Desert Arc clients celebrate holiday season

Rick Nezley, one of Desert Arc’s clients, looks forward to the Desert Arc Christmas party all year. Mostly, he looks forward to dancing.

“It’s the only single event where all of our clients are together one day a year,” Richard Balocco of Desert Arc said.

Desert Arc is a non-profit creating opportunities for people with disabilities. A total of 700 people celebrated what Desert Arc brings to their lives. For Rick, that’s a chance to earn his own money.

“We do laundry rooms and we go clean the tables and then in Indio clean the bathrooms and the gym,” Nezley said.

“You take someone like Rick and hear him speak about 20 years he’s been here, the work he gets to do, the joy he has in his life for being here 20 years now, working with the staff – it’s heart warming,” Mitch Blumberg of Desert Arc said.

Everyone enjoyed a buffet lunch, that dance floor, and a visit from Santa.

“What I notice is the joy on their face. The joy of being together and it’s something that says from Desert Arc we care about them,” Balocco said.

“I appreciate all Desert Arc does for us,” Nezley said.