ANAHEIM : They Work so Others Can Play

Backstage at the Savanna High School auditorium, where a group of disabled children and adults were waiting to take center stage at a talent show, teen volunteer Danielle Wright took a moment’s leave from adjusting costumes and giving pep talks to talk about her summer job.

“Like, there’s this one girl, and she can’t really talk,” said Wright, 13, describing one of the few dozen people with mental, physical and learning disabilities in Anaheim’s Therapeutic Recreation program, “but if you sit down and listen to her, she doesn’t open up to you with words, but expressions.”

Wright is among about 100 teen-agers who have been deployed throughout Anaheim this summer as volunteer aides at such recreation sites as pools, playgrounds, the nature center and in the city’s Therapeutic Recreation program.

From keeping an extra eye on children using the city’s swimming pools to helping to explain the house rules to summer visitors at the Oak Canyon Nature Center, the teen-agers gain work experience and are rewarded with T-shirts, coupons for fast-food restaurants and other bonuses. Those who complete 100 hours or more of volunteer work can apply for one of thirty $100 scholarships.

But, said youths who are participating this summer in the 6-year-old program, there is an even greater reward.

Members of the Therapeutic Recreation program “make you feel like they trust you, and that makes you feel special,” said volunteer Paula Waters, 13.

The program provides a double blessing, said Terry Lowe, recreation service manager for the city: summer work for teen-agers under 16 who are ineligible for other jobs, and helping recreation staff with the overload of summer business.

“It helps (the teen-agers), it helps staff and it helps the participants,” Lowe said. “Especially in the therapeutic program, we really depend on them. It will be a more quality program if we can have that one-on-one interaction with the participants.”

Teri Mountford, supervisor of the therapeutic program, added: “Generally they’re helpful. I think it’s good for them to be exposed to other populations, and to people who may not be as fortunate as they are.”

For the teen-agers, most agree that working for coupons and bonuses is better than trying to find something to do during the long days of summer.

“I have nothing else to do. At home I’d just be sitting around watching TV,” Waters said.

Added Stacey Silberman, 13, who has put in more than 100 volunteer hours: “I’m certainly going to sign up for this next year. This is neat. This is the first summer I’ve really had some fun.”