theAdvocatetheAdvocateSummer 2007

The Arc of Baltimore Mission StatementTo ensure that people with developmental disabilities

have maximum opportunities to actively participate

in all aspects of community life and to offer programs

and services that support them in doing so.

JK Ferrell has a passion for safety.

“In The Arc’s efforts to help people

with developmental disabilities be

as independent as possible, we need to

help them learn how to plan for the

unexpected and to respond to

emergencies and disasters. Having that

knowledge is an important part of

leading a responsible adult life.”

That rationale is one of the driving

forces behind JK’s commitment to

creating, coordinating and centralizing

a comprehensive safety plan for the

agency. Clearly, doing so is no small

task for an organization the size of The

Arc of Baltimore, especially when you

consider that the plan includes home

and workplace safety, safe driving and

emergency and disaster preparedness.

Fortunately, JK has a good sense of

humor to help him stay grounded

while tackling that enormous

undertaking.

“All employees of The Arc of

Baltimore have safety responsibilities,

so I’ve got plenty of help. In fact, I like

to think that I supervise the agency’s

largest department!”

Kidding aside, JK is recruiting and

training employees to be safety officers

to help administer the safety plan

throughout the agency. Each Day

Center will have one officer; the larger

Employment Center at Seton will have

two. Safety officers from the

Community Living division will over-

see several sites.

In addition to training their peers,

safety officers will identify potential

hazards and suggest ways to eliminate

The ArcIntensifies itsFocus on Safety

C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 3

C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 2

Mike Eikenberg and Chuck

Shettle, veteran co-chairs of

The Arc of Baltimore’s

celebrity golf tournaments, have a

reputation for going the extra mile to

ensure success, and their efforts paid off

again this year. The 13th annual tourney

was held at the Diamond Ridge and

Woodlands golf courses on a picture-perfect, warm May day with

sunny skies, no humidity and just the right amount of breeze. Two

hundred twenty golfers, including celebrities Tom Tasselmyer,

Brooks Robinson, Lenny Moore, and Dave Johnson raised more than

$100,000 for The Arc’s programs and services.

Winners at Diamond Ridge included the following teams:

Longo’s Appliance Center, 1st place; Allstate Leasing, 2nd place;

Golf Tournament Hitsthe Sweet Spot

The team from Texas Liquids (l

to r)—Pat Carmen, Patrick

Carmen, Chris Baloga and

Mike Stallings—won first place

at the Woodlands Golf Course.

Title Sponsor

Scientific Plant Service

Awards Sponsor

R. J. Princinsky & Associates

Media Sponsors

Baltimore Business JournalComcast

Hole in One Sponsor

Bob Davidson Ford

Bay Buddies Special Sponsor

Allegis Group Foundation

Masters Sponsors

Erickson RetirementCommunities

Whiteford, Taylor & Preston

Eagle Sponsors

Bay National BankBlades & RosenfeldExpressway Office SolutionsOak ContractingSC&HTexas LiquidsUBS

Beverage Sponsor

R. W. Bozel Transfer

Birdie Sponsors

Advance Business SystemsAflacAllstate Leasing

Austin Pharmacy &Medical Supplies

Barrett Business ServicesBlue Dot of MarylandCareFirst BlueCross BlueShieldCollins/Snoops & AssociatesCompass Point MortgageConstellation NewEnergyDelmarva Data CenterFireline CorporationKronosLafarge North AmericaLearning SystemsInternational

Leonard Paper CompanyLongo’s Appliance CenterMutual of AmericaNew Carpet CompanyRiggs, Counselman, Michaels& Downes

Rosenberger & Company, PASprint NextelUnisysWachovia Bank NAWaste ManagementWise Consulting ServicesXO Communications

Special Hole Sponsors

CFS Medical Supply GroupDanaher CorporationDatapriseDundalk Center Parents GroupMcEnroe Voice and DataMLSS TitleNational Title and TagProfessional PressRosemore, Inc.Stanton CommunicationsThe Perennial Farm

Golf Tournament Hits the Sweet Spot

2

Delmarva Data Center, 3rd place; McGladrey & Pullen, 4th place; and MetLife,

5th place. Bryan DelMonte, from McEnroe Voice & Data, hit the men’s longest

drive; Robin Busch, of Fireline Corporation, was the winner in the women’s

competition. Closest to the hole contest winners included Mike Benhoff,

Hollins Organic Products; Bob Spangler, Columbia Amusements; and Rich Rosa,

Longo’s Appliance Center.

At Woodlands, the team from Texas Liquids came in first, followed by

foursomes from CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, 2nd place; Compass Point

Mortgage, 3rd place; Lafarge North America, 4th place; and RJP (R. J. Princinsky

& Associates), 5th place. Steve Ready, from RJP, had the men's longest drive,

while Beth Gasiorowski, from Whiteford Taylor Preston, took the ladies’ honor.

Closest to the hole contest winners included Jeff Weese, Compass Point

Mortgage; Geb Buchness, CareFirst; and Charles McCusker, Wachovia Bank NA.

Many thanks to the event’s planning committee: Co-chairs Mike

Eikenberg and Chuck Shettle, Loretta Letke, Joe Pandullo and Allan Sanders.

Your hard work paid off big time! ■

And now…A word TO ourtournament sponsors:

“Thanks!”

From left: Chris Grant, Gene Parry, Tom Tasselmyer and Brent Humphries played for Hollins Organic.

Baltimore Colt legend Lenny Moore poses happily with Whiteford Taylor

Preston’s Anna Kelly (left) and Abby Ross.

C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1

3

or reduce them to nip problems in the bud. “Their input

also will help us improve safety inspections, incident

investigations, emergency plans and emergency readiness,”

JK explains.

The agency’s safety director also hopes to improve the

tracking system for safety-related programs, incidents and

data.

Historically, The Arc has been exceedingly safety-

oriented, but September 11th, the CARF accreditation

process and Hurricane Katrina made JK want to revisit the

agency’s safety program in an effort to make its policies

more global and to centralize its administration.

“After revising our emergency readiness and response

plan, I feel comfortable that it is much more detailed than

before. It spells out specifically who’s going to do what,

when and where.”

During the revision process, JK did extensive safety

research and became somewhat of an expert in the field.

Recently, he led safety workshops at The Arc of the United

States’ convention in San Diego and at the Pacific Rim

Conference on Disabilities in Honolulu. He focused on

general safety, medical emergencies, natural disasters, utility

failures, home security and strategies to assist direct service

providers with emergency readiness efforts.

Despite his wealth of safety knowledge, JK attends

training sessions regularly to keep abreast of the latest

information. Sponsors include the Chesapeake Region

Safety Council, The Arc’s insurance companies, the

Developmental Disabilities Administration and a group

called the Disability Preparedness Center. ■

JK also is chair of the agency’s Risk Management

Committee that oversees safety functions, insurance and safety

prevention. In his “spare” time, JK coordinates The Arc’s Red

Cross blood drives and is already recruiting donors for the

next two, slated for Friday, August 31 and Friday, November

2. Both will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Arc’s

headquarters, 7215 York Road.

If you want to make JK’s day, call him at 410-296-2272 to

register to be a blood donor. If you also remember to stay alert

when you’re behind the wheel and use your knees instead of

your back to help lift heavy objects, JK will likely swoon!

C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1

Making a Case for Safety

As part of the The Arc’s emergency readiness and

response plan, JK Ferrell is seeking donors to

provide emergency kits for every facility and every

person in the agency. “Shelter in Place” kits are intended

to supply the needs of residents of a home or occupants of

a building for up to 3 days. Contents include a flashlight,

non-perishable food, water, a battery-powered radio and

extra batteries, important documents, extra prescription

medicines, a small tool kit, a first aid kit and other

essentials.

The “Go Kit” is a smaller, more portable version of the

Shelter in Place kit. It is meant to be carried by a person

who needs to evacuate an area quickly. Go Kits will be

stored in backpacks, small rolling suitcases or duffle bags.

Contents include items such as a cell phone and charger,

food, water, a utility pocket knife, a hat, a watch and Medic

Alert bracelets.

The estimated cost of a Shelter in Place Kit is $200; Go Kits

are valued at $100. If you would like to contribute a kit,

please send a check to The Arc of Baltimore, 7215 York

Road, Baltimore, MD 21212, Attn: Safety Kits. ■

Several golf tournament sponsors discovered the value of their support when they toured the Employment Center at Seton and met with Arc

supported employees who work in landscaping and grounds policing. Shown here, from left: Bob Libertini, Constellation NewEnergy; Crystal

Walton, Arc employee; Michelle Frontudi, Stanton Communications; KimWerner, Constellation NewEnergy; Brandon Wardlaw, Kyle

Guerieri, Joe Peck, Tyrone Bowen and Lisa Koehlerschmidt, Arc employees ; Roger Bonvino, Bob Davidson Ford; and most of Kate

Counselman, RCM&D.

The Arc Intensifies its Focus on Safety

JK Ferrell beseeches donors to sponsor safety kits.

4

On May 5, The Arc of Baltimore celebrated the achieve-

ments of its dedicated employees and volunteers at the

agency’s annual meeting and awards ceremony. WMAR-

TV’s Jamie Costello served as emcee for the event, held at Towson

University.

The evening’s highlights included the naming of Gordon S.

Bonham, Ph.D. and William H. Oliver as directors emeritus—the

equivalent of the Hall of Fame for board service at The Arc of

Baltimore. Conferred upon members as they conclude active

board service, the recognition is reserved for members whose

service has been longstanding and substantial.

Bonham, a member of the board since 1995, is chair of the

Quality Assurance Committee and a member of the Strategic

Planning Committee. He is the principal researcher on the Ask

Me! Project, a survey for which individuals with developmental

disabilities interview their peers to provide data on the quality

of life of people served by programs funded by the Maryland

Developmental Disabilities Administration.

Oliver has been on the board since 1992 and served as

president, secretary and treasurer. He is a member of the

association’s Finance Committee and serves as treasurer of The

Arc of Maryland.

Another high point of the event was the presentation of the

Harry R. Shriver President’s Cup to Robert Davison for providing

exemplary service to The Arc. Davison has been on the board of

directors for 22 years, serving as chair of the Human Rights

Committee during the entire time. ■

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Safeway/Floyd Barry

Floyd Barry is a two-timer—at least

when it comes to being named

Employer of the Year! The Safeway

general manager is so committed to

helping people with developmental dis-

abilities succeed in the work world that

his name came up repeatedly during the

nomination process.

Safeway has employed three con-

sumers in the past four years. One indi-

vidual had a difficult time adjusting to

working outside as a courtesy clerk and

made it clear to everyone that he disliked

the job. Floyd could easily have fired him,

but the savvy general manager met with

The Arc’s support team many times to

find a solution. Refusing to give up on

the employee, Floyd spent time teaching

him new skills and then offered him a

position inside the store. Since then, the

employee has become an important part

of the

Safeway

team. He

received a

promotion

and works

in the

bakery, and

Floyd plans

to fill the

opening with a worker from The Arc of

Baltimore!

Floyd consistently uses his managerial

skills to find creative ways to support

employees from The Arc. His kindness

and dedication have made a world of

difference in the lives of those individuals.

PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

Mt. St. Joseph High SchoolInclusion Program

Brother James Kelly, C.F.X.President

Barry FitzpatrickPrincipal

Mount St. Joseph High School is

the first Catholic high school

in the greater Baltimore

archdiocese to enroll a student who has

Down syndrome.

The student, Ben

Stevick, is fully

included in all

aspects of school

activities and

receives the

necessary supports

he needs to be

successful.

According to an

article that

appeared in The

Catholic Review last

September, “Ben’s presence at Mount St.

Joseph has changed [him] in significant

ways and touched many hearts in the

Mount community.” The article said

Brother James Kelly, C.F.X., president of

the school, believes it is a testament to

Pride, Enthusiasm Evident at AnnualMeeting

Take a Peek Inside OurWinner’s Circle

the caliber of the school’s students that

Ben has been so readily accepted. Ben’s

teacher, Cheryl Hall, accompanies Ben to

classes and serves as his personal tutor.

In her opinion, Ben’s academic skills

have far exceeded expectations and have

improved greatly—a fact she credits to

his daily exposure to conversations with

other students.

Clearly, Ben loves being at Mt. St.

Joseph. When a reporter from The

Catholic Review asked Ben which class

was his favorite, Ben smiled and said

“Chemistry, English, social studies,

religion, math, P.E.—and lunch.”

VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD

Janet and Richard Taylor

Just because a person lives in the

community doesn’t mean he or she

is actually part of the community.

Thanks to Richard and Janet Taylor,

consumer Arthur Machesney has

become part of the Church of the Holy

Comforter community. Every Sunday for

the past two and a half years, the Taylors

have transported Arthur to the church

he attended as a child. When Arthur

5

The Arc of Baltimore’s main office, it

took up an entire conference room!

Thanks to the good folks at LMCM,

there were many happy faces, lots of

giggles and quite a few tears of joy on

Christmas morning. With all of their

money earmarked for rent, gas and

electric, the two families would have

had a very different Christmas were it

not for the generous employees of Legg

Mason Capital Management.

“All that matters to us is that we

made a difference to some deserving

families,” Corinne Ratliff says.

THOMAS FERCIOTMEMORIAL AWARD

FOR PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE

Dr. Ramana Gopalan

Dedicated, committed and

compassionate are three words

commonly used to describe

Dr. Ramana Gopalan. Dr. Gopalan has

assisted a

number of

people

who

receive

support

from The

Arc of

Baltimore

during the

past year.

He per-

formed

services

not covered by Medicare on a pro bono

basis…he provided free medications to

individuals who had no medical

assistance…and when the Medicare

prescription plan changed last year, Dr.

Gopalan patiently explained its many

confusing details.

An outstanding advocate and ally,

Dr. Gopalan has written to the Social

Security Administration to help several

individuals become their own payees

and, as a result, move a step closer to

living independently. He also has

written to the MTA to help obtain

mobility or taxi access for those in need

of transportation. Without prodding,

Dr. Gopalan fills out a lot of extra

paperwork, and he does it pro bono.

Most impressive, perhaps, is Dr.

Gopalan’s reputation for being kind. He

expressed interest in returning there,

Arc staff contacted the church rector,

who recruited the Taylors. The couple is

so committed to Arthur that when they

are on vacation, they arrange for other

church members to transport him to

church.

Arthur is a roommate and child-

hood friend of Chris Mayer, son of The

Arc of Baltimore’s board member Janet

Mayer. Mrs. Mayer considers Arthur

part of her extended family, and she has

seen how much it means to Arthur to

be able to attend church again. “He and

I talked about one of the sermons

recently, and he had such a happy look

on his face. The pastor is getting Arthur

involved, and being part of the church

community makes Arthur feel so

worthwhile. The Taylors don’t do it to

be recognized, but simply because they

want to. They are exactly the kind of

people The Arc needs more of: folks

who are willing to help people like

Arthur become real members of the

community.”

SPECIAL APPRECIATION AWARDS

Legg Mason CapitalManagement

Mary-Susan DonhauserHuman Resources and

Administration Manager

Corinne Ratliff,Associate Administrator

For the past two years, employees

from Legg Mason Capital

Management (LMCM) spon-

sored four families—each having at

least one child with a developmental

disability—for Christmas. Corinne

Ratliff, an administrative assistant with

Legg Mason who coordinates the

project, says almost everyone gets

involved in the event by donating

money, shopping or wrapping.

This year, the amazing group

purchased toys and clothing for 22

people in two families. The group’s

members were determined that every-

one would have a gift to open on

Christmas day, so moms and grand-

parents were included on the shopping

lists. LMCM also gave each family a gift

card that could be used to purchase

food. When personnel from Legg

Mason delivered the merchandise to

is a wonderful listener who is considerate

of his patients’ feelings and needs, even

unspoken ones. Thank you, Dr. Gopalan,

for being both a down-to-earth doctor

and a caring friend.

STANLEY S. HERR AWARD FORADVOCACY LEADERSHIP

Ellen A. Callegary, Esq.

Public service is in Ellen Callegary’s

blood. “I was raised by a dad who

was a lawyer and a mother who

studied psychology. My dad did a lot of

work for the national Disabled American

Veterans Commission, and he and my

mom were both very public service-

oriented,” Ellen explains.

As a practicing attorney and a

founding partner in the law firm of

Callegary & Steedman, P.A., Ellen is

keeping her family’s tradition of service

alive. She specializes in special education,

disability and family law issues, helping

children and adults throughout

Maryland obtain appropriate special

education and rehabilitation services.

“I love what

I learn from my

clients,” Ellen

says. “I see the

real impact of

disabilities on

people’s lives

every day. They

are amazingly

courageous.”

During a

decade as an

assistant attorney general for the State of

Maryland, Ellen advised state agencies on

matters related to the rights of persons

with disabilities and served as principal

counsel for the Department of Juvenile

Services. She has lectured on health law

and taught AIDS and mental health law

clinics at the University of Maryland

School of Law, where she is a member of

the adjunct faculty. Her article, “The

IDEA’s Promise Unfulfilled: A Second

Look at Special Education & Related

Services for Children with Mental Health

Needs After Garret F.,” appeared in the

Journal of Health Care Law & Policy,

Volume 5, 2002.

OFFICERSPresident

GILBERT F. KENNEDY, III

Vice President

ERIC GROSS

Secretary

PEARLETHA PEGUESE

Treasurer

MARK PARÉ

Past President

MATTHEW G. YANCISIN

DIRECTORSBARBARA BAILEYJ. JOSEPH CURRAN, IIIROBERT DAVISONTONIA FERGUSONMICHELLE HARTLORETTA LETKEJAMES LISTJANET MAYER

EDMOND B. NOLLEY, JR.SEAN O’CONORDENNIS RASMUSSENJEFF REVERPATRICIA ROSNERDORIS ROWEMARY SCOTTTHOMAS SESSOMESSTEPHEN J. SFEKASJOYCE TARRANTEARNEST WOODARDMIKE YOUNG

2007-08 Officers and Directors

C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 6

The 2007 legislative session was marked by a number of

firsts. It was the inaugural session for incoming

Governor Martin O’Malley as well as for a number of

newly elected legislators. It also marked the first time that the

Governor and the General Assembly had the opportunity to

invoke the COLA bill, which passed during last year’s session

and provides an inflationary increase for developmental

disability service providers.

Dominating the session were weighty concerns about the

significant structural budget deficit expected in the FY 2009

budget—and the need to develop a plan to address it. Another

area of concern involved crisis conditions at the state-run

Rosewood Center. Identified by the Office of Health Care

Quality and the Maryland Disability Law Center, these

conditions cast a spotlight on issues relating to state residential

centers and people with developmental disabilities, including

community capacity, appropriate services and supports for

people with criminal justice involvement and the need for

institutional services.

The summary below is excerpted from a report prepared by

Laura Howell, executive director of the Maryland Association

of Community Services (MACS). ■

Looming Budget Crisis a Focus of 2007Legislative Session

6

BUDGET ISSUES

COLA / INFLATIONARY INCREASE

A significant advocacy effort paved the way for the General

Assembly to pass a budget for FY 08 that includes $12 million

for a 2% inflationary increase for DDA-licensed providers. This

represents partial implementation of the COLA legislation

passed last year, requiring the Governor to include an infla-

tionary increase—based on the recommendation of the

Community Services Reimbursement Rate Commission—

in the budget. The Commission had recommended a 3.83%

increase for developmental disability providers in FY 08.

SELF-ADVOCACY NETWORK

The Governor removed all funding for the self-advocacy

network ($110,000) from the DDA budget, and the General

Assembly restored partial funding. The budget restricts

approximately $72,000 in administrative funds to be used

only for self-advocacy.

SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET

Governor O’Malley released a supplemental budget that

included $1.5 million for Rosewood and $1 million to begin

implementation of the federal “Money Follows the Person”

grant. There was no additional funding for the COLA or the

Waiting List.

LEGISLATIVE ISSUES

TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE DEVELOPMENTALDISABILITES ADMINISTRATION RATE PAYMENT SYSTEMS— PASSED

SB 4859 creates a task force to study the rate payment system

of the Developmental Disability Administration (DDA) and

make recommendations for change. The task force is expected

to help identify significant challenges facing providers due to

the increasingly outdated and under-funded rate system.

Additionally, it provides an opportunity for stakeholders to

work hand-in-hand with DDA to develop recommendations for

the Governor and the General Assembly.

ROSEWOOD TRANSITION PLAN — PASSED

HB 970, the bill that mandates a plan for the Rosewood

Center, was passed by the General Assembly. As originally

drafted, the bill would have closed the Rosewood Center by

2010, but the bill was amended to remove that mandate.

However, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

(DHMH) will be required to develop a plan to serve all

Rosewood residents in the most integrated setting possible

and in a manner consistent with each individual’s written

habilitation plan. A transition timetable must be

included. DHMH must also develop a plan to serve Rosewood

residents who have been involved with the criminal justice

system and develop recommendations regarding State

employees and alternative use of the property.

“FREEDOM OF CHOICE” — FAILED

HB 1358 would have significantly changed the policy of the

State of Maryland regarding services for people with develop-

mental disabilities. HB 1358 would have removed the right of

individuals with developmental disabilities to live in

“surroundings as normal as possible” and would have

required admission to a state residential center for individuals

who choose to live in one.

Take a Peek in OurWinner’s Circle C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 5

Beth Pepper, Esq. presents a convincing case for

recognizing Ellen Callegary with this prestigious

award. “Ellen is a special type of lawyer because she

cares. She cares about her clients—their dreams

and hopes. She cares about her students—their

welfare and future. She cares about her

colleagues—their professional development and

growth. She cares about the law—its direction and

promise of equality and opportunity. For this and

all her other achievements, Ellen Callegary carries

out the legacy of Stanley Herr, our mutual friend.” ■

7

Ensuring that individuals supported by the

agency have CHOICE—and a voice—in

decisions that affect their lives is a guiding

principle at The Arc of Baltimore.

Mike Marshall, director of quality insurance,

explains it this way: “CHOICE is about giving

people the opportunity and the information to

allow them to make informed decisions about

their lives. This includes—but is not limited to—

where they live and with whom they live, where

they work, what they wear, what they eat, what

activities they want to participate in. Basically,

many of these are decisions you and I take for

granted, but The Arc of Baltimore believes in

empowering people to take control of their lives

to the best of their ability.”

In the realm of community living, staff

members try to ensure that individuals have

CHOICE in terms of roommates and living

situations. Kevin Martin, Elbin Morton and

Derrick Hairston are perfect examples.

Kevin and Elbin were living with a third

roommate who was preparing to move to a more

independent living situation. Derrick had been

living with his mother, but she had a severe stroke

that left her in a nursing home and left Derrick

shuttling between relatives’ homes.

Derrick and Kevin have been friends since

elementary school. So when a Kevin’s roommate

moved out, he suggested Derrick move in. Kevin

and his house counselor, Alice Corpin, talked to

Elbin about the idea. Elbin didn’t know Derrick

but he approved of the plan and a thrilled

Derrick moved in a few months later.

Alice was concerned Elbin would feel like an

outsider with old friends Kevin and Derrick.

“Before Derrick moved in, Kevin and I talked a

lot about the importance of including Elbin. It

has worked out just fine.

Two months into

the new living arrange-

ment, Alice marvels

that the three men

seem like they’ve lived

together forever. They

go to movies, dances

and car shows; they

ride bikes and eat out a lot. A new pool table with

a top that converts into an air hockey game has

been a big hit with the roommates, too.

Initially, Alice says, Elbin was a bit slow to

warm up to his new roommate. Now he calls

Derrick “best buddy.” Recently, Elbin bought a

new keyboard and, although he was reluctant to

share it, has started to teach Derrick how to

play it.

The three men spend a good part of each

evening hanging out in Kevin’s room, but Derrick

also likes to spend time by himself in his new

La-Z-Boy recliner. Alice says she talked to him

about learning to be assertive about getting the

“alone time” he needs.

Alice believes she lives with the three most

delightful men in The Arc’s community living

program. “Each one of them is unique, but they

are all so content.

“Derrick is one of the most remarkable people

I have ever met. He has cerebral palsy and looks so

fragile, but he is so strong. He has worked at

McDonald’s for more than 18 years. His legs are so

thin and weak that he looks very unstable, but he

takes out the trash, wipes down tables and cleans

the bathrooms all day long, without a single

complaint. He works harder than a person who

has two good legs.

“He also has the biggest smile you’ll ever see. It

lets his soul shine right through.”

Alice calls Kevin “Mr. Stuff.” She says he has

been collecting matchbox cars since he was five

years old, and “many of them live on the floor of

his room.” Alice also considers Kevin, who works

in an enclave at Unifirst,

a “living GPS system”

because he can find any-

thing. “I don’t go to

MapQuest, I go to

Kevin. I learned the

hard way that when

MapQuest gives differ-

ent directions than Kevin’s, Kevin is always right.”

Elbin, who works at the Maryland Athletic

Club, approaches life with enthusiasm. Alice

recalls that when he first moved in, Elbin had no

money and not much of anything else besides a

dream of living independently. “He was so grateful

to be here that he spent the first two years smiling.

He always lends a helping hand, sometimes before

it is even requested. He loves his music, he loves

dances and he loves being with his roommates.”

Alice says she insists that all three men do

everything they can around the house, from

cooking to cleaning to laundry. That way, if they

choose to move to a more independent residence

someday, they’ll be well prepared. ■

Roommates Exemplify thePrinciple of CHOICE

Roommates (from left)

Elbin Morton, Kevin Martin

and Derrick Hairston enjoy

a game of pool.

CHOICE is about giving people theopportunity and the information to

allow them to make informeddecisions about their lives.

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PAIDBaltimore,MDPermitNo.2511

TheArcofBaltimore’sservicesareprovidedwithout

regardtorace,color,religion,sex,age,maritalstatus,

nationalorigin,medicalconditionordisability.

7215YorkRoadBaltimore,MD21212

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theAdvocatetheAdvocateThe Advocate is published by

The Arc of Baltimore, Inc.

7215 York Road

Baltimore, MD 21212

410-296-2272

www.arcofbaltimore.org

Feedback Line:

Dial option #8 or ask the operator for assistance

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800-735-2258

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Gilbert F. Kennedy, III, President

Stephen H. Morgan, Executive Director

Steamcom.com, Writing and Graphic Design

Three cheers for The Helping Hands, which received

the “Self-Advocacy Group Award” from The Arc of

Maryland last month. The group has 45 members,

three of whom—Doris Rowe, Tom Sessomes and

Earnest Woodard—serve on The Arc of Baltimore’s

board of directors. The Helping Hands was responsi-

ble for the name change from BARC—the Baltimore

Association for Retarded Citizens—to The Arc of

Baltimore. Group members also are involved in

efforts to close the Rosewood Center. During

Maryland’s legislation session, many members

attend hearings in Annapolis. Additionally, they help

register new voters and encourage people with

disabilities to vote in the primary and general

elections. Throughout the year, the Helping Hands

sponsors dances, shirt sales, raffles and other

fundraisers that enable the group to provide a special

holiday meal and gifts to needy families. ■

Helping Hands Honored

Athletes from The Arc’s Dundalk Center participated in a Special Olympics basketball

tournament at Coppin State University in March. Team members included, from left,

Michael Thomas, Bridget Cushing, Cindy Pritchett, John Pfeifer (kneeling), Shawn Walker,

Bonnita Killman, Billy Thomas and David Price (in background). Barb Wagner, one of the

athlete’s parents, observed: “The attitude of the Special Olympians was infectious; each

person was a joy to behold!”

Helping Hands Regi Tunstall, Earnest Woodard, Joyce Friedman, Doris Roweand Joe Jordan accept the Self-Advocacy Group Award.