Making Choices Sinto Center Program At Offers Developmentally Disabled Adults Acceptance, Assistance And Recreation

Eleanor Souda likes purple nail polish and she loves jigsaw puzzles. But her favorite thing is breakfast.

“I like to go out for waffles!” she said with a grin, possibly recalling a tasty batch recently eaten.

And thanks to the Sinto Senior Center’s Choice Project, many of Souda’s desires can be fulfilled.

The Choice Project is one of about 14 programs offered by the county that provides employment assistance and recreation for developmentally disabled adults.

Sinto’s Choice Project offers members a range of activities - everything from ceramics and sing-alongs to cooking and computer training.

Members spend a minimum of 33 hours a month with the program. They go on various excursions - to art shows, hockey games and cherry-pit spitting contests, for example. They also help deliver Meals on Wheels.

“We try to expose those with disabilities to people without disabilities,” explained program supervisor Herb Hylton. “If there’s something interesting going on, we do it.”

“This is not a baby-sitting service,” added Karen Kitt-Chapman, program specialist. “We go out and do things and they choose what they want to do.” Hence the program’s name.

If someone says they want to be an artist, Hylton will sign them up for art lessons. If they want purple nail polish, Kitt-Chapman will take them shopping for it.

“We find out what their wish is and we try to comply,” she said.

The ultimate goal, however, is integration.

“We try to help them feel like they’re part of society,” Kitt-Chapman said. Members are taken out in groups of three at most, “so they don’t stick out,” she explained.

Funding for the developmentally disabled program at the Hillyard Senior Center was recently cancelled. So, the six members of that program joined those at Sinto.

Apparently the transition went mostly unnoticed.

“Their lives haven’t been totally affected by it,” Kitt-Chapman said. “Both programs have the same coordinator, so they just had to get used to a new location.”

Though the program is open to adults of all ages, most members are seniors. Many have spent most of their lives institutionalized at a time when the system was not as understanding as it is today.

Every once in a while, Kitt-Chapman said she sees a flashback of those earlier days - people being torn from their families, physically abused, raped or ignored. One had her baby taken away because of her disability.

“They didn’t know what going to feed the ducks or going shopping was all about,” Kitt-Chapman said of the project members. “Now they have a choice and can do things like that.”

Bowling is a popular request.

“It’s my favorite,” Mary Fortman said, “because I can beat (program supervisor) Herb.”

Others favor pinochle.

“Sometimes I win and sometimes I don’t,” said Gordon Proctor. “It depends on the cards.”

Indeed, as in life, many things hinge on the luck of the draw.

Like Kitt-Chapman said, if the mental health system had been different 30 or 40 years ago, many Choice Project members would likely already be independent members of society.

But at least they have choices now.

“They’re accepted here,” she said. “They’re not looked down on.”