Teen organizes 'sensory friendly' events for special needs children

Marcie Moberly tried taking her now 7-year-old son to one standard movie screening.

But for TJ, and many others like him on the Autism spectrum, the dim lights and loud noise and inability to move around or make a sound for hours was too much.

"It didn't happen," Moberly, of Ocean Springs, said, shaking her head.

On Saturday, though, TJ and his parents were at his third sensory friendly movie at the Gulfport Cinnemark movie theater. He's starting to warm to the idea.

And the whole thing was planned by Lindsey Meyer, a 17-year-old Pass Christian High School senior.

The basics of sensory friendly movies are simple. They're designed for children with autism, attention deficit disorders and other sensory issues.

The lights stay a little brighter than in most movie screenings, the sound slightly lower. There are no previews that might scare the children before the movie starts.

But most importantly, said parents and Meyer, the children are free to move around. They can make noise. The behaviors that parents said often get them glares in other places are perfectly acceptable.

"If he makes noises, gets excited, squeals, it doesn't bother people," Moberly said. "We don't get the looks."

The idea of sensory friendly movies isn't new. Some AMC theater locations have been showing them almost weekly for years, since the company teamed up with the Autism Society in 2007.

But there was nothing like that on the Coast.

Over the summer, Meyer worked at a camp for children with special needs and became close to the children. Around the same time, she was reading stories of children with developmental disabilities being asked to leave restaurants, movies, airplanes and other public places.

As summer ended, she started kicking around an idea to help children like the ones she'd spent her summer with enjoy the same activities as any other child.

She began working with the movie theater in September and planned the first screening for November.

Essentially on her own to promote it, she used social media and went to local clubs and organizations.

Around 120 people showed up.

Cinnemark 16, which Meyer said was easy to work with, agreed to hold monthly screenings. Attendance has varied - on Saturday only about half a dozen families were on hand to watch Norm of the North - but the project is still going strong.

Saturday, several children sat with their families looking intently at the big screen. One ran excitedly around the front of the theater. Meyer stood near the exit to catch any that made a break for it.

She's gotten to know some regulars. There's one little boy who always dances during a movie. Another grandmother calls her often to thank her.

In February, Meyer was recognized as a top youth volunteer in the 21st annual Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

Meyer is heading to the University of South Alabama after graduation to study occupational therapy - in addition to this project she frequently volunteers at an assisted living facility.

But for now she's working to expand sensory friendly options. She's in talks with the theater to increase the number of sensory friendly movies shown to twice a week during the summer.

And through her own organization, Free to Be Me, she's working on organizing other types of events.

"It gives them a chance to be free to be themselves," Meyer said. "This is a judgment free zone."

Sensory friendly movies are shown monthly at Cinnemark 16. Anyone wanting more information or the movie schedules can visit Meyer's Facebook page, Free to Be Me Sensory Friendly Events.

This story was originally published March 5, 2016 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Teen organizes 'sensory friendly' events for special needs children ."