Special Olympian. Razorback fan. Multi-talented artisan. Bocce ball champion. That’s our friend Frankie in a nutshell. He has resided at the Conway Human Development Center for four years. The last two of those years, Frankie has gone undefeated at bocce ball in the Arkansas Special Olympics.
Bocce ball isn’t the only thing that Frankie excels at though. Frankie is also a well-known painter and wreath-maker for The Blue Umbrella. As much as Frankie loves Bocce Ball, he says he enjoys making wreaths for The Blue Umbrella more because he likes “making other people happy.” Frankie also likes being able to earn money from something he enjoys. Frankie will bring a smile to anyone’s face, and he likes being able to bring joy to people when they buy a wreath he created.
Frankie is a lifelong Arkansas Razorback fan. So, he likes to spend the money he earns from his artwork on new Razorback clothes. During Razorback football season, Frankie loves watching the games. Each weekend, he loves calling the Hogs and eating his favorite tailgate foods from the canteen on the CHDC campus – Fritos and Dr Pepper.
When it isn’t a Saturday down south, you will find him enjoying his favorite things around his home. Frankie enjoys cleaning, doing laundry, and separating clothes. Frankie takes a lot of pride in how he looks and how his home looks, too.
Frankie is a special man who wears many hats in his community. He’s a respected Blue Umbrella artisan, a Razorback enthusiast, and an all-around lifter of spirits. Frankie loves what he does. But he said his “dream job” would be a dishwasher. For now, though, he said he will just stick to being a bocce ball champ!