Director’s Letter for May 2011
In this issue we celebrate The Ability Center’s Mentor Program. This program has been a huge success in the relatively short time it has been up and running. The premise of any Mentor relationship is that the wisdom and friendship shared between two individuals can produce life-changing outcomes.
My personal experience with mentors leads me to the following observations. Find good people to be your mentors. I didn’t say rich people or influential people, I said good people. Good people will drive you toward opportunities that enrich others as well as yourself. Good mentors will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. Good mentors will support you in establishing relationships your parents would be proud of.
I honor the memories and lives of two men: Ed Schmakel, former University of Toledo Alumni Director, and Chuck Oswald, founder of The Appliance Center. Both men were mentors in my life and served as Board Members of The Ability Center.
Ed provided direction and strategy. As a seasoned person with a disability, he was about “go for it, go for it, go for it”. I listened to my mentor!
Chuck Oswald was a very successful businessman. However, the thing that got Chuck up in the morning was his service to others. He often said that at the end of one’s life, man must answer this question: “How did you use your time, talent, and treasure to serve humanity?” I listened to my mentor.
We are truly blessed to have so many wonderful volunteers who are being mentors to our next generation of leaders.
Tim Harrington
Executive Director
tharrington@abilitycenter.org
Friendship Saves: The Promise of Mentoring
By Dan Wilkins
Andrea and Ryan at this year's Crash game
Andrea Stoller knows the statistics. People living without friends, real friends, have a much higher chance of experiencing physical and emotional health issues, including depression, even dementia in later life. Derrick Dufresne, Senior Partner of Community Resource Alliance, states it much more succinctly: “Loneliness Kills”. Andrea knows this not just because she is ACT’s Mentor Coordinator. She knows this because she’s a sibling. Eight years ago, her younger brother, Ryan, was injured in an auto accident and now lives with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Her passion and drive is born out of and fueled by this event, knowing how much he could have benefited from having a mentor.
Four Friends
Studies show that having as few as four people in your life who care about you and who call you when they need someone to care about them is all one needs to counter the negative health issues. Not so easy if you happen to be someone living with a significant disability. Where the average non-disabled citizen can count about 150 people in his or her social circles, a person living with a significant disability averages about 15. And most of these are paid to be in the person’s life.
It is this disparity Andrea is addressing with her efforts, and she is flying high.
Success!
The Ability Center’s Mentoring Program was born this past Fall and pairing began in January. As of this writing, Stoller has almost 150 people involved in the process. Of these, she has 40 pairings.
“When you see this kind of response and growth,” notes Andrea, “it becomes apparent there is a need. From the moment we started to market the program, classes began to fill.”
The classes she refers to are basically mini disability-awareness programs that give potential mentors a real understanding of disability, of issues faced by people living with disabilities, especially young people, and the benefits of mentoring.
Stoller, who just completed her Masters Degree in Special Education with a focus in Transition, has been marketing her program on college campuses and to groups populated by young adults.
“The majority of those requesting mentors, who are looking to explore friendship and community options, ” shares Andrea, “are teens and young adults, people looking to spread their wings and be more independent. So it stands to reason that we recruit interested mentors from a pool of people who are of similar age.”
So, How’s It Going?: The Real Impact of Mentoring
by Dan Wilkins
Nakayla and Katelyn at Mongolian Grill
The relationships I have formed through the Mentor program are truly special and rewarding.” begins Katelyn Slomka, “I feel as though we have all developed close friendships, the mentees as well as the fellow mentors. We’ve become a pretty close-knit group.”
This Fall, Katelyn starts Graduate School at University of Toledo (UT) in Occupational Therapy. She hopes to work in Geriatrics. This is her first time participating in a mentorship program and first time working with The Ability Center. She is paired with Nakayla and Caroline.
Nakayla is a Senior at Rogers and is looking forward to graduating. She likes skating, swimming and dining out. She attends most of the events. “What I like most about Mentorship,” she says, “is that means having someone to talk to about different things. I also like that we’ve gone lots of places. My favorites are Bowling, Nickel World and the Walleyes. It was my first Walleye game ever.”
Caroline, a Senior at Southview, is also looking forward to graduating. She, too, loves going to Walleye games and is a big fan of the Mud Hens. In fact, she enjoys pretty much everything young people enjoy: music, outdoor activities like parks and barbeques, and indoor activities like shopping and movies.
Abby and Jordan at Ohio Skate
“These new relationships mean a lot to me!” Caroline states truthfully, “What are the neatest things we’ve done so far? I’ve done bowling and the arcade … everything! I just enjoy being out in the community with everyone!”
“Some of my favorite events,” adds Katelyn, “were Glow bowling and going out to dinner. It is so nice to get out into the community and participate in various events with Nakayla and Caroline. We all truly have fun.”
She continues, “I have met so many amazing mentees with whom I have so much in common. We can relate to each other. This is my first time mentoring and I am very grateful to participate in this experience. I have learned so much and I have had such a fantastic time. I encourage others to participate and become a mentor or mentee with the Ability Center.
Jordan Wolff is a Junior at Bowling Green University, majoring in Human Development and Family Studies. In her free time, she loves to run and work out, spend time with family and friends, hang out with her dogs. Since she was young, horseback riding has been a passion. And for as long as she can remember, she has wanted to work with kids with disabilities.
Abby, Jordan’s mentee, is a Sylvania graduate who likes to hang with friends, bowl, watch cooking shows and attending sporting events. In the future, she hopes to live independently and work with animals.
“My favorite activity with Jordan so far,” says Abby pretty surely, “was Roller-skating at Ohio Skate. It was a lot of fun and a great experience.”
Of the wide variety of activities already accomplished, Jordan says her favorite, so far, was going to UT’s Ritter Planetarium, but she also agrees with Abby. She, too, really enjoyed going roller-skating.
Jordan shares one of her truths, “I’ve found that one of the best ways to bring joy into my life is to put it in someone else’s.”
Mentor Group Enjoying Trip to Golden Corral
She also shares that she is very grateful for the relationships she has been able to make through the program. “I enjoy the big events, seeing everyone interacting with each other and having a great time. But, I also really like the small group. These opportunities help me to get to know Abby on a one-on-one level, on a more personal level. We’ve been enjoying meaningful conversations and have a closer relationship. We always have a good time together!”
“I’ve noticed,” Jordan observes, “when leaving the events, I am always in a better mood than when I arrived. I feel as though the mentees make a bigger impact on me than I do on them! I always look forward to hanging out with everyone. We’ve never done the same thing twice so I feel like the mentees always look forward to coming to events.
I have loved being involved. It was extremely easy to become a Mentor and it has been such an awesome experience.”
Should you like to get involved, or for more information, contact Andrea Stoller, Mentor Program Coordinator, at (866) 885-5733 or visit the Mentorship page.
ACT Collaborates with UT and BGSU Fraternity to Build Ramp
by Charlie Martin
Phi Kappa Phi/ACT Ramp Building Crew
Mark Urrutia, Regional Governor for Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, was looking for a project that would bring the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University chapters together to help a family in need. Thinking that the building of a ramp would fit the bill, he approached Charlie Martin, Facility and Construction Supervisor for The Ability Center (ACT). If ACT would provide the expertise and coordinate construction, PKP, on behalf of their national philanthropy, Push America, would pay for all materials and do a cook out on the final day of the build.
Charlie worked with Mindy Metzger, ACT’s Home Accessibility Coordinator, to locate a family. Mindy suggested Zachary Roecker, a 10 year boy who lives with his parents and brother. Zachary has Cerebral Palsy and uses a wheelchair to get around. Zachary’s grandfather constructed a ramp for him years before and it was at the end of its life and becoming unsafe.
Zachary cuts the ribbon with a little help from his friends
ACT carpenters, Terry Lanning and Roger Lemle worked on site for two days with members of the two fraternity chapters. Together, they installed a new ramp that better meets Zachary’s growing need for independence. While providing a much safer path of travel, the completed ramp will offer him everything a growing boy needs: greater freedom to move around and go to school and the opportunity to easily play with his friends.
Pi Kappa Phi Alumni sponsored a cookout to celebrate the completion of the project on Thursday, April 22. University of Toledo’s Office of Accessibility provided information and activities at the picnic including a braille menu and a sign language interpreter. The Office of Accessibility designed these activities to provide awareness of other disabilities.
If you would like to volunteer to help build a ramp, or would like more information on the Home Modification program, please contact Mindy Metzger, Home Accessibility Coordinator at (866) 885-5733.
The Ability Center Works with Planners for New Casino
by Dan Wilkins
ACT staff are shown plans by Scott Norman of Urban Design Group
After successful collaborations with planners for Fifth-Third Field and the Huntington Center, The Ability Center has been included in the design process for the new Casino being built on Miami Street near I-75.
Ability Center staffers Ash Lemons, Shelley Papenfuse and Dan Wilkins met with members of the City of Toledo Department of Building Inspection, DGL Consulting Engineers, Urban Design Group and Penn National Gaming to add input initial blueprints and site plan.
“Overall, the plans look great.” said Shelley Papenfuse, “There is attention to detail with regard to the public side and to the employee side. This shows a progressive attitude, considering employing people with disabilities. They have even included a bus loop system into the site plan, allowing for a collaboration with TARPS and TARTA that will result in a dedicated ‘Casino’ route.”
As per the meeting, The Ability Center will remain involved until the casino opens in 2012.
Ottawa County Youth Leadership Fundraiser Has Winner!
by Tory Heilman
Ottawa County ACT’s Youth Leadership Group held their drawing for the Youth fundraiser Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at the Community Market in Port Clinton. The Youth Leadership Group would like to congratulate Sandra Davis, the winner of the Community Market Shopping Spree.
Please come out to the Port Clinton Community Market June 6, 2011 at 9:00 AM to support her as she runs through the aisles collecting food.
We would like to thank everyone in the community who bought a ticket in support of the Ottawa County Youth Leadership Program!
