We grow from each other
Posted September 19, 2011
Ruth Rayburn came to Opportunity Village for the swimming pool, but also found a new friend."For some reason, we just seemed to connect," said Ruth, a long-time Clear Lake resident who comes most days to exercise in Boyer Pool. She made a friend in Nick Boberschmidt, who lives in Four Seasons Cottage and likes to stop by the pool office during the lunch hour.
"I've been coming to the pool almost since the time it opened (1988), because of my legs and back," Ruth said. When she gets ready to leave, Nick is always there to carry her bag, take her arm, and see her to her car.
"'Get your legs in, Ruth,' he'll say. "Get your seatbelt on." If we're early enough, we'll walk around the building before he goes back to work."
When her husband Charles started coming to the pool with Ruth, Nick "took a shine to him, too."
"I have a grandson about that age - 23. We've known Nick since he was a day resident. To me, if I can get a smile and interact, that means a lot," she explained.
Nick put his arm around Ruth's shoulder and said, "That's my girl!"
Cindy Richardson, pool manager, said, "I think he looks at her like a grandma. They just visit and visit. It's a cool friendship."
The pool has been a good open door for Opportunity Village. "People come out here and learn about us," Cindy said. "They're usually surprised how easy it is to get to know people here and how much they like it. We've gotten several new staff out of it and many volunteers. A lot of younger people who came for swimming ended up learning about how the Village could help them with services. I think there is definitely more awareness and acceptance around Clear Lake because of the Village."
The Village not only has the philosophy of involving people with disabilities in their communities, it invites the community into the Village.
A disc golf course meanders on Village grounds in Clear Lake, built with memorials received from the family of Darrell Hier. On most nice days, visitors can be found making their way around the nine-basket course.
Volunteers are also welcomed into the Village, offering their unique interests and talents through the Village General Store or various service areas throughout the Village's communities.
Harold Arians, who teaches music at Clear Lake Schools, commented, "I would just like to say how awesome it is to see the residents involved in our community. When I first moved to Clear Lake in 1984, I was not used to that. In my hometown area, it seemed as though folks with disabilities were kept separate from the rest of the community. That was all that I knew.
"To see the integration of the residents into our community AND into the schools is so refreshing and uplifting. We grow from each other. I believe that is how life was meant to be."
Mary Stattelman, who became active with the Village through her involvement at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Clear Lake, said she remembers working on integrating people from Opportunity Village into the congregation.
"People were a little bit afraid, not sure how to approach them. The whole thing has just turned around, now they are accepted as members of our parish," she said. "People attending from the Village are also one of the reasons we put in an elevator at the church, to be able to handle wheelchairs. One man was set against it, kept saying we don't need it. But you know, he was one of the first ones to use it after he had a knee accident. Also, we expanded the bathrooms to be accessible."
Mary worked with Carroll Ungs about getting curbs built downtown to accommodate wheelchairs. "Now it's pretty standard, but in those days we were pretty far ahead." The church also bought an old school bus to pick up Catholic parishioners from the Village and other people who need a ride to church.
Rod Pump, Clear Lake, is a volunteer on the Iowa Guardianships Inc. Board of Directors. "I think that children that grow up in Clear Lake are better prepared for the world as a result of the Village," he said. "The Village has de-stigmatized 'handicapped' persons. Removing the fear of someone that appears different than the norm. Clear Lake youth are more likely to go into the world, recognize someone that may need assistance in their daily life, and step in to offer that help. A lasting permanent legacy of the Village."