Imagine a place where connection thrives, and social barriers melt away - a space designed to empower adults with social-language impairments and disabilities. Welcome to Club Connect, where group activities serve as a gateway to building and sustaining essential social-communication skills well into adulthood.
This local organization was created by Keri Sharpe, a Denville resident inspired by her twin brother, Brian, who has autism.
From an early age, Sharpe felt destined to help others. After earning her degree in speech pathology, she began her career at a local private school serving children and young adults with disabilities, where she continues to work today. In 2018, she opened her own private speech therapy practice, Sharper Speech, in Denville. Yet, her “wheels were still turning,” driven by a desire to do more.
“I have a very strong entrepreneurial sense of direction and always want to help people,” Sharpe explains. “I was thinking about my brother and the fact that he and his peers don't have a lot of opportunities beyond their day programs once they turn 21.”
“I wound up starting a social club. I knew that I wanted to do something to foster socialization for adults with disabilities. We started off with four or five participants, and [the program now has] grown to 13 people who come consistently,” Sharpe said.
Club Connect is a social communication group led by licensed speech pathologists. Members attend structured events in the office such as themed parties or go into the community and do activities with local businesses - one past event being a glam night for girls at Ivy Hair and Makeup Boutique in downtown Denville.
“We run about four or five Monday nights in a row, and then give members a break for a month or two - then we pick it up again. We try to expose them to all different types of things and activities,” Sharpe added.
For Sharpe, the best part of Club Connect is the relationships that have formed along the way.
“It really, truly feels like a family. That's why I called it Club Connect. I want them to feel like they're part of something. They're a member of a club and a family,” Sharpe explained. “One of the best compliments I got from a parent was that it was great for her son to see the same people at these events, because he's comfortable with them now and knows what to expect from his peers. Some of our members actually hang out outside of the events. That's the best part for me.”
Still, the Denville community is key.
“I think what I would really like specifically with downtown Denville is for our guys to be able to be involved in more of the events in town. I definitely want them to feel like they're not only part of the Club Connect community, but they're part of the downtown Denville community,” Sharpe explained.
“I'm looking forward to just forming relationships with more downtown Denville businesses, so that when they see us walking around on the street, they can say hi, because they know who we are," Sharpe added. "We're always walking up and down Broadway. I want our members to start to feel like they have a bigger sense of community just beyond my little Sharper Speech office."
This vision of connection and community is at the heart of what makes Denville special—a town where relationships are nurtured, and everyone has a place. With efforts like these, it’s clear that Club Connect isn’t just building skills, but also fostering a sense of belonging that extends far beyond its meetings.
"It's always important to be patient and understanding." - Keri Sharpe