Rising by Kerry Turpening Dickman

Foreword “Self determination and self advocacy have made it possible for me to live the life I want and to be with the people I care about.” Leah Alexander, Self Advocate, Hamilton County

Welcome to Rising, a wonderful book of stories about extraordinary people who just happen to have disabilities. The Board of Directors of the Ohio Self Determination Association (OSDA) began talking about writing this book almost two years ago. And after much hard work, it is our great pleasure to present it to you! Rising includes the success stories of Daniel, who sets the standard for all employees everywhere; Harry, a sensitive and accomplished artist; Mark, who gives new meaning to the word friendship; Mike, the entrepreneur and ﬁreﬁghter; Cory and Bob, the gold medal powerlifters; and many more people who have set their disabilities aside to do what they want to do and be whom they want to be. Woven throughout the stories of success is a theme of support – support from families, advocates, and friends. And, isn’t that true of all of us? No one of us succeeds in isolation, or is happy without the friendship and support of others. To those of you who allowed us to showcase your stories, we say a heartfelt thank you. We congratulate you on your successes. And we know that your stories will inspire others to dream dreams and accomplish things they never thought possible!

OSDA Board of Directors September 2008

Foreword Cheryl Phipps Authors Yocum Communications; Robin and Ryan Yocum Photography Megan Plassenthal Layout and Design Kerry Dickman Editors Annette Davis Kramp Christina Miller Jeanne Stuntz Melinda Garverick Project Coordinators Lee Wedemeyer and Nancy Richards

Published by

Ohio Self Determination Association www.ohiosda.org 651-C Lakeview Plaza Blvd. Worthington, OH 46085

Contents Mike Coombes ........................................... 4 Antonio Adams ........................................... 8 Abigail Pittenger ........................................ 12 James Henrie .............................................. 16 Daniel Cassell ............................................. 20 Juli Tucholski ............................................... 24 Alban Salser ................................................ 28 Adam Collinsworth .................................. 32 Gloria Tiller ................................................ 36 Christopher Coy ....................................... 40 Tim Rutter .................................................. 44 Jennifer Cunningham ................................ 48 Harry Grimm ............................................. 52 Chris Budyka .............................................. 56 Tia Braun ..................................................... 60 Mark Straka ................................................ 64 John Jacobs ................................................. 68 Cathy Mitchell ............................................ 72 Cory Martin & Bob Hale ......................... 76 Kurt Kahle .................................................. 82

Mike Coombes 6

When the summer temperature climbs in Medina County, festival and fairgoers can depend on the man working behind the counter of Mike’s Cold Pop. When the temperature climbs inside a building as the result of a ﬁre, Valley City, Ohio can count on the same man.

Mike Coombes,

42, is truly a man about Medina County. He is an entrepreneurial businessman, a Valley City firefighter of more than 10 years, a former County Fair Board member, a People First of Ohio board member and one of the founding fathers of the Medina County Chapter of People First. And currently, Mike is Vice President of the Ohio Self Determination Association. “Mike is such an advocate for individuals with disabilities that you often forget that he deals with one himself,” said Annette Davis-Kramp, his personal advocate. “He’s a hard worker and fiercely independent, and I swear there isn’t a single person in Valley City who doesn’t know Mike Coombes. He will go out of his way to help anyone. He is very much a vital member of our community.” 7

Several years ago, Mike decided he wanted to start his own business selling soda pop at local carnivals and fairs. With the help of his team, Mike received state start-up funds for a micro-enterprise. Since he was already a member of the Medina County Fair Board, he was able to quickly set up Mike’s Cold Pop at the fair. He also travels and works at his aunt’s food trailers at fairs and festivals. Mike lives with his mother and works with a tutor to improve his reading skills. His ultimate goals include getting a driver’s license and earning a high school diploma. There seems to be little doubt in his mind that he will eventually get them.

“I can do anything I want and I can get anything I want,” Mike said.

Antonio Adams 10

One might think the most popular cats in the Cincinnatiarea are the Bengals. While that might be true, there are a group of cats that could probably give the “Orange and Black Attack” a run for its money in the popularity arena. One is shy, one is crazy, and one is just a ‘fraidy cat!

The one thing all of these robot cats have in common is they were all created by Hamilton County artist

Antonio Adams.

“Cats are my favorite animal,” Antonio said. “Each one is diﬀerent and they all have their own personality.” Antonio has been creating art since he was a little boy, using everything from pencils, paint, and crayons, and drawing on anything he could ﬁnd. He knew as a boy art was his future.

“Back when I was 12 years old I would draw on my mom’s wall with crayons,” Antonio said. “She was a little mad, but I think she liked it.” Now, the 26 year-old Antonio is a full-time artist who helped start an art studio for people with disabilities. He not only helped create Visionaries and Voices more than four years ago, Antonio also sits on the board of directors. The art studio now has two branches and more than 60 artists, and it continues to grow. Much of his personal success is linked to the success of the studio. 11

“Antonio has the future of Visionaries and Voices already worked out in his head,” Victor Strunk of Visionaries and Voices said. “He has a master plan of what Visionaries and Voices should be. He wants it to be a castle in the kingdom of artwork.” Antonio’s artwork has been featured in exhibits all over the state, including several art galleries in Cincinnati and even the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. His paintings and sculptures have also made their way across the country, making stops in California, Tennessee, South Carolina and Washington, D.C. “Taking a kid from the inner city and showing him the rest of the world, and exposing him to other communities has helped to build his character and conﬁdence,” said service facilitator Karen Kotzen of Hamilton County. “He’s a much diﬀerent person than he was six years ago.” Antonio has won several awards for his artwork and has also been featured in local television spots. Despite his popularity and success, Antonio says he’s not letting any of it go to his head.

“I don’t have to be famous,” Antonio said. “I like the popularity, but in the end it’s really all about the art.” His fame has landed Antonio a couple new gigs. He’s been commissioned to paint a mural for the city of Cincinnati, and he recently completed painting the history of rock ‘n’ roll on the walls of a local music store. “He did this amazing mural of almost 200 musicians and pop icons from the 1980’s,” said Shake It Records co-owner Jim Blase. “Everyone who walks back there asks ‘who painted this?’ It’s an amazing thing to see.”

Antonio’s robot cats aren’t just fun to view. They all fetch top dollar at auctions and art sales, selling from anywhere between

$25 and $100, depending on the size of the feline. While making money is nice, it’s not why Antonio is in the art game. “I sell some of my art and the cats are the most popular,” Antonio said. “But, my favorite ones stay with me. I display those in the galleries.” Supporting his family has always been Antonio’s ﬁrst priority. This is the reason he’s put his dream of living independently on hold, at least for now. “It’s about what’s best for my future,” Antonio said. “I’m hoping to live on my own in a few years. But, I would still like to help my mom out, even if I don’t live at home with her.”

Abigail Pittenger 14

If someone ever makes a movie about a person whose self determination not only changed their life, but also genuinely changed the lives of those around them, the star of the ﬁlm would be

Abigail Pittenger.

Abi was born developmentally disabled and later diagnosed with autism, something no parent is ever prepared for, including Abi’s parents, Jerry and Debbie Pittenger. “Abigail’s coming into this world was one of the happiest days of our lives,” said Debbie. “Little did we know that she would test our mettle and introduce us to a world we were totally unprepared for.” While there were many challenges to be faced, one of the greatest for Jerry and Debbie was ﬁguring out how they could best help Abi help herself after graduating from high school. “It was one of the worst times of our lives,” Debbie said. “It was so overwhelming. We felt we were in a lost space because all we knew was the school system. You don’t know what’s out there, and you don’t know how it will work out. It’s scary.” After graduation, Abi moved into a group home where she lived with other women who also had a disability. Her parents noticed a change in Abi’s behavior. She became less engaged and began slipping into a routine where she would only do things when she was instructed to do them. That was the big red ﬂag that sent the Pittengers into action.

“Watching her go downhill in the group home really opened our eyes,” Debbie said. “That’s when we said ‘whoa,’ we have to get a better life for her – a more typical life.” That started a drive that would send Abi from the group home to her very own apartment and her first chance to live independently. Debbie and Jerry started talking with the Delaware County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities and discussed all the options that were available to their daughter to assist her in living on her own. “The first thing the Delaware County board asked us is if we’d heard of the Visions for Independent Living program, which is a computer-based system that verbally talks during the day and keeps Abi on task,” Debbie said. “After I was able to program the computer to Abi’s schedule, we found her an apartment and moved her in.” Abi was thrilled with the idea. “I was happy because I got to live with my friend Angie,” Abi said. The Pittengers were lucky enough to find a young lady about Abi’s age who was looking for a roommate, and volunteered to live with Abi. The difference was she was not disabled, but that was something that was necessary and made Abi’s parents feel much better. “Nobody lines up to spend time with your handicapped child,” Debbie said. “To have someone do that (volunteer to live with Abi) it’s like wow, there are people out there who aren’t intimidated by someone’s handicap. It was an experiment that definitely worked out.” It sure did. Abi and Angie fit together like peanut butter and jelly. Abi lived with Angie for two years. When Angie moved out to get married, her parents said it broke Abi’s heart.

“She loved Angie. The transition of getting a new roommate was smooth for us, but rough on Abi,” Debbie said. “Kedrin volunteered to move in six months before Angie moved out.” Kedrin, like Angie, was not disabled. However, that wasn’t the problem for Abi. The problem was that Kedrin wasn’t Angie. But, it didn’t take long for the two to hit it off, and they soon became fast friends. “I missed Angie because she is my friend,” Abi said. “But, Kedrin is now my best friend.” Not long after Kedrin moved in with Abi, her parents set their sights on moving them out of the apartment and buying a house. This was a decision the Pittengers say just made more sense. “It made more sense financially for us to buy the house, and it makes more sense financially for the county, too,” Debbie said. “It’s not just about the money though, it’s peace of mind knowing Abi has a house, and someday when we aren’t around anymore she’ll have that security.” Abi has been living in her three-bedroom home for almost four years now, and is loving every second of it. “I like my home,” Abi said. “I love it!” She’s currently on the hunt for a new roommate, but if you listen to her sell you on living with her, you just may find yourself wanting to move in! “I like to have fun, do puzzles, shop, go to the movies, and go out to eat with my roommate,” Abi said. Where’s that housing application again?

James Henrie 18

Ask

James Henrie

what he does for a living and you’ll get more answers than in a game of Trivial Pursuit. James is a disc jockey, a web site designer, an artist, an actor, but most importantly, he’s a mentor. In January 2007, James took over as co-leader of the Empowerment People Reaching Out program, an advocacy group for people with disabilities in Butler County. The title comes with several important responsibilities, including sitting on the program committee and reporting directly to the board of directors for the Butler County MRDD. James is the voice of so many who can not, or will not, speak up for themselves. “I love helping out,” James said. “Because when I help other people and make them feel happy, I feel happy, too.” That’s no surprise to anyone who knows James. They’ve known for a long time that helping people is what he does best. “This has been a wonderful year of growth and accomplishment for James,” personal advocate Keith Banner said. “He has a genuine desire to help other people.” 19

James works in that capacity by mentoring students at Hamilton and Ross high schools. He helps the students prepare for graduation by educating them on how they can transition from special education departments to real world careers. Essentially, he’s helping people help themselves. “I like working with other people with disabilities,” James said. “Being a mentor is about teaching those people new skills so they can become successful in the future.” Once those students graduate, rest assured they are not ﬁnished hearing from James. He has honed his peoplehelping skills to such a degree that he now works as a job retention specialist, which means he not only helps the students get jobs out of high school, he helps them keep those jobs.

“It’s very important to keep your job, especially when you have a disability,” James said. “Holding a

job not only helps you reach your dreams, but you can make money and support yourself.”

All this would be enough to keep most people busy for a lifetime, but not James. In 2005 he took a music collection and started Henrie’s Web. Since then, business has taken off. He’s spinning records at weddings, birthdays and even a state-wide conference for the Ohio Self Determination Association. “It’s not easy,” James said. “You have to know what kind of music people like and you have to find the party’s balance. You don’t want to scare people away with music that’s too loud.” James says he’s always had a passion for art, but wanted to find a way to take his creations to the next level. That’s when he turned to computers.

James creates the picture by hand then scans it onto his computer where he uses a special program to add color and detail. “It makes it look more realistic,” James said. “It’s also easier to stay inside the lines using a computer.” His computer paintings have developed quite a buzz. He now sells them at local galleries, art fairs and conferences. His work is even represented by Visionaries and Voices. “James loves technology and loves working with computers,” Neil Hartman of Visionaries and Voices said. “He’ll also paint and do sculptures, but his passion is computer art.” Since James began creating artwork on the computer, he has been dabbling in website design. He hopes to make professional websites for local businesses. While you won’t ﬁnd a James Henrie star on the Hollywood walk-of-fame, you can see him starring in the documentary, “Above and Beyond: Celebrating and Learning from Direct Care Professionals and the People they Support.” It didn’t take long for James to get into character. “It came pretty naturally because I had been giving a lot of speeches before the movie, so knowing what to say was no problem,” James said. “The cameras made me a little nervous, but now I’m used to it.” The ﬁlm is a must-see for anyone starting a career as a direct care professional. No word yet on a sequel, but he is hoping.

Daniel Cassell 22

The United States Postal Service has nothing on

Daniel Cassell.

Neither rain nor sleet nor snow nor dark of night can keep Cassell from his job at the Meijer in Marion, Ohio. He’s been faithfully pedaling his bicycle to his job at Meijer for 14 years, and in the words of his supervisor,

“his dependability is outstanding.”

“I don’t know of a day that he’s ever missed,” said Store Director Mike Stewart. “He rides his bike in to work – rain, shine or snow – you can count on Dan to be here. Where ever and whenever we need him to work, he’s ready. In today’s environment it’s nice to have someone with that level of dependability.” For six days a week for the past 14 years, Daniel, 44, has reported to work at the Meijer department store in Marion, Ohio. Even when near-blizzard conditions kept many motorists oﬀ the road, Daniel got on his bicycle and pedaled to work. “I think society would be much better oﬀ if we all had Daniel’s work ethic,” said Lee Wedemeyer, superintendent of Marion County MRDD. “A lot of people think having a job is a right. Daniel understands that a good job is a privilege and he strives not only to work, but to work with excellence as his ultimate goal.” 23

For Daniel, the job has been both ﬁnancially and emotionally rewarding. According to Linda White, community employment specialist for Marion MRDD, the job has helped Daniel learn to deal with stress and a variety of other issues. In his early days with the company, Daniel would frequently become frustrated with any change in routine. Those days are virtually a distant memory. He now works in a variety of areas with ease. He stocks shelves, waits on customers, runs the cash register and takes inventory. “When I see Daniel work today, I’m just amazed at the progress he has made,” White said. “He works by himself, operates the cash register when people come in for hunting licenses, and takes care of layaway. It’s so rewarding to see how much he has matured and overcome.” According to Stewart, it’s not just his dependability that makes Daniel a great asset to Meijer. He is a “super salesman” and frequently wins awards for his sales eﬀorts. “He’s very good at sales and he works well with our customers,” Stewart said. “If we have a contest to promote an individual item, Daniel’s going to be the top sales person. He’s always out there promoting. We get a lot of positive comments from customers about Daniel and his desire to deliver good customer service. I don’t know that you could ask for much more from an employee.”

Earlier this year, the store’s assistant manager challenged Daniel to a contest selling swimming pools. “Dan the Man,” as he is known by his co-workers, left him in the dust.

“I sold my swimming pool before he did,” Daniel said. “I told him, ‘You might be the manager, but I’m the top salesman in the store.’”

Juli Tucholski 26

There are many ways of putting paint to canvas. The standard brush and palate; Slam artistry, where paint is thrown on the canvas; and abstract art, where a series of shapes is painted to depict a picture in an artist’s mind. Then there is the way

Juli Tucholski paints: With her feet!

Juli has always loved art, and wanted to find a way to create her own, despite having Cerebral Palsy. So, with limited use of her arms and fingers, she took off her shoes and socks, slipped a brush between her toes and started painting. “After I realized it was an option for me, it took about one week to learn how to paint with my feet,” Juli said. “It’s very relaxing. It takes my mind off of everything.” What started out as a hobby quickly turned into profit. People began to see Juli’s artwork and wanted to buy it. The paintings become so popular that she was able to sell them at a conference in Sandusky. If you ask Juli, she’ll tell you making money from her artwork is just gravy. She enjoys painting, and would be perfectly content displaying her work at Inclusive Solutions in Ottawa County. Learning to paint is just the tip of the iceberg. Juli is involved in many activities in and around the community. But nothing comes easy, and there were some tough lessons she learned along the way. The most important lesson, she said, is that she is in charge of her own life.

“I learned that no one has the right to tell me how to live my life,” Juli said. “And I learned to be more knowledgeable about my rights.” Personal advocate Josslyn Bisson says she saw a totally diﬀerent Juli when she learned she could be more independent. “Juli has always been capable of making her own decisions,” Bisson said. “When she learned to be more independent, her self-worth increased tremendously, her conﬁdence grew, and that led her to becoming more active in the community.” Despite the physical pain living with Cerebral Palsy causes Juli, she still manages to paint and work as much as possible. She’s the local “Avon lady”, so she is no stranger to the sales game. Just don’t tell her you’re not interested in purchasing something; her persistence will win you over. “Watch out, because she’s no quitter,” Bisson said. “She never lets her limitations keep her down.”

Looking for more proof she’s persistent? Juli’s been a life-long Cleveland Browns fan! So far she’s never been to watch a game in person, but now that the Browns are playing well it is deﬁnitely something she would like to do. “I’ve never been to a game,” Juli said. “But, I would love to go to one, especially if they’re winning!” Juli has only one criticism of herself, saying she “needs to be more assertive.” She certainly could have fooled us.

Alban Salser 30

In his 1974 song, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” John Denver sang lyrics that have resonated with farmers in rural communities all over the United States, including Meigs County’s favorite farmer,

Alban Salser.

The 29 year-old Alban has been a farmer in Pomeroy for more than 20 years. He has been working on the farm since grade school when he began helping his father milk cows. “I’ve been around farming my whole life,” Alban said. “On my dad’s side of the family, we’re all farmers, so I was just born into it. I love it. If you’re going to be a farmer you have to love it, otherwise there’s really no reason to be in it. I wouldn’t be happy any other way.” As he grew older, Alban wanted to become more involved with his ﬁrst love, animals. He joined his school’s 4-H program and began raising and selling animals. “I am an animal lover,” Alban said. “I eat, sleep and breathe animals.” Eventually, Alban began showing his animals, namely poultry and goats. His poultry even earned him several awards for his labor of love.

After high school Alban decided he wanted to start farming on his own. He rented an apartment with farmland and started raising his animals, which included dairy goats and Dexter cattle. His favorite animal though is his house cat, Miss Kitty. Alban is living his dream everyday, part-time at least. While farming is Alban’s ﬁrst love, he still has to pay the bills. During the day he works for Meigs Industries, many times as part of a road crew. While he may not “love” the work he does there, his performance is still top-notch.

“Alban’s a very conscientious worker,”

personal advocate and Meigs Industries supervisor Laura Stewart said.

“He does an excellent job for us.” Someday Alban hopes to bank enough money to buy his own farm where he can raise a wider variety of livestock. “My dream is to own a farm and use draft horses instead of tractors,” Alban said. “Also, I want to raise sheep and rabbits - Himalayan rabbits. I also want to get a dog, a Bouvier, they are good for herding. Man, if I had the money I would be on my farm all the time.” Why? “Because then I could wear my bibs and hat to work everyday!”

When asked what the secret was to his success, Alban said it’s all in your head.

“I think people need to go for the gold,” Alban said. “ There’s going to be a lot of good times, and there will be a lot of bad times. Just always remember to thank God for what you’ve got, and always believe in your dreams and what you want to do, otherwise you’ll never get it.” Wise words from down on the farm.

Adam

Collinsworth 34

Adam Collinsworth

was leading the typical coed lifestyle at Thomas More College, going to class, chasing girls, hanging out with friends and above all else, playing linebacker for the football team.

It was the summer of 1998, just before football season of his junior year, when Adam was at a friends house for a pool party. Not fully aware of his surroundings, Adam dove into his friend’s shallow pool. “I don’t remember hitting my head on the pool,” said Adam, now 30. “But I remember waking up under water and not being able to move. I remember holding my breath for as long as I could, and when someone reached in for me I bit their arm so they would know to pull me out.” Adam survived the accident but was left paralyzed from the neck down. That’s not easy news for anyone, let along an active, 20 year-old athlete. “I knew it was going to be a long haul,” Adam said. “I had to try and stay positive, because at the time of my accident my mom had been diagnosed with cancer. So I was trying to stay strong for her, and do everything I could to stay positive and keep a smile on my face.” Everything in Adam Collinsworth’s life changed that summer day. Many of the activities he enjoyed were no longer possible, including playing college football.

At ﬁrst Adam needed a breathing apparatus while he relearned how to breathe on his own. He also had to learn how to use a motorized wheelchair with his chin until he built up enough strength in his arms to use them. It wasn’t easy, Adam said, and to help him he used the “Three F’s.”

“It was total social shock,” Adam said. “Luckily I had a good group of friends and family, and I had my faith. I call them my ‘Three F’s.’ I also grew up in a strong family where you are taught not to quit, and that helped out a lot.”

Throughout Adam’s rehab, he thought about going back to school and finishing his degree. After suffering his injury in August, Adam returned to class in January. Upon returning to Thomas More, in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, the football coach gave Adam the chance to return to the gridiron, this time as a coach. “At first I was an education major so I could be a teacher and a coach,” Adam said. “After the injury I put the teaching on hold and focused on coaching. It gives

me great joy to see the kids perform something that I taught them on the ﬁeld. It allows me to enjoy the game through them.” After coaching for seven years at Thomas More, Adam left with a degree in business and accepted a position as an assistant football coach at Amelia High School. It wasn’t long after that he put his college degree to use and began substitute teaching, something he has always loved doing. “I like subbing because it allows me to be closer to the kids,” Adam said. “And keep an eye on them and keep them out of trouble.” It’s been quite a journey for Adam. He began as a linebacker in high school which led him to college ball, his college experience turned into an assistant coach position at the college and a nearby high school, and now he is the defensive coordinator for the Amelia Barons. To his knowledge he’s the only high school defensive coordinator in the nation who uses a wheelchair. And, in 2006 Adam was inducted into the Scott High School Athletic Hall of Fame, his Alma Mater. While all that may be great, Adam will tell you nothing beats playing the game of football. “I miss the contact,” Adam said. “When I played I felt like I was missing out if I didn’t hit somebody. Football’s a man’s game, and you have to give everything you have on every single play.”

I think it’s safe to say Adam is living his life like he’s on the football ﬁeld, giving his all on every play.

G loria Tiller 38

Every famous T-shirt has started with a simple slogan.

“Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” “Love all, Serve all.” “Label Jars…Not People.” Don’t recognize the last one?

G loria Tiller

has her way it won’t be long before you see it everywhere!

Gloria started her business, GJ’s Custom T-Shirts in Sandusky with one objective in mind: make shirts that make people think. Gloria ﬁrst started selling her shirts at the Ohio Self Determination Conference and hasn’t looked back since. She now runs her business out of her home, spending as much time as she can on making her shirts. Double S Industries at Erie County MRDD has contracted with Gloria to make shirts for their employees. Double S is only one of her many repeat customers. “I think Gloria has been successful with her business because of her great smile, warm personality, and the great message she sends out,” personal advocate Angela Williams said. 39

Gloria’s shirts are in such high demand she’ll soon be expanding her business to the Web. However, she says she won’t allow stores to sell her shirts on a consignment basis because she enjoys selling them on her own.

But the goal here isn’t just to sell T-shirts,

it is to enlighten a community.

“I am a human being just like everybody else,” Gloria said. “I don’t want people to treat me like a child because of my disability. Hopefully when people see my shirts they will think before they label people.” When starting any business, there are hurdles to clear before making that dream into a reality. First, Gloria had to apply for a grant from the county to start her business. The toughest obstacle, however, was dealing with all the people who told her starting her own business wouldn’t work out. Gloria didn’t take kindly to those naysayers and set out to prove them wrong. She succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations! “Everyone around me believed I could succeed,” Gloria said. “I only surround myself with people who think I can do anything I set my mind to.” Gloria isn’t one to keep secrets either; if you want to know how she achieved so much success, just ask her. “Always tell people how you feel and what you want and be persistent,” Gloria said. “Don’t ever let people talk you out of your dream.”

After conquering the T-shirt business, Gloria, who has lived on her own since 1989, said she wanted a new place to live.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;If she tells you something, you better listen,â&#x20AC;? Williams warns. She moved into her new house in November.

Christopher Coy 42

Tiger Woods may own the Pebble Beach Golf Club, but if he ever ventures into Richland County and onto Meadow Links Golf Course, he’s going to have to deal with a formidable opponent –

Christopher Coy.

“I love everything about golf,” Christopher said. “My putting is good and my iron play is good, but like everyone who plays knows, there’s always something to improve in golf.” Christopher has been golfing for more than 10 years, including six as a member of the Richland County Special Olympics golf team. Like most golfers, Christopher has his good days, like the time he won a bronze medal in the state tournament, and he has days he wished he had never laced up his shoes. But bad rounds do not keep Christopher down. Christopher lives with Williams Syndrome, a handicap much more difficult to deal with than the “handicaps” other golfers play with, like his partner in the bronze-medal effort back in 2006. “He and I are very similar golfers, very inconsistent,” golf partner and personal advocate Liz Prather joked. “He likes to tee-off, and he can be a big hitter! If he hits a bad shot he may get frustrated, but he always tries to stay positive.” Of course, that would come as no surprise to anyone who has known Christopher. Self determination has been the vehicle for Christopher’s journey to living independently.

It all started when Christopher began attending training seminars on self determination and self advocacy, and realized there were changes he wanted to make in his life. One of the biggest changes he wanted was to live on his own. For someone who had been living with the assistance of his parents for 24 years, that could be a pretty intimidating task. “I was a little bit worried about it at ﬁrst,” Christopher said. “I asked myself, ‘Am I actually going to make it?’ I don’t think I totally knew what I was getting into, but three-and-a-half years later I’m in good shape.” In May of 2004, Christopher took the plunge and moved into his own apartment. Anyone who has ever moved into their ﬁrst apartment knows there are challenges.

“Living on my own, I am my own care provider,” Christopher said. “I am free to leave by myself whenever I please. It’s like I have my own little kingdom, my own empire. I’m proud of having my own place to live. But, I also know that like any kingdom, if I don‘t take care of it, I’ll lose it.” After moving into his own apartment, Christopher was oﬀered a position at the Richland Newhope bus garage. A new pad, a new job, it looks like things are ﬁnally starting to come together. Christopher’s story is an awesome one to tell, but what’s even more awesome is being able to watch it all unfold in front of your eyes, something Christopher’s Individual Consultant Martha Kyser-Anderson was able to do.

“Chris has matured through self determination, from being dependant on his family to being independent,” Anderson said. “He went from being a young man with a lot of child-like thought processes to someone who is willing to take on more responsibility.”

Christopher oﬀered to tee up some advice for others looking to succeed, both on and oﬀ the golf course. The advice, not surprisingly, is a hole-in-one.

“Do not let others tell you that you can’t do something or that good things will never happen to you; don’t even pay attention to that kind of talk for one second,” Christopher said.

“Keep your eyes on the ball all the time, and don’t look up until your club hits it. It’s that easy.” 45

Tim Rutter 46

Today, they call

Tim Rutter

“The Ambassador.”

Not long ago, however, he was simply the new guy in the apartment complex without friends or furniture. If you were to observe Tim’s life from the outside, not knowing anything more than what you can see on the surface, it probably wouldn’t seem out of the ordinary. However, to truly appreciate what it means for Tim to live in his own apartment with his cat, Sybil, you have to know how he got there. From as far back as he can remember, Tim’s dream was to live on his own. While it is a dream shared by many people, Tim had some hurdles to clear because of his disability. But when Tim decided he wanted to move out, at the age of 41, nothing was going to stand in his way. His dream wasn’t simply to live on his own. Tim wanted independence. He wanted to learn how to do things for himself. “I wanted to have my own freedom and fulﬁll my dreams,” Tim said. So, with the help of his personal advocate, Judy Peters, Tim set about making his dream come true. Finding an apartment was the easy part; getting moved in proved to be more of a challenge.

Tim didn’t have any furnishings for his apartment – no furniture, no appliances, not even a bed! This was quite a shock, considering Tim was coming out of a situation he had lived for 40 years, a place where there was always someone around to wash his clothes, shop for his groceries, and cook his meals. Little by little, Tim began to save up and furnish his apartment. It was about the same time he brought in his roommate, Sybil the cat. “Tim has learned to do things for himself with the support of providers coming in a few hours a week,” said personal advocate Darlene Pempek. “His determination was a major factor in his success in gaining control of his life.” Since moving into his apartment, Tim meets with a peer support group about once a month. They’ve dubbed Tim “The Ambassador” of the apartment complex, because his friendly disposition and welcoming smile. That’s no surprise to anyone who knows Tim. “Tim is one of the most positive people I have ever known,” said Robin Branz, Director of Children’s Services. “He is like a ray of sunshine. He continues to be a very committed individual and has conquered many of his own personal challenges over the years. My life is certainly much richer from knowing Tim.” Now that Tim has achieved his dream of living independently, his next goal is to become a D.J.! Tim pursued his goal by shadowing a professional D.J. at a reception. He performed so well, Tim secured employment for the summer. Asked to describe his ﬁrst experience as a D.J., Tim said, “It was great. I even taught him a few things.”

Tim is determined and goes after what he wants.

“Tim is a catalyst for self determination,”

said personal advocate Willie Jones.

“As Tim learns and develops his life skills he then reaches out to other individuals with disabilities with knowledge about resources that can help them.”

“We know that self determination will get people from where they are to where they want to be,” said Monty Kerr, Superintendent of the Belmont County Board of Developmental Disabilities. “Tim’s story is proof of that.” When asked to sum up his incredible journey, his response was humble, but positive. “I didn’t know I could do it,” Tim said.

Jennifer

Cunningham 50

“…and the Academy Award for Best Actress goes to:

Jennifer

Cunningham!” Jennifer has never actually won an Oscar, but she is an actress and she did give an outstanding performance as Christa in Stephen King’s mini-series “Kingdom Hospital.” “I loved it,” Jennifer said. “My favorite part was meeting all the stars.” Believe it or not, Jennifer, now 32, didn’t always know acting would be her calling. Actually, when asked what she’s most passionate about, she will say gymnastics. “Gymnastics is my favorite sport,” Jennifer said. “I have fun competing.” Jennifer, who has Down syndrome, has been participating in gymnastics since she was seven years old. Since then she’s been a member of the McCord Middle School gymnastics team, the Thomas Worthington High School varsity gymnastics team, and the Special Olympics team, where she has seen most of her success. Jennifer has held the title of Special Olympics state gymnastics champion 10 times, and won more than 200 medals in gymnastics, skiing, swimming and power lifting. She has also won a total of ﬁve gold medals in two Special Olympics World Games, where she went up against top international competition.

“I was excited because my family and friends were there,” Jennifer said of the World Games. “I believe that competition teaches you everything you need to know in life,” said Jennifer’s mother Regina Britt. “It teaches you how to win, how to lose, how to be a team player, and self determination. I’ve seen all of that with Jenny.” In 1996, Jennifer was involved in the actual Olympic games when she was selected to run the Olympic torch toward its final stop in Atlanta. Having achieved success in the field of athletics, Jennifer is now turning her attention toward her acting career. Her first gig came in late 2003, and it was a big one. She was cast as Christa, the friend of a trickster orderly on the highly acclaimed television mini-series, Stephen King’s “Kingdom Hospital.” That’s not a bad first job for somebody who landed minor roles in her high school productions. “I was excited,” Jennifer said. Not only was the role good, the money wasn’t bad either. So Jennifer took advantage of the opportunity and spent her first big acting paycheck on her own condominium, which she moved into in November of 2007.

“It’s nice having my own place,” Jennifer said. “It’s diﬀerent, but it makes me feel independent.” Those closest to Jennifer ﬁnd her accomplishments nothing short of spectacular.

“I’m extremely proud of her,” said Jennifer’s stepfather, Bob Britt. “Just to watch her grow up and achieve so much has just been phenomenal. It’s very rewarding.” When she’s not doing cartwheels on the balance beam or auditioning for her next big role, Jennifer works as a clerical assistant for the Franklin County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. Jennifer spends what little free time she has working as an advocate for others with Down syndrome. She has taught classes on self advocacy and spoke at national and local Down syndrome conferences. She has also held seats on both the national and local boards for the Down Syndrome Association. Jennifer also travels to diﬀerent cities around the country every year to attend the National Down Syndrome Conference. “We’re trying to get more self advocates involved,” Jennifer said. If there is time left in the day, Jennifer also likes to spend it with her ﬁancé Bryan. The two have been seeing each other for three years and recently decided to get married. The engagement was step one, step two is setting a date, but Jennifer says she isn’t in any kind of hurry. “We are looking forward to it,” Jennifer said. “But now we are taking it one step at a time.” If it seems like Jennifer should be the poster girl for self determination, she already did that, too. She appeared on the state poster in 1997.

Harry Grimm 54

It all started with a little girl jumping rope. It was

Harry Grimm’s

first painting back in 1996 – a girl in a blue dress, rope in hand, against a gold background. Today, an original Harry Grimm painting is quite valuable, and the paintings of this accomplished artist are in high demand. Recently, a bride-to-be commissioned Harry to paint a picture of her and her fiancé. When she saw Harry’s finished work, she was so taken by the work that she broke into tears. Harry, 54, who lives in Athens, Ohio, and has cerebral palsy, paints daily at Passion Works, a division of the Athens County MRDD sheltered workshop dedicated to the arts. He draws rough forms of his paintings and teaching assistants help him complete his works of art.

“I’m pretty tough when it comes to facing obstacles,” said Harry, who uses a wheelchair.

For 30 years, Harry assembled ink pens at the sheltered workshop. After three decades at the same job, Harry wanted to explore other possibilities. His ﬁrst paintings at Passion Works were very basic and it wasn’t until one of the teaching assistants encouraged him to draw that he produced the girl jumping rope. 55

The assistants saw potential in Harryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work and encouraged him to create more paintings. That was in 1996 and the brush has rarely left his hands since. Harry paints his surroundings and his environment, creating paintings of vibrant colors. While attending a Fourth of July party, Harry spotted an abandoned farm tractor. His next painting featured the mental image of the tractor.

Harry was one of the artists featured in the PBS special, Passion Works – a Story of Flying. He also helped design the fountain in downtown Athens, participated in an artistic exchange with a studio in Chile, and he enjoys writing poetry

“Be strong,” Harry says of his determination. “My sister taught me to be tough. She said, ‘Don’t be bullied around.’”

Chris Budyka 58

Abra Cadabra, Hocus Pocus and Alakazaam! Do you have any idea what

Chris Budyka

does for a living? Or does he need to pull a rabbit out of his hat to show you he’s a magician?

Chris has been performing illusions since he was eight years old. He says he was inspired to become a magician after watching one of America’s most famous illusionists on television. “I started magic after I saw David Copperﬁeld,” Chris said. “That’s how I got into magic. After that I started watching other magicians, and kept practicing my own tricks. Now, I’m a magician.” A magician’s job is to impress his audience, but Chris doesn’t have to perform any tricks to impress those around him. He has put his multiple-handicaps aside and learned to entertain the masses. “Chris is naturally gifted and had the chance to work with people to fulﬁll his dream,” personal advocate Alan Mowchan said. “I don’t think he’s achieved his full potential yet, and I still expect great things from Chris. I think he’s got the potential to be a great performer, or great at whatever it is he wants in life.” 59

After Chris decided magic was his future, he went after it full-force. He enrolled in a school for magicians in America’s capitol of stage entertainment, Las Vegas. While in Vegas, Chris not only learned how to perform magic tricks, but he was able to live out his dream, performing for some very famous people, including Michael Jackson and the very man who inspired him to become a magician, David Copperfield. “I got to meet David Copperfield and I was really excited,” Chris said. “He liked my performance, and said it was enjoyable. That’s awesome coming from him. If I ever got the chance I’d like to perform for him again and show him my new tricks.” Since then, Chris, now 25 years old, has garnered several awards for his magic, including first place awards at both the 2000 and 2002 Stars of Magic Competition. Chris’ rise to success is a story of overcoming the odds no matter what obstacles you may face.

“There were a lot of critics, people who said I couldn’t become a magician,” Chris said. “I just stayed quiet and kept practicing. I’ve learned that to become a really good magician you have to ignore the people that don’t believe in you. Now people come to me and ask ‘how’d you do that?’” Through the awards and accolades, Chris has maintained a level head. While his act continues to impress, Chris knows there is still more work to be done. “I’ve deﬁnitely come a long way from where I was, and I’ve still got a long way to go,” Chris said. “The hardest part right now is getting my name out there, but once people hear about me I think the show will take oﬀ!”

To say Chris is an inspiration may be an understatement. He is currently planning a trip around the country to present his story to other people with disabilities who want to fulﬁll their dreams.

“If somebody asked me for advice, I would say keep practicing and don’t give up,”

Chris said. “Keep working hard and following

your dreams and someday they’ll come true.”

If you’re looking to catch his act, Chris is currently performing at smaller venues, such as nursing homes and local MRDD facilities. But for Chris it doesn’t matter where he’s performing, so long as there are people there to watch.

“I like being a magician because it’s fun and I like entertaining others,” Chris said. “I don’t get nervous either, so that works out well.” When he’s not perfecting his illusions, Chris can be found working at Target. He’s also currently working toward getting his certiﬁcation in computers, moving into his own apartment and keeping his website, www.magicbychrisinc.com, up to date.

Tia Braun 62

What do Franklin D. Roosevelt and

Tia Braun

have in common?

They were both elected President at least three times. In 2007, Tia was elected president of Shelby County People First for the third time. That’s quite an accomplishment, considering it’s the first time anyone has served that many terms as president. “Being in People First has helped me grow as an adult, speak up for myself and my dreams,” Tia said. “I also enjoy letting others know about People First. We like to enroll new members and help guide them and to teach others how to become self advocates for themselves.” “Tia has been voted president by her peers because of her personality,” said personal advocate Cheryl Long. “I think she enjoys being an officer because it has opened up the social aspect of her life that she needed. It gives her a chance to meet on a regular basis with the people that she’s formed friendships with across the state.” Tia is no rookie to running for office. Aside from her position as President, she also serves as Treasurer for People First of Ohio, an organization of individuals with disabilities who advocate change for others living with disabilities. 63

“It’s never about her, it’s always about helping others,” Long said. “She keeps herself active in the community and in her church. I wish I had half of the energy Tia has everyday.” Tia has been so actively involved in People First that she was recognized as the representative for Ohio at the national conference in Washington, D.C. “It was very exciting,” Tia said. “I attended meetings and met other People First members, and the senators from Ohio. And after all the work was done we went out to see the sites.” It’s not all work either. Aside from being an activist for the rights of people living with disabilities, Tia is also an active scrapbooker. She has perfected her craft so well that groups have asked Tia to give demonstrations for their members. “I enjoy teaching others how to get started on their own scrapbooks,” Tia said. “I’m putting all my memories in a book of growing up, that way it teaches others who look at my book about me.” Despite her many successes with People First and scrapbooking, if you ask Tia what she is most proud of, she will tell you – hands down – it was getting her driver’s license! It wasn’t an easy task, and it took a lot of self determination. But, then again, we’re talking about someone who is extremely goal-oriented.

“You have to set your goals and keep focused to reach them,” Tia said. “I try to accomplish something I’ve never done before, and most people that have disabilities have not done.” When she sets her mind toward a goal, there’s no stopping it, Tia’s personal advocate adds. “When Tia says she wants something, it’s going to happen, one way or another! She’s deﬁnitely no quitter,” Long said. Tia was even nice enough to clue us in on her secret to success. “Don’t let other people discourage you from reaching your goals,” she said. “Nothing is impossible.” Advice aside, Tia is happy going to work and coming home at the end of a hard day, rolling up her sleeves and helping her mom cook dinner. What’s that? We’re out of milk? No worries, just toss Tia the keys!

Mark Straka 66

The word friendship has many diﬀerent meanings to diﬀerent people. To some people it means having someone to shop and chat with. To others it means having a safety net if things go wrong.

But, to some people, friendship means the world to them.

Mark Straka

is one of these people.

Mark is, hands down, one of the most popular individuals at the Huron County Board of MRDD. Not only is he always looking to make a new friend, but he’s everywhere at Huron MRDD, from working on the lawn crew in the summer to playing on the basketball team in the winter. “We have a good team and I have lots of friends,” Mark said. “I like having a lot of friends. I like the people I work with and the ones I play basketball with.” But things weren’t always so great for Mark. He learned the importance of having friends the hard way. Early in life, Mark had problems staying out of trouble. At one of his lowest points, he had to be put on 24-hour monitoring. That didn’t sit well with Mark. After realizing that wasn’t how he wanted to live his life, Mark began to turn things around. 67

That started by helping other individuals who had disabilities much worse than his own. One example that stands out to personal advocate Amy Pender is when Mark made friends with a man in a wheelchair. The man couldn’t speak or communicate with any of his peers. That didn’t stop Mark from trying. The next thing you know, Mark was able to relay to counselors the man’s likes and dislikes, without ever actually hearing him speak. Pender believes that is when Mark Straka began to develop his own sense of self determination. “Mark was never an advocate for himself,” Pender said. “Helping his friends has helped him grow in his knowledge of what he wants for himself. Now, when he wants something, he’ll tell you about it.” It’s that kind of vocal persistence that also helps Mark succeed on the hardwood, where he excels for the Christy Lane Bears. “We always win,” Mark said. “Well, sometimes we lose. But I do make a lot of baskets.” There’s something else he makes a lot of too. “Fouls,” Mark admits. “I make a lot of fouls, too.” Points and fouls aside, there is really only one reason Mark plays the game. “I like to play with my friends,” Mark said. “I like being with them.” Mark is constantly working toward a life of independence. He holds a job and is able to take his medication on his own. If everything works out the way Mark

would like, the basketball hoop won’t be the only thing he’s driving toward. That’s right, Mark wants to get his driver’s license. Why? “It would keep me from being bored,” Mark said. “I could drive over to my friend’s house when I don’t want to be by myself.” Just another example of Mark wanting to do something, not only for himself, but also for his friends.

“Friends are important,”

Mark said.

A simple statement, but one that should not be forgotten.

John Jacobs 70

Cincinnati has Pete Rose. Columbus has Woody Hayes. Cleveland has LeBron James. That’s the kind of name recognition

John Jacobs

has in his hometown of Fostoria.

The difference between John and all of those other famous names is, of course, he did not excel in the field of athletics. But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t always around them. John Jacobs is like that police officer that greets you with a smile every morning at the crosswalk, or the lady at the coffee counter who gives you your daily caffeine fix. In Fostoria, John has become such a staple of day-to-day life that it would throw people off if they didn’t see him around the community. “John is a very well known person in the Fostoria community,” said personal advocate Glenn Maddy. “He even lights the city Christmas tree lights every year with the mayor of Fostoria.” The Christmas tree lighting has become a yearly tradition in Fostoria, but his celebrity doesn’t end there. The 57 year-old John has been asked to judge local car shows and is usually a fixture at any event in the city. 71

But there are plenty of other places where you can see John on any given day. It could be on the streets during one of his many walks, or it might be at the baseball ﬁelds where he spends most of his summer watching games. He is, to put it mildly, a fan. He has been around long enough that his name will always be associated with the baseball diamonds.

“I had a road named after me in my town near the ball parks,” John explained. The street by the park, now called “John Jacobs Drive,” was renamed back in 2005 when the city of Fostoria oﬃcially celebrated “John Jacobs Day.” It was a day to remember in Seneca County. When he’s not at the baseball ﬁelds, John works at Seneca Re-Abs, a sheltered workshop where he does contract work for local companies. John’s work at Re-Abs has been so stellar he recently received a promotion.

“I learned to drill on some jobs, and became a member of the workshop board,” John said. After work John goes back to his own home, where he lives independently, something he knows wouldn’t be possible without a steady job and self determination.

“(Self determination) means doing the work that you have to do, and want to do,” John said. “I like what I do.” During the little free time he gives himself, John likes to watch Cleveland Indians baseball games on television and play the organ. John, in fact, is a self-taught organist, which is just one more thing he won’t let being developmentally disabled stop him from achieving. 72

“I am entitled to do these things, and want to continue doing them,” John said. That’s something his personal advocate says won’t be a problem. “John doesn’t allow anything to keep him from his goals,” Maddy said. “He’s deﬁnitely someone who knows what he wants.” John’s journey from common man to local celebrity is a winding road ﬁlled with obstacles, but when asked what’s been the secret to his success, the answer seems pretty simple.

“Work hard to make money,” John said. “And always be polite to people.”

Cathy Mitchell 74

Cathy Mitchell

has come a long way.

Now 58 years old, Cathy lives alone in her own house, works at a steady job, participates in water aerobics and spends time with her friends and boyfriend. It sounds idyllic; however, things weren’t always so perfect in Cathy’s world. Cathy, who is developmentally disabled, was just 10 years old when she was placed in the Orient Developmental Center in 1948. She lived there for 15 years until a caseworker recognized she had the ability to live in a less structured setting. Together they began to move Cathy out of the state institution, something she appreciated very much. “She knew I didn’t belong there,” Cathy said. By the 1960’s Cathy was a young woman living in a less restrictive developmental center. This setting was better than the other center Cathy lived in, but she lived with 15 other housemates, had a number of restrictions, and endured many disturbances with her housemates. Eventually, Cathy was able to move out of the center and into a group home. Over the next 12 years she lived in three group homes. “Those two decades saw the implementation of the de-institutionalization movement,” said personal advocate Robert Ready. “More people were being allowed to move to smaller residential settings and some were moving to apartments in their community.”

In the early 1980’s, Cathy moved from her group home to a separate apartment thanks to Medicaid Waivers. The apartment was still run by the group home, but this was a much-needed upgrade for Cathy. About a decade later, Cathy left the apartment to live in a house she shared with a roommate. Like most people, Cathy enjoyed the house-sharing situation for a while, but as time passed she began to dream of having a house of her own. In 1999, more than 50 years after she was placed in a state institution, a friend assisted Cathy in purchasing her very own home.

“Cathy is very proud of her achievements,” Ready said.

“Her story is a model of what self determination can be.”

Cathy has worked at the Taco Bell in Mount Vernon for nearly 20 years. She is active in her church and maintains good relationships with her many friends. She is deﬁnitely a model of self determination.

“She is very happy,” Ready said. “Again, she is the prime success story of how an individual, who formerly was in a large state facility can really be successful in the community, and have choices in what they do. They can run their own lives and do what they want.”

“Living on my own feels great,” Cathy said.

“I’m able to go more places and do more things that I want to do.” Home really is where the heart is.

Cory Martin & Bob Hale 78

Seeking gold was a side beneﬁt to improving their quality of life.

Cory Martin Bob Hale and

are powerlifters. In fact, they are gold-medal winning powerlifters! Their story starts in a gym in Canton – Henry’s Dynatorium – where the two train three days a week. Their reward for all the training was the opportunity to face other lifters in amateur competitions. In October 2006, the dreams that started in Henry’s Dynatorium became a reality when both Cory and Bob competed in the Amateur Athletic Union’s World Power Lifting Championship in Richmond, VA. Cory, competing for the first time on one of weightlifting’s largest stages, won a gold medal and set a world record in all three of his events. He lifted 259 pounds on his squat, 163.3 pounds on his benchpress and 319 pounds on his dead-lift for a grand total of 727.5 pounds, good enough for a first-place finish in the 181-pound class, Special Division. But Cory wasn’t done there. He went to Orlando, Fla., in 2007 and won another gold medal, breaking all the records he set just a year earlier.

“He always likes to be number one, and of course he’s very proud of himself,” said Cory’s mother Cindy.

“You can see that sense of accomplishment in his eyes, and he really gets focused.” While Cory, now 21, is enjoying this newfound success, his biggest fans are the ones cheering the loudest about his accomplishments. “It’s really hard to put into words,” Cindy said. “The idea of Cory being given the opportunity to compete is very heartwarming. Lifting was supposed to be an activity to keep him busy. Never did we dream he would be so good and accomplish so much.”

Cory’s performance at the World Powerlifting Championship would be considered by most to be an impossible act to follow, but impossible isn’t a word in Bob’s vocabulary.

He also set world records in all three of his events in the Richmond event, squatting 270 pounds, bench-pressing 198.4 pounds and deadlifting 325.5 pounds for a grand total of 781.6 pounds! That performance would earn him a ﬁrst-place ﬁnish in the 198-pound class, Special Division. “Oh yeah,” Bob said. “I liked it!” He liked it so much he went to Orlando in 2007 and repeated as a gold medalist. For Bob, success is nothing new. He is now 35, and he’s been powerlifting for the Special Olympics since he was just 16. Since then, he’s won the state Special Olympics power lifting championship an impressive 10 times!

“I like to lift and I like the competition,” Bob said.

“I like the bench, dead lift and squat. And, I like meeting people and making new friends along the way.” 81

Bob’s highest bench press ever was 365 pounds, but that was before he lost more than 100 pounds to get to the 205 pounds he weighs in at today. Losing all that weight is yet another success on Bob’s already impressive resume of overcoming the odds. “We’re very proud of him,” said Bob’s mother Phyllis. “He’s gotten to go places that he would have not have gotten to go if he weren’t involved in the Special Olympics. We’re just so proud of him.”

When they’re not working out at the gym, Cory and Bob work on the docks at the Whipple-Dale workshop. It’s a gig that both men enjoy, but for reasons that are not very common. “I like my boss,” Bob said. “I like working on the docks, and I like my job.” If you’re ever in need of some help moving that heavy sofa, you can ﬁnd two strapping young men who would love to assist you down at Whipple-Dale.

Kurt Kahle 84

For anyone who has ever said, “I would love to do that, but I just don’t have the time,” this story may motivate you to get to the gym, visit your grandparents, write that novel or do whatever it is you’ve been putting oﬀ doing because you can’t seem to ﬁnd the time.

Meet

Kurt Kahle.

He does more in a single day than most people can ﬁt into an entire week.

On one hand, he is a typical 31 year old male living in Ohio. He works, plays softball in a church league, likes to bowl, loves cheering on the Ohio State Buckeyes, and hates the Michigan Wolverines. What separates Kurt from the pack, however, is he has won both gold and silver medals running track, he volunteers for a non-proﬁt organization, and still manages to ﬁnd time to spend with his family. What’s more surprising is that Kurt does all of this and is developmentally disabled. “I just like to stay active,” Kurt said. “It’s all part of who I am.” Who he is, is pretty impressive. Kurt starts his day like most of us – he gets up and goes to work. He works as a dishwasher at a nursing home in Putnam County, something he considers to be a privilege, not a burden.

“I like my job. Really, it’s a miracle I even have this job,” Kurt said. “I was recently laid oﬀ and I hadn’t had a job for almost three years, and then I got this job. I like the atmosphere and I work with very nice people.” After he punches out of work, Kurt will run a gamut of activity – and “run” is the operative word. He has to prepare to run track in the Special Olympics. Kurt runs in the 4X100 relay as well as the 100meter dash. He runs them pretty well, too. He is one of Putnam County’s top Special Olympic performers, having accumulated a collection of medals for his sprinting.

“I felt like all the hard work paid oﬀ,” Kurt said.

“It took a lot of perseverance, but I felt excited because I accomplished my goal.” Aside from track, Kurt also bowls in the Special Olympics. He’s been doing it for more than eight years, and his favorite part of the game is no surprise. “Strikes!” It doesn’t matter if he’s handing oﬀ the baton or rolling a strike, Kurt says he enjoys everything about the Special Olympics.

“I just like being there with my friends and hanging out,” Kurt said. “It makes me feel good about myself. It’s just all around awesome. I also enjoy the competition; I’m driven by pride, that’s what I thrive on. But I do know that if I win, I win, if I lose, I lose, but I’ll always have my dignity.” His story continues to get better. Kurt also volunteers for a non-proﬁt organization called Youth for Christ. He works as the “right-hand man” for the group’s director, Jason Walls, providing programs and service projects for the local children. “Kurt is always willing to help in any way he can,” Walls said. “Kurt was our ﬁrst volunteer when we started this group in 2004, and has stuck around ever since. He’s a huge part of our group.” As rewarding as the volunteer work is, Kurt says there are other perks to being a part of Youth for Christ, especially if you happen to be a fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes. “I got to meet Craig Krenzel, Joel Penton, William White and some other Buckeye football players through Youth for Christ,” Kurt said. “Buckeyes all the way!”

“Make the time, because every minute counts,” Kurt said. “Life can be short, or life can be long, you never know, so make everyday count.”

This book is dedicated to Nancy Richards for her countless hours of organizing, arranging, and coordinating not only the production of this book but also for her tireless eďŹ&#x20AC;orts in promoting the concepts of self direction. Nancy, we thank you!