Special Edition 1963-2013 - 50 Years of Service

www.gatesway.org

The advocate

alf century of serviceOnce shunned by many in the community, the Gatesway Foundation has

become a nationally recognized Broken Arrow asset.H The Gatesway Foundation is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013 with a variety of events designed to spotlight its national reputation for innovation and excellence in providing services for individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families. But had it not been for the determination, salesmanship and down-right spunk of its founder, Helen Gates, the organization’s drive to this level of national acclaim could have been stymied by its decision to move to Broken Arrow. Dr. James Newcomb was BA mayor the day Helen Gates let it be known that after nine years in Tulsa, she was planning to move the foundation’s headquarters to a 10-acre site east of the city at 1217 E. College. A story in the Broken Arrow Ledger announcing Leta Chapman had provided a private $25,000 donation to purchase the property was met with considerable negative public reaction,

Mayor Newcomb recalled. When anti forces descended in number on a city council meeting, Councilman Bill Lay suggested a meeting be scheduled to discuss this situation further. Newcomb agreed and immediately named Lay chairman of the meeting committee. A short time later, city officials and townspeople gathered with Helen Gates. It didn’t take long for the “little lady with a big heart” to win them over. Gates began by dispelling myths about the individuals she served, including her guest that evening, son Ronnie, who was born with Down syndrome. She said she found heartbreaking the fact that about the only alternative she and other families had was to institutionalize their loved ones. Her approach – one that would become known as the

“Gates way” because of the high level of innovation it included - involved providing trained and caring personnel to help those in her care gain the living, vocational and social skills necessary to become vital parts of the community.

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GROUNDBREAKING –A large crowd joined Gatesway founder Helen Gates and her close

friend Doris Barnes (holding shovel) at the groundbreaking of the agency’s Broken Arrow

headquarters. Among the dignitaries taking part in the ceremony were Broken Arrow

Mayor Dr. James R. Newcomb (left) and Tulsa Mayor Robert J. LaFortune (right).

The “1st” Client

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onnie Gates - A Real Cowboyby Bob LewisR

In the half-century since Helen Gates began blazing new trails in service to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, the Gatesway Foundation has helped write hundreds of success stories for the men and women it serves. One of them involved the individual for whom the non-profit agency was created, Gates’ son Ronnie Gates who was born with Down syndrome. “Ronnie was maybe five or six years old, when he met Roy Rogers,” says his sister and former Gatesway CEO Nina Peschka. “He was so thrilled to actually meet the King of the Cowboys he told our mother that evening he was going to be a cowboy, too.” That was a dream he kept alive for more than 40 years. Then Bob and Sharon Hendricks came into his life. The couple owned Rock Creek Farm where they raised miniature horses, Nubian and LaMoncha goats and peacocks. Since both had outside jobs, they often talked of hiring a cowhand to help out around the place. That was the job Ronnie Gates had been longing for. It didn’t take long before he and fellow Gatesway resident Don Strang were on the farm’s payroll, feeding and watering the animals, cleaning out the pens and barn, and handling the myriad of other tasks that are part of a working farm. Bob Hendricks said he marveled at the bond built between Gates and the animals he cared for. “Our animals didn’t take much to people, especially those they didn’t know,” Hendricks recalled. “Usually, they’d run when some-body walked up to our front gate, but not with Ronnie. When they saw him, they immediately ran up to him, eager to be patted and pampered. They never left his side. I’d never seen

anything like it in my life.” Judi Myers, Gatesway CEO, notes the supported employment program through which Gates and Strang were hired has been an integral part of the foundation from day one. The agency also operates a vocational training center and has work crews involved in a number of tasks around the community. Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, Gatesway continues to help its individuals write their own success stories. And continuing to serve as theorganization’s inspiration is a man wearing a big Stetson hat and an even bigger smile who proudly proclaimed until his death on April 13, 1998 that he was the “King of the Sapulpa Cowboys.”

Success

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eing all she can “Bea”by Bob LewisB

In the 50 years the Gatesway Foundation has served individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, it has helped write a number of amazing success stories. Including the story of Bea. When Bea first came to the Broken Arrow-based nonprofit agency, Bea was painfully shy and almost totally lacking in self-esteem. She had no pride in her appearance or, for that matter, almost anything else. “To give up on her would have been easy,” noted Gatesway CEO Judi Myers. “But that’s not the Gates way. The cornerstone of this organization is our dedication to doing all we can to help the people we serve acquire the living, vocational, and social skills necessary to become vital parts of their community. We don’t always make it, but that doesn’t mean we don’t always try.” A turning point in Bea’s life came in December of 2009, when after demonstrating the ability to handle an outside job, she became part of the crew at a brand new Subway sandwich shop. “It didn’t take long before she became a totally new person,” noted Gatesway Job Coach Amy Fannin who stayed with Bea until she fully mastered the ins and outs of her position. “She has made friends, and gone out a few times socially with them. To improve her appearance, she purchased several wigs and hasdifferent attitudes to go with them. She has even lost some weight due to having to walk to and from the bus stop in order to get to work.” Fannin speaks with pride to the fact Bea is nowhere near as shy as she use to be - “you can actually hear her when she speaks” – and is capable of handling almost every task in her store. Away from the job, she likes to draw and paint and is constantly looking for contests she can enter to stretch her artistic abilities. Bringing her transformation almost full circle, Bea has gotten her learner’s permit and is working on getting a driver’s license. Soon, she plans to move out of the house she occupies with her mother and little brother and take up residence in her own apartment. As Gatesway marks a year-long 50th

anniversary celebration, Myers said it is examples like this that illustrate how much society owes to Helen Gates. “In 1963, a success story like this would have been impossible to write,” Myers said. “Fortunately for Bea and a number of others before her who have blazed trails to independent living, Gatesway approaches have been more than proven.” “Bea has learned so much about herself and life since she started work,” Fannin said. “She is truly an

amazing person.”

How it Began

Aiming at Independenceby Bob Lewis

It may seem strange in today’s highly competitive business world, but employees at the Broken Arrow-based Gatesway Foundation actually look forward to saying goodbye to their “customers.” This is true because they know when the individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities they serve - their “customers”— are able to gain the social, vocational and living skills required to live independently so they can begin leading normal lives as productive members of the community. It is very special moments like these that spark Gatesway’s year-long 50th anniversary celebration that began in January. In 1963, when Helen Gates opened the doors of the agency in a rented farm house in Tulsa (below left), this type of scenario would have been impossible to even conceive. “Back then, it was accepted as fact that men and women with developmental and intellectual disabilities required institutionalization. There was no place for them in our society,” noted Judi Myers, Gatesway CEO. All that began to change the day Helen Gates was told her son Ronnie, who was born with Down syndrome, would have to leave the state-supported school he was in and be placed in a geriatric nursing home. “He was 21 years old. What kind of life could he have in an environment like that?” she often asked friends and associates.Using that incident as her motivation, Helen Gates set about rewriting the book on service to her son and others like him. The name “Gatesway” came from the high level of innovation in her approach. “We do things the Gates way,” became a rally cry that has enabled the agency and its employees to touch the lives of more than 1,000 individuals and their families across Central and Northeast Oklahoma. “Not every individual we serve will reach the level of total independence, of course,” Myers noted, “but a number of our former individuals are now employed and living in the community. Some even drive their own cars. Others are working hard to join them in this lifestyle.” To help them, Gatesway has developed an array of services, including community residential facilities, group homes, intermediate care facilities, and vocational programs ranging from an on-campus vocational training operation to work crews and independent community employment opportunities. “I love to see the expression on peoples’ faces when we tell them the happiest days of our professional lives

come when we can say goodbye to our individuals,” Myers said. “That was Helen Gates’ dream. Today, it is a reality our employees work very hard to build upon.”

Gatesway’s newly constructed Intermediate Care Facility, circa 1972

5Hank Denny riding his horse Summer

Our Founder

Gatesway’s New LookGatesway has a new look. To mark its semi-centennial year, CEO Judi Myers said Gatesway asked More Branding + Communication of Tulsa to develop a new logo and corporate identity line.

Justin Johnson, principal with the firm, said the visual it created features not one but two elements reflecting the mission of the agency and its ultimate goal.

“The letter ‘G’ is a symbol Gatesway has used in various forms over the years,” Johnson said. “We wanted to keep some of that brand equity intact but make it more iconic and enrich it with a layer of meaning that communicates what the agency does.”

To meet that goal, Gatesway’s new ‘G’ is formed by a series of progressions that continuously get stronger until the final one, fully developed, depicts a human figure ready to take flight.

“This is Gatesway helping people with developmental and intellectual disabilities spread their wings and achieve things they or their families never thought were possible,” Johnson said. “It’s what this organization is all about. Over and over again, the employees we interviewed told us the proudest moment of their professional life comes when an individual is able to break away from them and live an independent, fulfilling, productive life.”

Johnson said a new corporate theme line, “Opening Up The World,” was conceived to support its new logo and reinforce the agency’s mission.

Helen Gates1912-1994

Gatesway’s newly constructed Intermediate Care Facility, circa 1972

Cover Story

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The realist in Gates knew that for some of the individuals she served, success would be measured simply by her ability to make their lives a little better. But for others she stated her conviction that there existed the possibility of gaining a level of independence that could eventually make their reliance on the foundation unnecessary. Newcomb said by the time the evening gathering adjourned, almost all of the former “anti forces” were solid Gatesway proponents. Given that encouragement, Gates set about growing an organization that today offers a variety of living options, including community residential facilities, group homes and intermediate care facilities, as well as vocational programs ranging from an on-campus sheltered workshop to work crews and independent community employment opportunities. Health care delivery is also part of the agency’s operational mix. “To do things the ‘Gates way,’ the foundation has grown into a regional service provider with 396 employees serving 400 individuals,” according to CEO Judi Myers. The agency’s annual budget is now in excess of $14 million a year. With a half-century heritage of blazing new trails, it should come as no surprise that Gatesway continues to log an impressive number of success stories. A recent one involves Ricky Martin. Now 59 with a cognitive disability and mental health issues, he arrived at Gatesway after experiencing a chaotic childhood and being shuffled as an adult from one residential placement to another – none of which met his needs or provided the stability of a permanent home. His behavior was marked by emotional outbursts, including ranting, crying and constantly refusing to attend work training or other scheduled activities. “Rather than giving up on him,” Myers said, “all this stiffened the resolve of staff personnel to not let Ricky fail. Testimony to their skill can be seen in his day-to-day life. Today, he is fully capable of maintaining appropriate behavior and is successfully

completing activities at our Adult Day Center. For the first time, he has the security of a permanent home and the ability to make every day a meaningful one,” Myers said. Some of Gatesway’s success stories take a long time to be told. Such was the case with Jennifer, also known as Ms. Kitty. It took the first 55 years of her life to experience the fulfillment of earning a paycheck. Along with the personal satisfaction of having her own spending money, she is also learning how to laugh and is even expressing a desire to go back to school. Her daughter gives total credit to Gatesway for this transformation saying, “It’s the best thing that ever happened to her.” After working in the foundation’s on-campus Vocational Training Center for four years, Miss Kitty felt she was ready to write a new chapter in her personal success story by taking a big jump to a “better job.”This decision marked a turning point in the woman’s life. A visual impairment and her own reluctance had kept her out of mainstream posts and

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Opening up the world(continued from page 1)

Ricky Martin (left) receives an award from the Governor’s Office.

Notes

Hello, Gatesway’s Friends and Family.

This year is a monumental one for the Gatesway Foundation as we begin celebrating our 50th Anniversary with events planned all year. We’re excited to share with Northeast Oklahoma all the fantastic programs our agency provides for individuals with developmental and intelectual disabilities.

Late last year, the Developmental Disabilities Services Division (DDSD) of the Department of Human Services (DHS) passed a resolution directing that Oklahoma’s two state run institutions for persons with Developmental Disabilities, Southern Oklahoma Resource Center (SORC) in Pauls Valley and Northern Oklahoma Resource Center (NORC) in Enid, be closed over the next two years. Residents in these facilities are to be transitioned into community living arrangements – a philosophy that Gatesway has been practicing for 50 years.

It was the vision of our founder, Helen Gates, that individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities would have other options besides nursing homes or state run institutions. She believed that community inclusion was best practice and many of her programs were the basis of similar state and national programs. Helen was way ahead of her time and now these individuals will have the opportunity to experience life and work in the community.

Sincerely,

Judi Myers, C.E.O.

letter from the C.E.O. A2013 Board of Directors

JOE COOK – PresidentHope Church of Broken ArrowJIM PACULA – Vice PresidentManufacturing Services & Innovations, LLCJIM BOZE – TreasurerAVBSHAROLYN WHITING-RALSTON – SecretaryMcAfee & TaftGARY ARMSTRONGCherokee Nation BusinessesDR. FREDERICK ARTISTulsa Community CollegeISABELLE BEISIEGELProfessional GolferTRAVIS BIGGERTNueterraELIZABETH CARROLLSamson Energy Company, LLC.JOHN GRAMMERFedExCURTIS GREENBroken Arrow Public SchoolsMIKE HAMMONDSpirit AeroSystemsRAY MILLER Fleming Building Co., Inc.DAVID PARRISHParrish RealtorsDEBBIE RUGGLESTulsa Transit Authority

away from bigger challenges. But with the help of her job coaches, she went to work as a bagger for assembled items and did so well, in a short time she was promoted to an assembler position. Good but in her mind, not good enough. “After being placed on a waiting list for community employment, Miss Kitty asked almost every day when she would get that better job she wanted,” Myers said. Her persistence paid off and Miss Kitty got the advancement she craved by joining one the agency’s work teams. In so doing, she joined a number of Gatesway individuals before her in taking the first steps on a path to personal growth and fulfillment that was blazed by Helen Gates 50 years ago.

- Story by Bob Lewis

Opening up the world(continued from page 6)

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Gatesway Events

Tuesday, May 14 12pm-1pmSecond Tuesday Lunch & LearnGatesway AuditoriumRSVP Barry Maxwell(918) 259-1405 or bmaxwell@gatesway.orgSeptember 20-21NEW DATEGatesway Balloon FestivalWill Rogers Downs, Cherokee CasinoClaremore, OKNovember 1Storybook GalaThe Mayo Hotel, Crystal BallroomTulsa, OK

Gatesway Foundation1217 E. CollegeBroken Arrow, OK 74012

(918) 258-3900- Main(918) 259-1493- Faxwww.gatesway.org

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1217 E. CollegeBroken Arrow, OK 74012www.gatesway.org

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Gatesway’s Mission: To encourage independence and provide opportunities for people with intellectual and

developmental disabilities that will enable them to live and work in the community and improve their quality of life.