April Brews Day draws thousands each year to support the Max Higbee Center.
On April Brews Day, April 26, thousands of people will gather for a night of live music, local food and — of course — beer. With over 50 breweries and cideries from across the Pacific Northwest, the annual event offers businesses a chance to shine and participants a chance to unwind while tasting a variety of unique brews.
But the event is about much more than beer — funds raised help support transitional services, recreational activities and community events for the Max Higbee Center, a nonprofit providing resources to those with developmental disabilities. As the event and communication manager Bridget Parson described it, “Raising funds is crucial to the mission and programs of MHC. The more money that April Brews Day raises, the more adaptive, healthy and fun opportunities those with disabilities in Whatcom County will have access to.”
The Max Higbee Center is a drop-in facility for people aged 16–76. The center’s vision is for “a caring, inclusive, respectful and thriving community where people are empowered to grow, develop and enrich their lives through recreation activities and the relationships they create.” Around 150 people access the center and its group programs each week, with around 10–35 members in the facility at a time.
Despite the large number, it’s only a small portion of those who could benefit from the center’s services. The most recent estimate of residents with developmental disabilities in Whatcom County is approximately 3,664.
The waitlist is long, but the Max Higbee Center also offers 1-1 services to some who may need a temporary solution or simply a bridge into the community. Staff will meet with them and set a goal to find a form of meaningful socialization — such as a pickleball community or an organization to volunteer for — and work with them to achieve it.
Festival support
The Developmental Disabilities Association, or DDA, may cover membership or 1-1 services for some — like assisting with difficult transitions such as graduating high school — but coverage varies from person to person and doesn’t always meet their needs. Because of this, the Max Higbee Center relies on partnerships and donations to make services available to as many people as possible, and to offer diverse, meaningful activities to its members.
Dana Carr, community outreach coordinator, said the creation of April Brews Day was “sort of a last-ditch effort.” When funding was low in 2001, they thought of what the community enjoyed, and the idea of a beer festival came to fruition.
Now, the money from the annual fundraiser makes up approximately 22% of their total annual revenue, a net total of nearly $75,000 in 2024 alone. This goes toward supplies for the center, group activities and classes for members, 1-1 transition and community-building services and sponsorship for those who may not be able to afford these resources on their own and don’t have enough DDA funding to fill the gap. With the community’s support — both donors and volunteers — the Max Higbee Center hopes to expand its reach, making its programs and services accessible to as many people as possible.
Facility, resources and activities
At the center, members have access to games, arts and crafts supplies, exercise equipment, books and television. There are designated spaces designed for comfort for anyone who feels overwhelmed and a fully functional kitchen that members can use on their own or with assistance from staff.
Should they choose to participate, members can also join group activities. Some, like “Adaptive Yoga with Ashia” hosted by VITAL climbing gym, can be found on the calendar once or twice a month. Others may be seasonal, such as ice skating during the winter or “Higbee Hikers,” which is a weekly hike along different local trails assisted by staff members and volunteers that returned on April 5.
After graduating high school, many students with developmental disabilities lose their main source of socialization, which can lead to feelings of isolation. According to a study by the National Center for Special Education Research that focused on adults with developmental disabilities up to eight years post-graduation, 21.7% reported seeing friends outside of work or school fewer than one day a week. When broken down by disability category, participants with autism reported the least amount of socialization with only 48.2% saying they saw friends outside of work or school at least once a week.
The Max Higbee Center aims to bridge that gap.
A warm welcome
After the front desk staff, Cassandra Brogue, opened the door and welcomed me with a smile, I was greeted with an enthusiastic handshake by a member named Matthew, a young man known by staff as “the champion of the dot game.” Next, Carr brought me into the office to introduce me to the rest of the staff on premises.
The recreation services director, Sam Konieczka, known for her creative outfits and accessories, proudly showcased her signature rubber duck earrings by giving them a squeeze to make them quack. Doug Sacrison, the program manager, spent most of his time buzzing around the facility, asking members what they needed and setting up shows, games and art supplies for members.
When Carr is not on the hunt for fundraising opportunities or resources to improve members’ access to recreation, she can be found engaging with members or leading her own class: “Dancing with Dana!”
Change how you party
When teaching a class to members of varying abilities, Carr said the key is being adaptable. “You just change how you party. Learn to be adaptive and enjoy things how you can with what you’ve got.”
She bobbed her head, tapped her feet and drummed her fingers on her knee to show how members might easily participate in a movement class. “That carries over into every activity we do.”
The theme of adaptability isn’t limited to activities. The staff have a flexible workflow that relies on a strong team mentality, everyone working together to ensure members are safe, healthy and happy. Their supportive, member-centered work ethic doesn’t go unappreciated by their members.
“This place is so cool,” said Megan Gurnard, a member. “It’s all about what we want to do and it’s about how we have fun.”
When asked what needs they most aim to fill, Carr expressed the importance of offering them “the dignity to fail.” She explained, “That is a piece of dignity and autonomy.”
Number one, she said, was “to feel that sense of community and to have the opportunity to try all of those recreational things, but having the staff makes that difference.”
Carr is not just referring to employees, but volunteers too.
In spite of outreach efforts, the Max Higbee Center is still searching constantly for more volunteers. Although the center would ideally always have three volunteers on premises, it typically only has one at a time. One of many organizations in the area in need of volunteers, it can be easy for outreach efforts like their posting on the Volunteer Center of Whatcom County’s website to be overlooked.
That’s another reason April Brews Day is so important to the Max Higbee Center. The festival is meant to raise, more than money, awareness of the work being done and the needs they still have, including hands-on support from members of the community.
Referring to staff and volunteer requirements, Carr said, “We roll very much to people’s desires and needs.” They ask volunteers to make a quarterly commitment of three hours a week in an effort to make it manageable for students to meet their school’s volunteer requirements – though anyone can apply.
Not having enough volunteers means that some members may miss out on certain opportunities. “It allows members to participate more fully in the ways that they would like,” Carr explained. “Even if it’s just that someone needs more validation or attention.”
Support for April Brews Day can be through attending the event, donating or sponsoring a ticket.
Additionally, the Max Higbee Center is hoping to have 350 volunteers this year. Each volunteer receives free entry to the festival — plus a growler full of beer for take-down shifts.
Other events include the monthly SPIN Dance for ages 14 and up and all-ages First Friday Silent Disco party. Tickets are available now for the annual Community Champions Game.
— By Rebecca Sutch