By Andy Furman
Point/Arc
Regina Watts, a 16-year employee of The Point/Arc, was one of eight recipients of the 2023 Heart of the Community Award from The Center for Great Neighborhoods.
“These awards were nominated by their peers for their dedication and service to the Covington community,” said Courtnery Barlow-Schulte, Development and Communication Director for CGN. “The nomination can come from a large, visible act or small, meaningful contributions made over years. These recipients have used their skills and leadership in a variety of ways to positively impact their neighborhoods and leave the mark on Covington.”
Watts doubles as Activities Director and IT Coordinator for the Covington-based non-profit facility.
“Regina’s work to make the community better unfurls like a flower,” said her nominator, Rene Thompson. “She is a tireless advocate for the disabled, as well as a dedicated poll worker. Regina does everything she can to advocate for the disabled community, helping them expand their horizons through travel, recreation, teaching them advocacy, teaching them how to protect themselves from intimate partner abuse, and promoting voting rights.”
As Activities Director for The Point/Arc, Watts helps clients learn social skills—while having fun.
“We have movie nights, bingo, Karaoke and game nights,” she said. “Also, there are bi-monthly dances.”
From May through early August there’s softball to be played; bowling from September through the end of April; and basketball from mid-October to the first of the year, she said.
And don’t forget the vacations.
“We have three-to-four-a-year,” she said, “and they’re week-long. Some camping, and we’ve had a three-day trip with our clients to the Bahamas.”
Typically, Watts says, about six clients and one volunteer make the trip with her.
“When we have a group trip – like Canada, Myrtle Beach or Virginia Beach – with 10 clients, we’ll go with three volunteers and me,” she said.
Watts says she works with individuals from 20-25 years of age and up. “Our oldest is 83,” she said.
The Point/Arc began in 1972 as a support group form parents of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).
“We’ve grown to be a holistic agency with a wide-range of around-the-clock programs for more than 1,400 individuals with a variety of disabilities, from autism, to down syndrome to many one-of-a-kind diagnoses,” Watts said.
The Center for Great Neighborhoods
In 1976, the Fourth Street Center and Downtown Neighborhood Center merged to become the Covington Community Center. In the late 1960s and early 1970s these two small neighborhood centers were created by separate churches in Covington. Both served the emergency needs of low-income residents, provided recreation activities for youth, and helped residents address community issues. The merger helped create a single, strong organization with a mission to serve those same needs. In 2005, its was changed to The Center for Great Neighborhoods of Covington to reflect the mission more clearly. In 2016, the move was made to the Hellmann Creative Center.
The Point/Arc