The Arc of Hanover. If you have a special physical or communication need to be able to attend sessions, please contact the library.
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Join volunteers from The Arc of Hanover and the Ashland Branch of the Pamunkey Regional Library for "Reader's Theater." Our new monthly program runs on the first Thursday of the month, from 10:30 to 11:30 AM in our Community Room.
Participants will take turns reading aloud from scripts and using their voices to bring the characters to life. No memorization, staging or costumes necessary. First and foremost, Reader's Theater is designed for meeting new friends while practicing reading through a fun activity.
To register, please visit here. If you have a special physical or communication need to be able to attend sessions, please contact the library.
Learn more about this program for self-advocates and senior adults and sign up on our registration form. The class is free, but registration is a must!
See you on Fridays!
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Register Here for Our Weekly Creative Arts Class for Self-Advocates
On Thursdays, from 2 to 3 PM, join lead art instructor Melissa Balmer and volunteer art teachers for a one-hour Creative Arts Class at The Arc of Hanover building's Community Room. Each session provides participants with an outlet for personal creativity, fine motor skill development and peer socialization.
The class is free, but registration is required for each session to ensure appropriate room setup. (NOTE: You can register for multiple classes per month on the same form.)
RSVP here!
The Aktion Club Returns to Hanover County
We are very excited to announce the re-start of the Aktion Club. Changes and transitions had the club on hold for a time, but it came back in November of 2025, thanks to our partnership with the Ashland Kiwanis Club and Hanover County Parks & Recreation.
Kiwanis International serves the needs of children by helping its members build leadership and service skills through its local clubs. The Ashland Kiwanis has been in existence since 1923. Members of the Aktion Club actually become official members of the Ashland Kiwanis.
Aktion Club has 'action' in its name. Club members will be engaged in the planning and execution of service projects in and around Hanover County. There will also be formal meeting procedures to learn and teaching about core values presented, including character-building, leadership, inclusiveness and caring.
The Aktion Club is open to any disability self-advocate age 18 or older. Meetings are held on the second Monday of the month, 5:30 to 6:30 PM, at The Arc of Hanover -- unless the service project requires fulfillment off-site. The membership fee for individuals who register has been covered by a generous community donor. Please bookmark this page for details about meetings. Contact Director of Program, Diane Gallegos, to register for membership.
Club:
Monday, November 9th@
5:30 PM
Reach out to Diane Gallegos for more information.
"The Journeyers" meets at The Arc of Hanover
Since May 2022, "The Journeyers" has provided a supportive outlet for parents and caregivers of loved ones with disabilities. Born out of the pandemic, the support group has provided a place for an exchange of information, ideas, recommendations and just plain talk.
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Originator and facilitator of The Journeyers, Sue Jeantheau, says, "The Journeyers is open to anyone who has a child or adult of any age with a disability. This is not a clinical support group but a group for those who not only need the support but can often provide the best support to others."
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The group meets monthly (except for December), generally during the last week of the month on a weeknight. Gatherings run from 7 to 8:30 PM at The Arc of Hanover building in the Community Room. For more information, contact Sue Jeantheau.
The Journeyers 2026 Calendar
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Wednesday, October 28th
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Tuesday, November 24th​
Hanover Sibshops Sibling Support Group Provides Space for Help and Feelings
One of our Hanover Community Collaborative partners, Infinite Abilities Counseling, is sponsoring in partnership with The Arc of Hanover a sibling support group -- Hanover Sibshops. Group sessions are open to children ages 7 to 12 who have a sibling with special health, developmental or mental needs.
Aryn Jentz, LCSW, MBA, a therapist and practice owner of Infinite Abilities Counseling, LLC, will host the monthly groups on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at different locations in Hanover County. Sessions are generally held in the Community Room at The Arc of Hanover building, from 5:30 to 7 PM.
"When kids have language for their feelings and safe peer connection,
they’re more resilient long-term," says Jentz. "We aim to normalize that it’s possible to love your sibling and still feel frustrated, sad, or left out sometimes."
Sessions are $10 a person per meeting. Dinner will be served during the session.
Hanover Community Calendar
We are invested in and regularly connect with our community disability partners. We have created this calendar -- through the Hanover Community Collaborative -- to help with your planning given the other events hosted and sponsored by our partners. This collaborative calendar will change often as we invite more partners to join in with us.
Please consult the organization sponsoring an event with specific questions.