Summer Games a family affair for Eden group

By: Sean Moylan
   EWING — The family that stays together plays together.
   David Paparozzi, Eric Tan, Jason White and Bryan Quigley live together in an Eden Acres group home in Hightstown, which was set up by Eden Institute, of West Windsor. They also are good athletes who competed at last weekend’s Special Olympics New Jersey Summer Games at the College of New Jersey.
   "We provide lifetime services for children 8 months old to adults up to 65 years old with autism," explained Monika Zak, who works at the Hightstown group homes, one of a few in the borough and 11 in the area.
   The group homes, she said, are family-oriented.
   "All of our group homes will do family meals," she said. "That way, the guys can say, ‘Can you pass this?’ or ‘Can you pass that?’ We want the talking and interacting with each other as much as possible."
   And that interaction is not limited to the dinner table.
   "They go to work together and live together," said Ms. Zak. "They go on vacations together. They really are a family."
   All four men from the Hightstown home enjoy sports and Ms. Zak is their coach, though they sometimes get the better of her.
   In fact, Mr. Paparozzi, 29, likes to bowl and his average, which ranges from 95 to 120, is slightly better than Ms. Zak’s average.
   "I’m too busy coaching them to get better at bowling," laughed Ms. Zak.
   Mr. Paparozzi won a bronze medal in the 50-meter dash on Saturday.
   "I’m having a good time," said Mr. Paparozzi, who has competed in Special Olympics the past six years or so. He was scheduled to compete in the softball throw as well.
   Mr. Tan also competed in the 50-meter dash and won a ribbon in that event. He, too, was scheduled to participate in the softball throw.
   "He’s very fast when he wants to be," said Ms. Zak of Mr. Tan, who is 37.
   Thirty-six-year-old Jason White’s scheduled events were the standing long jump and softball throw. Though he is nonverbal, he is able to communicate very well.
   "Jason does cross country and he also likes to bowl," said Ms. Zak. "These guys like these competitions. As long as they have fun, that’s what counts."
   Mr. Quigley, 45, won a seventh-place ribbon in the 50-meter dash and was scheduled to compete in the softball throw.
   While all four men live together as a family, they’re all pretty independent and have jobs. Most of the young men work for Wawa. But they also do jobs like stuffing envelopes.
   There are different levels of autism. Twenty-nine-year-old Eric Staffeldt, who took fifth place in the 50-meter dash and was scheduled to compete in the shot put event, has autism but he lives with a roommate in a Hightstown apartment, overseen by Eden, and is very independent. Mr. Staffeldt has competed in Special Olympics for about six years.
   He was among more than 2,200 athletes who competed last weekend.
   Eden Acres teaches autistic people how to take care of themselves but they also offer assistance when needed. But that’s basically what all good families try to do.
   For more information on Special Olympics New Jersey, visit www.sonj.org or call 896-8000.