-News Release-
Forty years ago, Extra Special People (ESP) began with just eight families gathering together in Watkinsville, Georgia, after founder Martha Wyllie recognized a simple but profound need: children and adults with disabilities deserved friendship, belonging, recreation, and a community that saw their abilities first.
Today, what began as a small gathering in a local church has grown into a movement serving more than 1,450 individuals with disabilities and their families across multiple communities throughout the Southeast.
On June 19, 2026, ESP Rome will celebrate this milestone during a special 40th Anniversary Friend Friday Celebration at Georgia Highlands College from 8:45-10:00, inviting local families, supporters, civic leaders, volunteers, donors, and members of the media to honor the past and celebrate the future of ESP’s mission in Northwest Georgia.
The celebration will include:
- Birthday cake and a community-wide celebration
- Recognition of ESP families, members, volunteers, and board members
- Stories highlighting ESP’s local impact
- Opportunities for media interviews and community engagement
- Camp activities and Friend Friday experiences with members
- Recognition of community stakeholders and partners who have helped shape ESP locally
ESP’s mission is to create transformative experiences for people with disabilities and their families, changing communities for the better.
“Forty years ago, Martha Wyllie built a place where people with disabilities could experience friendship, fun, and belonging,” said Laura Hope Whitaker, CEO of ESP. “What started with eight members has become a movement of joy that is reshaping communities across the Southeast. This celebration is about honoring every family, volunteer, leader, donor, and member who helped make that possible — and inviting the community into what comes next.”
Today, ESP serves 167 members and families annually in Northwest Georgia.
The event will offer a unique opportunity for local media to capture meaningful stories of community transformation and the growing movement toward belonging for people of all abilities.
WHY THIS STORY MATTERS:
- ESP is celebrating 40 years of impact and growth
- The organization has expanded from serving 8 individuals to more than 1,450 annually
- Families, volunteers, and members will be gathered together in one place
- The event visually captures joy, inclusion, and community connection
- Local leaders and stakeholders will be present to celebrate the future of the mission in [COMMUNITY]
- Summer camp and Friend Friday experiences provide strong visual and human-interest storytelling opportunities
“ESP has always been bigger than a program,” said Sarah Bradfield, Rome Executive Director. “It’s a community where people are seen, celebrated, and known. This event is a chance for our city to celebrate what has been built here together over the last 40 years — and the lives that continue to be changed because of it.”
EVENT DETAILS
What: ESP 40th Anniversary Friend Friday Celebration
When: June 19th at 9:00 AM
Where: Georgia Highlands College
Media Opportunities: Interviews, camp activities, family stories, celebration moments, cake ceremony, community leaders, and visual coverage of inclusive programming
ABOUT EXTRA SPECIAL PEOPLE (ESP)
Founded in 1986 in Watkinsville, Georgia, Extra Special People (ESP) exists to create transformative experiences for people with disabilities and their families, changing communities for the better. Through summer camps, after-school programs, adult services, family support, and purpose-filled employment opportunities like Java Joy, ESP now serves more than 1,450 individuals and families annually across Georgia and North Carolina.
For more information, visit Extra Special People.
