PAGE 14, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1977, WHITBY FREE PRESS Retarded suffer intellectual handicaps By BRIAN WINTER Staff Writer The life of a mentally retarded person living in an institution is not a very happy one, but within the last five years, many opportunities have opened for the mentally retarded that did not exist before. In 1972, the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services opened the Durham Centre for the Developmentally Handicap- ped on the grounds of the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital, and began to develop special recreational programs for its residents. Mentally retarded people suffer from intellectual and physical handicaps, rather than emotional disturbance 10 ACRE COUNTRY RETREAT . 85000 Located 9 miles from downtown Whitby, this unique.property has many added features. Spring-fed creek, 14 year old brick bungalow. Walkout from the livingroom to cedar deck overlooking the beautiful country side. Owner will assist with financing at 9% interest. For further details, calI Margie Aukema at 668-8865, or 655-4248. COUNTRY LIVING North Oshawa, 2 acres and a beautifully planned home. Large (24x27) recreation room at ground level with brick fireplace. An unusual and interesting property. $110,000. Call Mrs. Hewn at 668-8865, or ·668-4844. You must see this outstanding 3 bedroom townhouse with its dining room and wrought iron railing, overlooking the picturesque ravinp lot. Walk out to deck. $55,900.00. Constance Davenport, 668.8865, or 668-6709. of the mentally ill. The new Durham Centre took many of the retarded out of the psychiatric hospital and de- veloped special programs geared toward their special needs. College Recreation grad- uates Karen Michaels- and Rhonda Jones are in charge of recreation programming for 100 mentally retarded adults at the Durham Centre, aged from 20 to their mid 60s. On June. 20, ..with. the assistance of two stûdebts, they are starting a special summer program which opens the world to the mentally retarded. One program is a day camp at Oshawa's Camp Samac, five days a week for five weeks. The residents of each of the four adult cottages at the centre spend a week at the camp, and there is one week for residents from all -four cottages to have a two-night overnight stay. Seventy-five people are participating in this program: which features hiking, boating, music, swim- ming, nature crafts, Olympic days, scavenger hunts, ice cream making, etc. Those taking part are not employed or are employed in workshops on the centre's grounds. Fifteen residents who are employed off the grounds in community workshops will attend Camp Kohai for the handicapped, near Brace- bridge from August 8 to 12, where they will have an individual instruction pro- gram geared for more inde- pendent people. On the centre's grounds there are also plenty of new opportunities for recreational activity. Eight residents (they are not called patients) take care of garden plots on Monday evenings.. The program pro- vides physical activity and introduces them to gardening as a hobby. On Tuesday nights there is baseball open to anyone in the adult unit, with volunteers from the com- munity assisting. About 25 to 30 residents participate in this program each night. Also, there are special trips to Wentworth Pioneer Village, Niagara Falls, local conservation areas, the Royal Botanical Gardens, the African Lion Safari and Fort York. Local community-oriented activities include swimming at Iroquois Park, membership in the Whitby seniors activity centre, free passes to movies in Oshawa, bowling in Whitby and - Oshawa, attendance at local churches, attendance at hockey games at Iroquois Park, tours of the Whitby Fire Department, Bowmanville Zoo, Canadian Autoinotive Museum, and Parkwood. The residents also visit the County Town Singers' Concerts, the Brooklin Fair and the County Town Carnival. Miss Michael and Miss Jones are concerned about normalization and integration into the community, so that the residents can use com- munity resources and not be bound to an institution. "The community aids in the normalization of the retarded by offering facilities and allowing us to integrate into activities", says Miss Michael. "Everyone has been very receptive to us. New doors are opening every timeî and ~~our programs- are expanding". Fifteen to 20 years ago there were few recreational opportunities for the retard- ed, she says, and it is only in the past five years that com- munity colleges have included therapeutic recreation courses specially designed to train people to work with the mentally retarded. These courses teach how to modify goals to meet the abilities of the retarded and slow down the progression of steps to a level where they can function comfortably. One of the programs ùt into practice at the Durham Ceritre is a Jamboree which was held on June 13. This unit-wide program featured wagon rides, live entertainment, a wiener roast, and dancing, with the assistance of community organizations. An ongoing senior citizens program provides recreation on Thursday after- noons for residents of the centre aged over 55. One of the key factors in the success of recreation programs for the mentallY retarded is the use of volunteers froni the co- munity, says Miss Michael. Volunteers are needed for baseball, day camp, con- munity outings, clubs, swim- ming and gymnastips programs. As many as 20 volunteers participate in the surnmer, and seven to 10 in the winter. "We could always use more", says Miss Michael. Anyone interested in being a volunteer can contact Volunteer Services at the Durham Centre at 668-7745, ext. 435 and ask for Elizabeth Gomes. Through the assistance of volunteers and an active recreation program, the Durham Centre for the Developmentally ·-Handicap- ped is attempting to give the mentally retarded an oppor- tunity to integrate with the community and not be con- fined to an institutional way of life. Sea Cadets have problems The Whitby Sea Cadets have had one offer of a new location for their head- quarters, but the building offered may be turned down because of transportation problems. Captain Jim VanderEnde, Commanding Officer of the Sea Cadets, said he was offered the Myrtle Comm- unity Centre, but transport- ation for the 55 cadets to this location may be an insurmountable problem. Captain VanderEnde is faced with finding a new location for his sea cadets because the provincial gov't plans to demolish the building they are using on 300 Dunlop Street West in connection with the senior citizens apartment building. The deadline for the sea cadets to vacate 300 Dunlop Street was Aug. 1. The Whitby Public Library has offered to provide temp- orary space for storage of uniforms and band equip- ment, but once renovations begin in the fall this space will no longer be available. Captain VanderEnde was unable to obtain alternate facilities from the Town of Whitby because of an acute shortage of available space. He says he requires three rooms, one for supplies, one for administration, and one for band practice. The cadet corps, formed in 1970, provides nautical training for boys and girls aged 13 to 19. Fifty-five boys and girls are enrolled in the corps, which is sponsored by the Navy League of Canada and the Department of National Defense. Captain VanderEnde is concerned that if the Sea Cadets do not find a new home, they will have to surrender their charter to the Navy Leaguje of Ontario. Facilities are needed by Sept. 1, when the fall program of training begins. Anyone who can assist the Sea Cadets is asked to call Captain VanderEnde .at 728-3774. Slide talks, walks offered by CLOCA The Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority will be conducting slide talks and film presentations at 9 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at Heber Down Conservation Area, June 25 to September 4, inclusive. Directions, - from Highway 401: Brock Street (Hwy. 12), north to Taunton Road (Durham Regional Road No. 4), west 1 mile to Country Lane, north 1 mile to Con- servation Area. Nature and historical walks at various conservation areas to be held on Monday, Wed. and Friday evenings, and Sunday mornings. Meet at the C.L.O.C.A. office,1650 Dundas Street East, Whitby, (opposite Whitby. Mall) at 6:30 p.m. for evening walks and 9:30 a.m. for Sunda) walks. Will be held "rair or shine". Please dres, accordingly. Saturday, August 13, Talk The Iroquois of Southern Ontario; Sunday, August 14 Historical Walk at Camp 'X Conservation Area; Monda August 15, Nature Walk a Harmony Valley Conservatio Area; Tuesday, August 16 Talk - Life of the Pond Wednesday, August 17, His torical Walk at Hampto Conservation Area; Thursda, August 18, Talk - Pioneers ( Southern Ontario; Friday August 19, Nature Walk Heber Down Conservatic Area (office at 6:30 p.n campsite at 7:00 p.m.) llTBY MALL Dundss E. WHITBY WHITBY BACKSPLIT 18x36 INROUND POOL 3 bedrooms & finished rec room, professional landscaping, dish- washer, garden shed & pool equipment all included. Asking $68,000, Must be sold, vendor transferred. LAKEFRONT COTTAGES nestled among white birch on Kushog Lake in the Minden area, 3 bedroom cottage. a 2 bedroom cottage and a 3 bedroom with guest .abin, good sandy beach. Call now for more details. Just outside East Oshawa limits. 100x500 lot with available permits. Asking $39,900; WHI 579-18,22 1