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Articles
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Choices Changing Lives
Angie Maggard and Charlotte Hendricks are making decisions that affect their lives.
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There’s no telling where you’ll run into Charlotte Hendricks and Angela “Angie” Maggard these days. They are busy young women actively involved in the Winfield community – and sometimes farther away.
You might see them locally at church, school, the public library, Pizza Hut, the Super 8 or Dillons. Then again, you might run across them in Wichita, Hays, Manhattan or other cities where Special Olympics contests are held. Charlotte set the record for distance last fall when she flew to Pittsburgh, Pa., for a national conference.
Supported by Creative Community Living, Charlotte and Angie are gaining the self-confidence needed to take advantage of opportunities that enrich their lives, making their lives more meaningful and fun.
“They both need a circle of support,” said Cathy Crane, CCL’s director of case management. “People are there if they need them, but back off if not needed. Charlotte and Angie can be as independent as they choose.”
Charlotte’s story
Charlotte, now 37, was in a crisis situation at the Western Missouri Mental Health Center in Kansas City before moving to a CCL residence in Winfield four years ago. Behavior specialist Herb Evans and others at CCL developed a plan structured around supporting her emotional instability.
“We created a support plan from the information Charlotte and her mother gave us about her past,” Herb said. “Following testing and consultation with a neurologist, it was determined her long-term use of anticonvulsants could be discontinued.”
Four years later, “she is involved in so many things it keeps her from focusing on her negative feelings and perceived inadequacies,” he said.
“One thing that caused a major shift in Charlotte’s overall attitude was being appointed to the governor’s council on developmental disabilities,” Herb said. “Once that occurred, her whole persona changed. She even stated to me, ‘I feel like I’m important, and people care for me.’ That really made a profound difference. She is so much more personable. She is vivacious; she just blossomed.”
As a member of the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities, Charlotte travels to meetings in Topeka. The council includes people with developmental disabilities as well as advocates for people with developmental disabilities.
“I love being on the council,” Charlotte said. “I really, really do, because I like helping people, and I’ve made some new friends.”
Being a member of the Kansas council means Charlotte may attend the National Conference on Developmental Disabilities. Last October she went to the 2006 event in Pittsburgh, Pa., accompanied by Deena Baker, one of CCL’s area managers.
“It was my first time to fly,” Charlotte said. “I was nervous, but I did OK. We stayed at a huge hotel, and I went to a lot of meetings. Deena and I had a real good time.”
Charlotte has several part-time paid jobs within CCL. She is a member of the peer review group that surveys CCL clients about the quality of their lives. She also delivers the mail for staff members in Meyer Hall, helps distribute paychecks once a month, and shreds paper that has been discarded.
For three years, Charlotte has participated in Special Olympics cheerleading. In February, the Cowley County Dragons cheerleaders won first-place medals as well as the spirit stick.
“It’s a blast,” said Charlotte, who competes in her wheelchair. “It’s in my blood. My cousin was a cheerleader, my sister was a cheerleader, and now I’m a cheerleader.”
Charlotte lives in the same residence as Angie – in fact, they have bedrooms next to each other. The two have become best friends in recent months. If proof is needed, just look for the silver friendship necklaces they wear around their necks. Half of a puzzle piece with the word “Best” is worn on a chain by Angie, and the other half of the puzzle piece with the word “Friend” is worn by Charlotte.
“Charlotte, Angie and I have to have our daily hugs,” said Donna Morgan, Charlotte’s case manager. “If they are having a bad day, they will share that. We’ll discuss different options for handling the situation. Through the discussion, they usually make their decisions. Or I will lead them to someone who will help them answer questions.
“Charlotte and Angie both have boyfriends. We discuss their dating plans or how their date went. They’ve gone to dances and out to eat. They also see their boyfriends at Special Olympics activities.”
Donna’s occasional house visits on weekends are another good time for Charlotte and Angie to discuss boyfriends or any other topic with her.
“Charlotte is sensitive and tends to have low self-esteem, but I have really seen her blossom,” Donna said. “Her communication has really helped. If she gets upset, she does a better job of explaining what upset her. She also asks if she has upset you. Now she will talk to the person rather than worry.
“Charlotte is trying new things and doing a very good job at everything she tries. She thinks decisions through. This gives her confidence to try even more. She has good input in house decisions, in her schedule decisions and in the goals she sets for herself.”
Charlotte frequently talks by phone with her mother, Carla Huffman, of Missouri. She went home for Christmas, and her mother and stepfather visit her in Winfield. A sister from Missouri also visited Charlotte recently.
“Our goal is to support any and all of Charlotte’s endeavors,” said Herb, her behavior specialist. “She needs constant reassurance that CCL is there for her. All these things she is doing are part of the development she is experiencing.”
Angie’s story
Like Charlotte, Angie was very unhappy with her life before moving to CCL in July 2005. She lived in a Wichita apartment by herself and lacked the support system she needed.
“Angie is like a different person now,” said Cathy Crane, her case manager. “She does a lot of things on her own and has made so many new friends. She’s learning to express her feelings and talk about her concerns with people she trusts. She works at the Super 8. She wanted to lose weight when she came here, and she’s meeting that goal. She wanted to make friends, and she’s got friends all over town.”
As Angie, who is 25, worked to meet her goals, she was the first person supported by CCL to do a number of things. One was taking on the long-term project of completing her General Educational Development Test or GED. Angie reads the lessons online, works on them independently and then turns in the work to the local instructor.
“Angie is working very hard to complete her GED,” Cathy said. “Everybody is so proud of her.”
Winfield’s public library is next door to Meyer Hall, which makes it convenient for Angie to use library computers with Internet access for her studies. She also enjoys reading and frequently checks out books.
Although other individuals supported by CCL have had part-time jobs in the community, Angie is the first to work in housekeeping at Winfield’s Super 8 motel.
“She cleans two days a week with me as her job coach,” said Paulette Schadegg, a day services coordinator for CCL. “At first, I had to show her how to do everything, like cleaning the bathtub, in detail. Making the beds the correct way is probably the hardest thing for her. Sometimes we remake them.
“Angie is making friends with lots of people at the motel. We’re learning Spanish words that enable us to communicate with some of the housekeepers. Angie is very well liked. She’s conscientious and wants to make sure she completed the job the best that she can. She’s very dependable and does extra things like helping older people carry their luggage.”
In March, Angie began cleaning more frequently, without Paulette as her job coach.
“She is doing more by herself,” Paulette said. “That shows she is becoming more independent.”
“I wish I had a dozen Angies,” said Sharon Prouty, manager of the Super 8. “Besides being a good worker, she has a wonderful attitude. We all like Angie. Our head housekeeper even went to Wichita last weekend to watch her Special Olympics basketball game.”
Angie empties all the trash containers in CCL’s Meyer Hall twice a week. Paulette accompanied her at first but soon learned her supervision wasn’t needed. Although Angie formerly cleaned the Meyer Hall offices, she gave that up to spend time on her GED studies.
Angie is a voting member of CCL’s Human Rights Committee.
Like Charlotte, she is a member of CCL’s peer review team, which surveys individuals about the quality of their lives at CCL. Last fall Della Moore, CCL’s director of quality assurance, invited her to attend a state conference for self-advocacy groups and present information about the peer review program.
“I was excited but a little nervous,” Angie recalled. “There was a large crowd of people, and some of them asked me questions. Giving the presentation gave me self-confidence, and I’d do it again if I had the chance.”
“That helped her a lot to gain confidence,” Cathy said.
“Angie loves to help others,” she continued. “She is thoughtful and kind. If she sees staff helping people get off a van, she’ll help push wheelchairs. She asks people if they need help. She’s a good friend.”
Her friendship with Charlotte now extends to their families. When Angie’s parents, Lorella and Norman Maggard of rural El Dorado, visit, they sometimes include Charlotte when they go out to eat or shop or do other things. When Charlotte’s parents visit, they do the same.
Like many friends, the two sometimes have conflicts they must work through to regain their good feelings about each other.
Angie’s participation in Special Olympics basketball, volleyball, softball, bowling, track and field, and cheerleading has provided her another way to get acquainted with people outside of CCL. Those friendships develop even more when the individuals meet again at dances, picnics and other social events. In January, for instance, CCL hosted a Snow Ball for all individuals in the area with developmental disabilities. Angie’s date was her boyfriend she met through Special Olympics. Many of the others attending were also Special Olympians.
Angie says it makes her feel good to accomplish tasks she chooses to take on.
“If you work hard, you can reach your goals,” she said.
Now she’s dreaming of setting even higher goals.
“I’d like to be a CNA (certified nursing assistant) or go to college or be a missionary,” she said.
“By choosing to come to CCL, Angie’s and Charlotte’s lives have changed and improved,” said Rodney Perry, CCL’s director of residential services.
“They are willing to do things in public. Going to the conference in Pittsburgh gave Charlotte more self-esteem. She’s now a leader on the cheerleading team. Angie presented information at the state conference in Wichita, she is getting her GED and working in the community. She, too, has more self-confidence and is trying new things. They have learned to be advocates for themselves as well as for others.
“Charlotte and Angie have chosen to have a different life,” he said, “and with support from CCL, they have it.”
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