Skip to main content

Thurston County, Washington

Public Health and Social Services

News and Information

Current programs open for Winter registration:
Pre-registration is required for all programs

  • Spring Fling Dance – April 1st 5-7pm
  • Bowling Club – Weekly on Wednesdays 4-5pm (can register for a single week or by month)
  • Bingo – third Saturday of every month 6-8pm

Participation Scholarships: Scholarships are limited to $40.00 per person, per quarter. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship, call the Recreation Office to receive an application. Applications must be turned in with your registration form. Scholarships must be repaid if you do not cancel three business days in advance of the activity.

About Us

Two people standing with bicycles

Thurston County Recreation Services Department provides recreation programs and activities for people of all abilities. Our primary goal is to provide opportunities for learning and growth through the experience of recreation and leisure activities. We take pride working in partnership with the cities of Olympia, Tumwater, and Lacey to provide activities and programs through specialized recreation. These programs are designed to give persons with developmental and/or physical disabilities the opportunity to participate in events and activities within the community and surrounding area. Most activities are suitable for ages 16 and older and include day trips, monthly dances, bingo, Movie & Pizza Night, Dinner Club and fitness programs.

Program Policies

REGISTRATION and PAYMENT POLICY

Refer to the registration deadline on the Program Registration Page and make sure your required forms are received on time:

If paper forms or a printed guide are needed, contact our office at 360-867-2679

Payment is due at time of registration, whether online, in person or via phone. You can use a credit card to pay by phone and a confirmation invoice will be sent via email.

Payments by Credit Card: Costs associated with the credit card processing will be passed on to the customer. The credit card fee charged will be 2.35% of the amount due or a minimum of $2.00 (whichever is greater). This is only for payments made by credit card. You still have the option to pay by check or cash without any additional fees.

For your convenience we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, cash and checks.

Thurston County Recreation Services is contracted to accept DDA Respite funds and Family Support funds. If you plan to register using DDA funds, check with your Case Manager to make sure you have funds to use, then call the Specialized Recreation office at 360-867-2679 to register. Case managers will be billed monthly, using the hourly reimbursement rate based on the quarter hour designated by the state’s DDA.

REFUNDS and PROGRAM CANCELLATIONS

Refunds are not given for programs with prepaid tickets. Prepaid programs require fees that we have already paid for, and you will not get a refund if you change your mind about attending.

Refunds or credits will be given for all other programs/events if you call us three (3) working days before the scheduled program/event to cancel. If you receive DDA funds for an event/program, DDA will not pay if you don’t attend. Since we are unable to bill DDA for services not rendered, you will be required to pay out of pocket for services DDA pre-authorized. 

If we must cancel a program, you will automatically get a credit or refund.

LOGISTICS and TRANSPORTATION

Reference the Program Registration Page for exact time and location of programs/events. Unless otherwise noted, all programming occurs at the address listed in the registration. Transportation is not provided, unless otherwise noted, by Thurston County or its staff.

Before programs start, staff are busy preparing and cannot supervise or provide any assistance. Please do not arrive more than 15 minutes before the program begins.

Intercity Transit provides free travel training to anyone interested in learning to use bus route services. For information contact the IT Transportation Coordinator at 360-705-5879

PARTICIPATION NEEDS

We strive to provide reasonable accommodations for all of our programs. However, there may be some trips that are not conducive for people who have limited mobility because of location or logistics. Please call prior to registration to see if the activity will work for you.

TCRS staff do not provide one-on-one attendant care for toileting, toilet transfers, feeding, or behavior management. If this type of assistance is needed during program hours, you must provide an Attendant. Registration fees for attendants may apply and are listed on the registration page. Attendants who accompany participants are required to register and remain with their client for the duration of the program.  

LATE PICK-UP FEES

We will charge late fees if you are not picked up when the program ends. Please reference the registration page for end times.

  • If you are picked up 16-30 minutes late, you will be charged a late fee of $15.00.

  • If you are picked up 30-60 minutes late, you will be charged a late fee of $30.00.

  • Staff will not supervise participants more than one (1) hour past the programs end time. 

A bill for late fees will be sent via mail or email and must be paid within 30 days to continue attending future programs.

Non-Discrimination Policy

Thurston County Specialized Recreation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status or physical/mental abilities. This policy applies to the operation, conduct, or administration of community programs for youth or adults. Sponsoring organizations must also comply with this policy.

Concussion and Head Injury Awareness

Thurston County Recreation Services has adopted a policy for any youth involved in Thurston County athletic programs.

PLEASE CLICK THE LINKS BELOW FOR VARIOUS DOCUMENTATION RELATED TO THIS POLICY:

Brittany Kittle Specialized Recreation Program Manager Email Brittany