Amid the various fireworks displays Monday night, there will be an oasis of calm and quiet celebrating the Fourth of July free from loud noises. David Goins takes us inside the setup for a sensory-sensitive celebration in Cypress Waters.
Amid the various fireworks displays, there will be an oasis of calm and quiet Monday night celebrating Independence Day free from loud noises.
Now in its second year, the Sound at Cypress Waters, which sits in a tiny pocket of Dallas proper just northeast of DFW Airport, is hosting a sensory-sensitive Fourth of July on Monday night.
Marci Parrish is the marketing manager at Billingsley Company, the real estate development firm that designed, built and manages Cypress Waters properties.
“Out here the greenery, the land is just really peaceful,” Parrish said.
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Against that backdrop, Parrish looked to build an event that was both popular and maintained a sense of calm.
“We kind of talked about and said ‘Hey we could do that out here’.”
Parrish says the event is tailored specifically for families with children on the autism spectrum, veterans who have experienced the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and pets who often run away amid loud noises that mark the holiday.
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Most notably, the signature fireworks will be replaced instead by laser light and a host of visually calming and tactile activities, including a snow creation station. There will also be a separate 'calm zone', allowing anyone a break from activities.
“It’s meaningful because you plan these events and you want to make sure it works properly,” Parrish said. “And when they (families) say ‘thank you’, you know you did an okay job. They had a good time and that’s what we want.”
