Three stories from 40 years
Posted July 26, 2011
In 2011, Opportunity Village celebrates 40 years of services to Iowans with disabilities.Over those 40 years, we've grown, changed, and adapted, but the basic dream remains the same. We still focus on "Privacy, Dignity, Purpose" for each individual, a meaningful life in the community, and the realization of dreams.
We have people depending on us to keep this "Doorway to Hope" open. Here are three brief stories about individuals whose lives have been affected by the Village, each of them from different eras.
Scroll down to see videos of these three stories!
Tom's Story
Tom lives at the Ralph Schroeder Group Home in Clear Lake, Iowa. Tom came to Opportunity Village two years after it opened, when he was 23, and he is now 57. Tom is always looking at the glass as being half full. Actually, he is probably one of Santa's elves just stopping here, because he loves crafts like beadwork or painting things, gardening and baking.
Most of all he looks forward to going to Camp Courageous every year for one week. He will get to go in a canoe, have campfires, sleep in a sleeping bag, do crafts, swim and meet new friends. This time of the year you will see Tom often sitting in his chair outside in the sun with his shirt off, soaking up some rays. Tom likes to go out for pizza, beer and coffee once in awhile. He also likes a McDonald's burger, too.
Tom calls his mother once per week and his nephew about three times a month. He goes home twice a year to visit his older brother and elderly mother.
Even though Tom has very limited speech, he uses his talker skillfully. He works in the Village production area five days a week. He enjoys using the computer lab. And you can see Tom's greatest asset is his smile, which he uses to make friends.
Bucky's Story
Bucky lives at the Elm Street Home in Webster City, Iowa. The house is built for wheelchair living and is home to five men. Bucky has lived here since it opened in October 2003, which is great for Bucky because he grew up in Webster City and has family here.
He walks to his father's house almost every day. He goes to the races on the weekends and sits with his brother. Bucky also likes to go to the high school baseball games. He is a gardener. This year's tomato crop looks bumper, matching any master gardeners. Bucky is always outside; if not checking out the neighborhood, he is sitting around the fire pit or fishing or barbecuing on the grill. It's agreed he is the best cook in the house. He cooks all his own meals.
He has his own bedroom but shares a bathroom. Bucky has many brothers and sisters who are involved in his life and an aunt who calls from Kentucky often.
Kara's and Reese's Story
Kara and Reese are sister and brother, ages 6 and 8 years old, for whom the Village provides In-Home Respite Care and Community Supportive Services. The first service is to give the parents a break to do the things they can't when the children are around and the second is to help the children and parents enjoy life such as movies, going to parks, and learning life skills and boundaries.
At 15 months old, Reese stopped normal development and started to regress. Then came the diagnosis of autism. When Kara was born, she developed normally to 26 months. Then, right before her parents' eyes and the skilled eyes of Reese's trained workers, Kara began to regress and was also diagnosed with autism.
Reese and Kara are involved in summer baseball, art in the park, library story time and Sunday School. And what would summer be without water, says Reese. He could stand in the rain all day by the down spout because it feels good, and in the summer, isn’t that true? When it is not summer, the children ride the bus to regular school. Each has an aide to help keep them on task and work with them one-on-one for a half-hour daily. Then they ride the bus home, which they love.
Their parents Tom and Amy care for their three children on an acreage outside Joice, Iowa. The children run and play with ease and delight. Opportunity Village has worked with Reese for five years and Kara for four years. We have the added bonus of Amy working at a Village home in Lake Mills every other weekend.