There was a time when people with developmental disabilities would be sent to remote locations for vocational training but for the past 40 years, Olds-based Accredited Supports to the Community (ASC) has worked to keep them at home.“(This all) got started because parents wanted opportunities for their children in the community,” said Linda Maxwell, ASC's executive director.“So rather than having to send their children out of the community to live in other kinds of places, like institutions, they felt that to keep them successfully at home, they would need to have a way to provide training and education just like any other child would get.“It was a passion of the families and the passion of the community here that allowed those services to develop.”On July 23, ASC held a barbecue to celebrate 40 years of providing services for people with disabilities of all ages including services for employment, home living, parenting and other life skills.The group also operates the Bottle Depot on 50 Avenue north of Highway 27 and has offices in Strathmore and Drumheller.ASC was founded in 1974 following the opening of the Horizon School, which at that time was called the Mountain View Association for the Mentally Handicapped.Because the Horizon School only served people up to 18 years old, ASC was created to accommodate older clients, said Garry Vooys, ASC's president.Vooys added that the community in Olds accepted their organization from the start and that ASC allowed kids to access services at home.“If we wouldn't have had this facility here in Olds, our children would have had to go who-knows-where,” Vooys said.That community support, which keeps the group on track to serve its mandate, is responsible for ASC's longevity, Maxwell said.“The families are obviously happy with what we do (and) they're supporting what we do. They're part of this. The community is fully behind us,” she said.“It just makes sense. People want to live in their homes, they want to live in the community, the people around us support that.”Maxwell also credited leadership from board members, who are unpaid volunteers who offer their time and expertise.For her, personal growth and learning about the people she serves has been the most rewarding part of working for ASC.“You learn about the potential of people and it's quite humbling actually to be part of that. It's never been boring, never will be boring,” she said. “Everyday's exciting and it's very fulfilling work. I've learned so much from other people. I have a lot to be grateful for.”[email protected]
