San Clemente resident asks parks staff to create volunteer days for her adult son with disabilities

Pamela Roth, a San Clemente resident and longtime volunteer with local outreach organizations, urged the Beaches, Parks and Recreation Department to help create regular volunteer opportunities for her 23-year-old son, David Perry.

Roth told the commission she has lived in San Clemente for 15 years and volunteers with the community outreach alliance and the Friends of the Library bookstore. She said her son will graduate from his current program in June and will have two caregivers; the regional center suggested she create a community volunteer program to help him build skills and a sense of purpose. "He is able to help St. Clemente by doing things like gathering tennis balls and other kinds of balls, lifting and moving objects and boxes," Roth said, adding that he would be assisted by caregivers at all times.

Roth said the program would promote volunteerism, physical activity and acceptance of people with disabilities. She displayed photographs of her son and offered additional materials to staff. "I hope you decide that helping special needs San Clemente residents today and putting together a one or two day week volunteer program for him at San Clemente beaches and parks is what you value today," she told commissioners.

Staff accepted Roth's materials and allowed her to approach with photos; no formal directive or motion was made during the meeting. Commissioners expressed interest in exploring community volunteer partnerships later in the agenda and staff later agreed to provide a presentation about existing volunteer programs and liabilities at a future meeting.

The commission did not take immediate action on Roth's request at this meeting; staff said program expansion would require more planning around liability, waivers and staff capacity. The commission scheduled a future agenda item for staff to present current volunteer partnerships and opportunities.