During the last concert in the park, Cardinal Services Community Relations Manager Michelle Boxell ran into several Cardinal Center clients.
Surrounded by friends and acquaintances, Boxell saw a real-life example of people living with disabilities earning “social capital.”
It’s a concept Al Condeluci will talk about Monday when he comes to Warsaw.
He’s the first of three speakers in a series brought to the community by The Families of Cardinal Committee.
Penny Brown serves on that as well as other committees for Cardinal. She and Boxell talked about the speaker series Wednesday afternoon.
“Without a connection to the community you live in, without friends and a support staff, you become lonely. You’re less happy and healthy,” said Brown. “That goes for anyone.”
The speaker series is free and open to the public. Condeluci will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Cardinal Services Training Center, 3646 Commerce Drive, Warsaw.
The training center is in the Big R plaza.
Condeluci will be in town working with Cardinal staff. Boxell called it “kismet” in being able to get him to be a part of the speaker series.
“The series has been something that’s been talked about since we formed the family committee a couple of years ago,” she said. “And we’ve wanted Al to speak. It finally worked out.”
Boxell said what makes Condeluci so unique is that he has held nearly every single job in the field.
He currently is the CEO of United Cerebral Palsy of Pittsburgh and is one of the country’s leading advocates for social integration.
He started his career as a caregiver.
His talk is expected to be informal and, depending on the attendance, may turn into more of a discussion or a question-and-answer session.
When Brown and Boxell say that speakers like Condeluci are for everyone in the community they mean it.
While they expect and hope for friends, families and advocates of people living with disabilities to be on hand, along with those living with an intellectual disability, those interested in community service or those just looking for something to do on a Monday night are encouraged to attend.
“We have a lot of friends of Cardinal,” said Boxell. “We’d love to see them come out.”
Boxell also said it’s a way for new people to become friends of Cardinal. Programs are offered like one where members of the community friend a client.
There is a vetting process to become one.
Boxell said it’s as fulfilling an experience as one can have.
“When you are giving of your time to someone else,” said Boxell. “That is the most rewarding thing.”
For Brown, she has seen first-hand how much community integration can improve quality of life.
Her brother, Mark Warren, is 54 and lives with an intellectual disability.
At 54, he was first introduced to Cardinal at 6 when he attended the school in town for those with special needs.
He’s worked in the workshop at Cardinal for year and is a part of the community living program with 24/7 support from Cardinal staff.
“He’s very community-minded,” said Brown. “He’s very proud to be part of the community. He bowls on the Special Olympics team.”
Brown’s brother has built a lot of social capital. It’s thus improved his quality of life.’
“He’s truly happy,” said Brown.
That’s the goal for all clients with Cardinal: Improving their community connections thus improving their quality of life.
An example of the community at-large connecting with intellectual disabilities community can be found Friday.
The First Christian Church of Warsaw is holding a spring dance Friday in conjunction with Special Olympics monthly dance.
“It’s a big deal. It’s like prom,” said Boxell.
That sort of community integration is what Condeluci will discuss.
After him, Kim Opsahl, executive vice president and chief operating officer for the Indiana Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, will speak Aug. 9 at 6:30 p.m. while Melissa Justice, director of The Arc Master Trust, will come to town Oct. 11 at 6:30 p.m.
Boxell said depending on the success of this current speaker series, there may be more in the future.
To RSVP for Monday’s event or explore programs within Cardinal, call 574-371-1387 or email Boxell at michelle.boxell@cardinalservices.org
Follow staff writer Daniel Riordan on Twitter at @TUNews_Riordan
