Fundraising walkathon Sunday, May 11 at Muskoka Heritage Place will be a fun-filled event

Huntsville mayor Claude Doughty and Community Living Huntsville representatives kicked off Community Living Month at a flag-raising ceremony held at town hall last Thursday.

Community Living Month is held to create awareness about the organization and what it does.

The organization’s goal is to help integrate community members suffering with intellectual disabilities into the community.

Some still live in institutions. Others may live at home but with little connection with the community around them — as children, they may be in segregated classrooms; as adults, they are largely excluded from the workforce. At all ages, many face physical and social barriers that keep them from participating in the social, recreational and economic world around them.

Community Living Huntsville strives to help the community understand and build the capacity to welcome and include people with disabilities.

 One of its goals is to help people with intellectual disabilities participate effectively in all aspects of community life. Currently Community Living Huntsville provides support in areas such as accommodation, advocacy, employment, family support, person-centred planning, public education, respite, support to children and the childcare/education community, as well as support to youth transitioning to adult life.

Community Living Huntsville’s roots began in 1962 when a group of concerned families who had children with intellectual disabilities (who were labelled “mentally retarded”), opened a nursery school program called the Blue Horizons Nursery School. The school was staffed by volunteers and operated out of church basements.

In 1971 the group became incorporated as a not-for-profit organization called the Huntsville and District Association for the Mentally Retarded.

The name was changed in 1987 to Community Living Huntsville.

“We’ve come a long way,” say supporters.

Provincially, the organization is affiliated with Community Living Ontario, which is also a member of the Canadian Association for Community Living. Community Living Ontario advocates for public policy and social change “toward the goal (that) all people live in a state of dignity, share in all elements of living in the community, and have the opportunity to participate effectively.”

 Community Living Ontario works to shape public policy by developing position papers on current issues, by analyzing and responding to legislation, and by advocating for change through public education and awareness campaigns.

The organization supports people by linking local associations and their members with the resources and information they need, and by offering training and consultation in the areas of family support, education, employment, human rights, community participation, advocacy and self-planning.

In addition, Community Living Ontario undertakes pilot projects that demonstrate Community Living at work. These range from building inclusive schools — a three-year project to help school districts adopt inclusive education — and a project designed to help communities welcome people out of institutions.

There are 115 affiliated associations, with a total of approximately 12,000 members strong.

Community Living Huntsville is primarily funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services and also relies on donations. It also holds fundraising events to help supplement resources it needs to help those it supports.

This year it will be hosting the second annual Community in Motion Event, a fundraiser to bring about awareness of Community Living Huntsville. This is everyone’s opportunity to come out and learn about Community Living, the people it supports and, of course, to run, walk or wheel for a great cause.

This year during its Community in Motion walkathon organizers hope to raise money to give the kitchen at the old school house on 99 West Road, which is where Community Living Huntsville is headquartered, a much-welcome facelift.

The organization will also be sharing its space with The Table soup kitchen. So now there are two great reasons for community members to join the walkathon and show their support.

The walkathon will be held on Sunday, May 11 at Muskoka Heritage Place and will feature entertainment by Jen Peak of Philly Cream Cheese, a barbecue and great prizes and giveaways. It’s a fun-filled event you don’t want to miss.

Registration begins at noon and the official start is at 12:30 p.m. The barbacue and entertainment will begin at 1:15 p.m.

If you would like to be a participant, or if would like more information on becoming a member, call Janet Dodgson at 789-4543 ext. 21.