HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-05-06, Page 15Second Section - May 6, 1998
Transportation vital to, psychiatric hostel program
By Brenda Burke
Need a van. WOTCH Club Huron mem-
bers and staff pose with the van they
plan to replace through long-term fund-
raising.
Self-employment. Club Huron has a
contract with a London company to
make electrical wiring parts. Members
make a nickel on each, unit they pro-
duce. James Hawke. a member of the
centre since 1989. rides his bike there
four days a week.
At left: Lunch' duty As a member of
Club Huron, Ron Bryson of Centralia
takes his turn at preparing lunch.
Crystal 11
System
'Saver
Formula
We had it first - our prices are still the best
Hwy. 4 North of Exeter
RR 1 Hensall 263-5252
1
p
This is Mental Health
Week, a time to
recognize needs of
WOTCH members
EXETER - Ah. a reliable set.ofwhcels.
• For a teen getting a driver's license. it means
a rush of freedom. For_ a- growing family, it's a
practical means of transporting. Billy to soccer.
Anne to piano lessons, the dog to.the vet.
.For WOTCH Club Huron (Western Ontario
Therapeutic Community Hostel), a replace-
ment van maintains independence — a vital
key to the rehabilitation program for l85 volun-
tary adult members with disabling or chronic
psychiatric conditions..
The group has a` 10 -passenger van nearing
the end of its serviceable life. Despite its
declining reliability. the nine-year-old van
used daily. to transport members from the
homes to the WOTCH program, which h•
. been located in a former Highway #83 ware
house for, the past .10, years. The .van is als
used to transport work e�luipnent and, tak
members to community jobs, appointment
errands and social outings. - -
"Without a van. this support would not b
possible." reads a recent' WOTCH pros
release. "We have.operating funding allocate
in our budget for gas. insurance, and upkeep
but no capital funds are available. to purchase
vehicle.'
Club Hurn hopes to keep�the van runnin
for another year_or two and when it's replaced
may designate it solely as a work equipmen
vehicle,. A long-term fundraising project wa
launched in mid-March.
"We don't want to scramble at the last min
ute," said Assistant Director Beth Patterson
. "We just want to replace what we have."
WOTCH is funded.by Ontario Ministries o
Health and Housing. Financial cuts during the
past feel' years have left the organization with a
tight budget.. Although Patterson admits
"there's' not a lot (of funds) to play with." the
centre's services remain in high demand. with
membership more than doubling to include
people from Exeter. Hensall, Dashwood,
Zurich. Centralia, Lucan and Si. Marys.
Most members are schizophrenic, which
ica rn�'
cions, the need for hospitalisation and a loss of
_ life skills.
"'A lot of these people get sick at a young
age," explained Director Doug Ruhl. "IC"s an
awful •diseasc...A lot of people over the' yearn
have just kind of been forgotten."
The program aims to -teach life skills, foster
employment opportunities and reduce depend-
ency on hospitals.
"This place kept me out -of the. hospital," said •
member Wayne Gilders of St. Marys.
Meinbers cooperate in. a family -like atmos:
phere. Day today activities include organizing
Iunch,-performing tasks, operating a recreational
program. volunteering and holding part-time
jobs in. the community such as lawn mainte-
nance, tree planting, janitorial duties, restaurant
,service and retail work.
"You -don't have to do a chore here -but. we
encourage it...We've always been pro -employ-
ment," said Ruhl. "That's why we've done so
well in Exeter."
Members can snake up to $160 a month with-
out affecting their family benefits.. Member
is Mark Bredin has worked at tickers for eight
it years and Laurie Martin is an Exeter "freelance
as mail lady." •
In-house employment opportunities, including
minimum wage piece -work, helps some mem-
bers make -the transition to co munity employ-
s mens. The centre now has a contract for produc-
ing electrical wiring .parts and also runs an- in
-
e house profit-sharing snack bar. '
s ."Pop's -50 cents," said member John Eagles.
d " "Not a bad price fora pop thes days."
• •Members.srive their money for -fishing excur-
a ,' sidns and annual trips. This ye nit's a mid-June
camping spree in Bayfield. Net year, it'may be
g Los. Vagyas. , .
"Everybody deserves a vac tion,`' reasoned
Ruhl..: We rent a big Charterw ys'bus and away,
we go.•
The non-profit, lorganization
employ's six full-time and fou part-time staff.
• Relief staff is also available for WOTCH's . •
housing program that includes four houses and
r 10 apartments. in xeter. M r Ann
P" � y Quinn -
Cooper has been a WOTCH community support
worker for the past nine years.' er job involves
helping members to budget, take medication,
attend appointments and deal with other agen-
cies., Members also have: acce s -to a 24-hour
c
B
1~
u
m
r
b
e
a
a
a
charitable,
r
a
m
H
a
s
pport pager system.
With its head office in London,. WOTCH
ened 'additional: homes ' in Chatham and
athroy during the past year.
sti
op
Str
typ Ily olves feelings of isolation. delu- - ,
•
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