TC3 unveils sensory space on Dryden campus

Tompkins Cortland Community College recently unveiled a sensory space dedicated and designed to support neurodiverse students.

TC3’s sensory space provides a “calm, welcoming environment where students can relax, study and feel safe,” according to a description.

The space, located in the Baker Commons on campus, features sensory-friendly elements that include:

• Calm lighting
• Soothing sounds
• Fidget tools
• Resources aimed at reducing anxiety and fostering productivity

Cortland County’s Mental Health Association provided funding to construct the sensory space, while Racker and SUNY Cortland offered assistance with expert advice.

Karen Rachetta, TC3’s coordinator of access and equity services, led the effort to create the space.

“We have more than 300 students who self-identify as having a disability, and 95% of those are neurodivergent,” Rachetta said. “This space is for them.”

Rachetta noted that the space will evolve based on feedback from students who use it.

The space will also feature artwork. Students in the Painting I and II classes are designing and completing a mural on the walls of the sensory space.

“The space was created with the intention to meet the needs of the divergent community, but it benefits all people,” Rachetta said. “Every human being processes sensory information differently and can benefit from this space.”

The sensory space is open to the campus community from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Dryden Rotary to hold mystery dinner theater event on March 29

The Dryden Rotary Club is bringing the 1920s back to life in an event later this month.

The club will hold its annual mystery dinner theater event on Sat., March 29 at the Dryden Veterans Memorial Home at 2272 Dryden Rd. in the Town of Dryden.

“It’ll be a fun night of entertainment,” said Tracy Kurtz, Dryden Rotary’s executive secretary.

The club will partner with Acme Mystery Company in Syracuse to bring the show, “Dead Silent: Florence of Moravia.”

Acme Mystery Company provided a description of the show:

“It’s 1927 and local radio personality Nevelle Haspin invites you to the broadcast of a gala reception for silent film diva Lorraine Bowes who is making a film portraying hometown hero and notorious WWI spy Florence Goode a.k.a. Hata Mahma. Joining Lorraine will be her leading man – if he’s sober, Roland DeHay, and Lorraine’s agent, Harold ‘Hawk’ Toohey. Arriving without an invitation is nationally syndicated gossip columnist Helena Handbasket. Be careful. These celebrities autograph with poisoned pens.”

“It’s all about guessing who did it,” Kurtz said.

Kurtz noted that up to six cast members are in the show.

“It’s like a game of clue,” said Chris Sanford, Dryden Rotary’s event coordinator. “The actors come out and socialize with the audience. They give the audience some speaking pieces.”

Kurtz said that Dryden Rotary has been holding mystery dinner theater events for 15 years, with 12 of them including Acme.

“Since we’ve been doing it for so long, it’s been difficult to find other (outlets), but Acme has always been great to work with,” Kurtz said.

The cast members conduct the first segment for about a half hour, Sandford said, then get into the thick of the show. Sanford added that when a certain word or phrase is mentioned, an audience member will stand up and fit the phrase into the investigation.

“The actors sit around the tables and do the acting around you,” Sanford said. “It’s very interactive. The more that the audience gets involved and the more of a reaction that the actors get from the audience, the better the play is. They feed off the audience.”

Doors open at 5 p.m., show begins at 6 p.m. and dinner is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

“Once we talk people into coming (to the event), they love it and they want to come back,” Sanford said. “A lot of the people we get have been coming for years.”

The dinner will be inspired by popular foods from the 1920s, including roast beef with gravy, chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, three-bean baked casserole, buttery carrots, tossed salad, bread rolls, dessert, coffee, tea and soda.

Sanford said a variety of desserts will be available at each dinner table. 

The cost to attend the event is $55. Tickets are available for purchase from Dryden Rotarians, the Dryden Barber Shop at 57 W. Main St. in the village and rotaryclubofdryden.org.

Proceeds from the event will support local and community-based organizations, the Dryden Youth Exchange, dictionaries for third graders at Dryden Central School District and more.

Kurtz said more than 100 individuals typically participate in the event. Attendees have an opportunity to win door and raffle prizes, courtesy of donated items from community organizations.

The deadline to purchase tickets is March 23. For more information, call 607-838-3656 or email Sanford at sanfordjmail@gmail.com.

“Join us for food, fun and mystery,” Sanford said.

Dryden Dispatch appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.