Farrington Helps Man the Arc

Chapel Hill News (W.E. Warnock)

As if he didn't have enough to do in getting ready for Kent State's opening football game, Dylan Farrington found even more to keep him busy this summer when visiting back home in Chapel Hill.

Farrington, a former All-American defensive back for Chapel Hill High School, spent some of his days for the past three months working with kids and young adults associated with The Arc of Orange County.

"It was fun, really fun," Farrington said.

The Arc provides services for teenagers and young adults with developmental disabilities. Most of the activities are geared toward job training.

"The idea is to help them improve their job skills, so they can have a better chance of putting those skills to good use," said Michael Kirschner, Transition Services Supervisor at The Arc. He helped coordinate volunteers' hours this summer.

On many weekdays, Arc participants head out in teams, led by a volunteer or staff member, to learn basic skills on a job site. For example, Farrington took a group to Great Clips hair salon, where they folded towels, filled water-spray bottles and cleaned mirrors and windows.

He liked even that part of the program.

"I got a lot out of it," he said. "I got to meet the people who work at The Arc, and I got closer to the kids."

There were, naturally enough for summer days, fun outings, too. Farrington said the biggest day his group had was a trip to the YMCA at Meadowmont and its pool.

"It seemed like everyone had fun," he said.

It was a far cry from how Farrinton spends much of his time now on the Kent State campus. A freshman cornerback, he's working hard along with the rest of the Golden Flashes to ready for Thursday's season-opening game at home against Murray State University.

Kent State finished in the middle of the Mid-American Conference last fall, while Farrington was doing a semester of post-grad work at Hargrave Military Academy. Part of a group of recruits expected to help the Golden Flashes contend in the MAC's East Division, Farrington matriculated early, enrolling for spring classes at Kent State and taking part in spring drills.

"It all was faster than high school, at first," Farrington said. "Going from high school to college is a big change, but you get used to it. It might seem a little faster, but it's not all that different from high school."

Farrington returned to Chapel Hill after the spring semester, and his mother suggested he help at The Arc to fill his time. Glenda Farrington-Saunders also works part-time for The Arc, so she's familiar with the program.

Kirschner, who admitted to being a typical college student, more interested in TV and friends during his off-hours, said he admired Farrington's eagerness to volunteer.

"What he did was great. I wish we could have had him for more days," Kirschner said.

"He knew several of the participants from when he was in high school, and all his guys really loved seeing him. It was like small class reunion some days."

Farrington said he enjoyed it as much as the Arc participants.

"I learned a lot. I learned something every day," Farrington said. "For one thing, I learned they're just like everybody else. Their heart is just as big, if not bigger, than other people's hearts."