Profiles
Robert (Bob) Hawkins
My name is Robert (Bob) Hawkins.
My name is Robert but I like to be called Bob. I live in a home with other people from Community Living Dufferin. I live with Mike, Glen, Ted and Justine.
I like going out to dinner with the people in my home and other homes. I like going to Montana’s because there are lots of people and it is noisy. I like to watch people. I also like to go to McDonald’s because it is also noisy and there are lots of kids. I also like going to Tim Horton’s and I have a Tim’s card that I show to everyone. I show Julia (staff) it when I want to go to Tim’s. I use it to buy coffee. On my birthday I went to Boston Pizza and ate pizza. My favourite food is donuts. Julia says I have never turned a donut down but can’t have too many.
I love to work at QPAC. I mostly do the Ranger Metal work. I put dishwashers wheels together. I like to go to work.
I saved my money from QPAC to go on a trip. Julia takes me to the bank and helps me save my money
I went to the Forest Glen Resort with the people in my house. Helen, Coreen and Victoria (staff) went and I was happy. I don’t like swimming but I like to watch people swim. I went on a boat ride and I went to see Santa at Santa’s Village. I liked my holiday.
When I’m not a work I go to Options. Last year I went horseback riding and really liked it. I would like to do it again. I went with the Options group and the staff helped me. I would like to spend more time with animals. I love cats, dogs and horses. They make me smile because they are friendly.
I like having my feet massaged. A lady comes once a month to massage my feet and trim my toenails. Julia says I love to charm the ladies.
My favourite things are gadgets and I like to make new things out of them. I like to look at other people’s things. I like batteries because they keep my gadgets working. I tried to see if my record player would play a C.D. It didn’t sound good. Julia says I am an inventor and I always work at trying to make new things. She says I am creative. I have made belt fasteners out of things people don’t want because I don’t like using regular belts.
I like things in order and put things back where they should be.
I like to collect flyers. I look at the paper and I rip out ads in the paper and I collect them. I like to look at magazines. I have quite a few magazines. I like to ones with lots of pictures.
I love all kinds of music. Today I was listening to Christmas music even though it was hot. I like country music too. Years ago my favourite singer was Johnny Cash.
I use to be a home body and didn’t like going places when I first came to live with the people from CLD. But that’s all changed now and I enjoy going out. But, I sometimes don’t like large crowds. There are still days where I’d rather stay home and that’s ok.
Justine Stansbury
Hi my name is Justine Stansbury
My Mom is Olwen and my Dad is Paul. I have lots of brothers and sisters. I have two cats. I am an Aunt. I sometimes visit my sister in Bolton. I have a few nephews and nieces and foster cousins. I also have a Gramma. She sends me cards and letters.
I live in a group home with people from Community Living Dufferin (CLD). I live with Mike, Glen, Bob and Ted. I like living with them. They are pretty funny. I have worked hard at living in my new place. It is fine now. I am happy now. It was hard getting to know all the new staff. Sometimes I miss my family. I have a Mom and a Dad. I have a foster Mom and a foster Dad and now I have a third family, the people I live with now.
I set the table, sweep the floor, clean the counters and I spray the chairs with a cleaner. I like doing it.
The staff takes me to the doctors. I like shopping sometimes.The staff takes me shopping. I like to shop for clothes. I like dressy clothes. I like purses and shoes. I grocery shop with my Mom and Dad. I phoned my Mom and told her my purse broke. She brought me a pink and black purse. I am fashion! I like doing my hair. I like going to Tim Horton’s. The staff takes me there. I like their tea. I like everything.
I work at QPAC. Right now they don’t have work for me but when they do I will go back. I worked with the dishwasher parts for one job and for another I put the rubber into the metal. I also worked on the windmills. It was pretty easy. At the end, you blow on it to see if it works. I love that part! Brenda (staff) showed me how to do it. I liked doing that job. I got paid for doing the work.
I am in CLD’s choir. I follow the words in a book. We have to practice songs from “Beauty and the Beast”. Choir practice is on Thursdays. I will be singing with the people from the Drama Club in the Opera House (Theatre Orangeville – March 25th and 26th). I am excited about that. Amy (choir director) teaches us. Amy sometimes says, “Okay, everybody start over again.” I like singing in the choir. I love it!
I love singing. Andee (staff) started “CLD Idol”. It is tomorrow afternoon. Last week I sang a song of Celine Dion’s. I sang, “The Power of Love”. I danced too. I kicked off my shoes and started dancing and I fell down and Julie (staff) said I better be careful!
At home I sing with Kelly Clarkson. I use a Karaoke machine. I pretend I am on stage and I sing down in my room with my microphone. I sing so loud that the staff can hear me upstairs in their office.
I go swimming with the people from the Options program. I move my arms and my legs and my feet are moving behind me I like to do summersaults and Julia (staff) says I am like a fish. I have to hold my nose and I tip into the water and do a summersault. I also can do a headstand in the water. It is great exercise. When I walk my knees sometimes hurt and they don’t when I am in the water. The staff from CLD takes my friend, Glen and me to the pool. My swimming coach with the Special Olympics taught me when I was a child.
I have to try and lose weight. It is tough. Julia is helping me make healthy choices. She wants me to be healthy.I went to Julia because my knees hurt. The doctor said I needed to lose weight. I feel great about losing weight, but it is really hard because the guys I live with want to eat donuts. I was eating my breakfast and Michelle (staff) gave me a coffee and I told her I can’t have coffee because I can’t have caffeine. I drink herbal tea. Julia says coffee makes me hyper. Julia also has the same problem if she drinks too much coffee.
I write my own stories and I type them. I have business cards too. I am a writer. The story I am writing is about Julia. I like being a writer. I love it! I am a great writer! I also have a book.
Jimmy Powers
My name is Jimmy Powers.
I was born in California and lived with my Mom. I have a baby sister named Linda. We moved to Toronto when I was two years old. Then I lived in a respite home until I moved into Rideau Regional Institution.
I used to go swimming there sometimes and I would also go to the gym and play with balls. My grandmother used to send me balls at the institution because I love to play with them. I also went to Grippen Lake Camp, which was at Rideau. Everything I did was at the institution; I did not leave very often. Now that I live in the community I go to the near by pool to swim and the gym.
I have a problem walking because of a condition (spastic quadriplegic) I have. I was also diagnosed in 1999 with PKU (Phenylketonuria), which means that foods with high amounts of proteins are harmful to me. It caused pretty severe brain damage when I was little because they didn’t know I had it. Now that I have been diagnosed people know how to help me. I now have to be on a special diet. I am only allowed a little bit of protein a day, this special diet helps me live a better life.
I am 51 and I have spent most of my life in the institution. I lived in
an isolation room for most of my adult life. Before coming to Community Living Dufferin I could get angry and confused, and it was sometimes hard for me as I had to live with a lot of people. Now I live with 4 people and it is nice and quiet at my home.
Since coming to live in a group home with people at CLD, I am not as angry. My special diet makes me feel better. Things are different here. I can watch the staff make my food. My favourite food is French fries. I like to eat Fig Newton’s and After Eight’s. The staff got me a specialty cake mix from The Hospital for Sick Children’s Specialty Food Store. I also love the pasta from there. The staff purees my food. Since coming to CLD, I also don’t throw things as much and I have only tried to eat one thing that I wasn’t supposed to eat. I am not as angry as I used to be. The support workers in my group home even were able to put a Christmas tree up and I didn’t touch it. I just looked at it. Each day they would put more things on the tree and when I didn’t touch it, they put more things on it.
When I first came to CLD, I didn’t like people close to me. I would push them away. Now I like my support workers to be around me. I like to give them hugs and kisses. I have learned how to hug since I have come here. I also sleep better since coming to CLD.
Rhonda (staff) says that I really trust the staff. Dawn (staff) calls me handsome and I smile. She says I am smiling all the time now. When I first came here I hit the walls a lot and the staff a lot. I also hit myself a lot too. I don’t hit myself as much as I used to.
I love the attention the staff gives me. Dawn calls me her Jim Bobby. I didn’t used to like touch but when Morag (Reflexologist) comes and massages my feet, I love it! She also has given me a full body massage and I loved it. She came today and gave me a treatment. I smile a lot when she does it. Dawn says I relax when she does it. Sometimes I fall asleep. When she stops, I grab her hand and pull it to me.
When I first came here Dawn took me out to Wal Mart. I had never been to a store. I have never been to a mall. They said I did very well. Before I just knew the institution.
I now do more walking. I pull myself up on a bar and I can move holding the counter. I didn’t do that before I came to CLD. Rhonda says I am really proud when I walk. I still crawl a lot too.
I met my niece for the first time in my life last Christmas. Dawn invited my family for Christmas. My sister and my mom and my niece came for a Christmas celebration. The staff made a pile of food. The families of my housemates came too. I prefer it when there are less people because I am not used to so many people. I prefer it when it is just my sister, mom and niece.
I go to the music program at Options at CLD. I like music. Sometimes when I am in a bad mood and I am yelling, the staff will put music on and I stop. I also go swimming on Thursdays with the people in Options. I love going on the picnics Options had in the summer. They also took me swimming outdoors. I love to swim. I love to splash in the water.
I like to play with balls and shoes. I pick shoes up and drop them and then I laugh I like to throw shoes.
My favourite thing is to get out of the house and go places. I don’t care where I go as long as I go places because when I was in the institution I didn’t go anywhere. The staff at CLD took me to the Orangeville mall and Joseph cut my hair. If I was in the mall and I yelled, “Hey!” Joseph would yell back, “Hey!” Now Joseph has moved to the Cutting Crew and now I will go there.
I now have friends. Dawn says my life here is much better because I now have affection and I go out to different places rather than live in isolation. I now am learning that people aren’t going to hurt me and so I don’t have to try and hurt them first.
Joanne Connors
My name is Joanne Connors.
My mom is Kay. Mommy’s boyfriend is Keith. I have two cats. Cindy goes to see Mommy, she is my sister. I also have other sisters, Pam, Debbie, Angela and Cathy.
I live in a home with Community Living Dufferin (CLD) and I live with Mark, Joey, Winston and Jason.
I LOVE McDonalds. I like to get the “Happy Meal”. I call it Mrs. McDonalds. I also go to Tim Horton’s for coffee. I like Tim Horton’s donuts. I like all donuts. The staff takes me.
I like porridge. I love eggs. I like them fried or scrambled. I like ketchup on my eggs. I don’t like bacon!
I like Peggy a lot. She says that I am funny. I make her laugh. I like Krissa, Athena, Nicole, Audrey and Brenda. (Staff) I like Sarah too but I tease her and call her “chopped liver”.
I love to help out around the house. My favorite is doing dishes, and wiping down the counters. I love to bake! I bake cakes and muffins. The staff here likes my baking.
Peggy’s husband, Jeff, took me on a snowmobile ride. Jeff went fast. I drove the snowmobile. I hung on to Jeff. He made sure I didn’t fall off. I want to go again!
For Christmas this year, I got a new TV in my room from my mommy!
I love my room. I just got it painted and it is nice and bright.
I went to the Dominican Republic with some friends and staff from CLD. We went to the shows. We danced and sang songs. We went on a plane and drank beer. We also went on a bus and went swimming. It was so fun; I want to go again soon.
Winston Button
My name is Winston Button.
I lived at home with my mother until she passed away. I was in the Huronia Regional Center for a year and then I came to live in a home with Community Living Dufferin (CLD) since 1984.
I have two sisters (Loretta & Rene) and one brother (Harvey). Loretta visits a fair bit. Rene and Loretta (who I refer to as Doretta) take me out for lunches. I really enjoy Fish and Chips. My brother Harvey lives in New Brunswick, he visits as often as he can.
I am in my 70th year and looking forward to the big party!!
I am presently living with Jason, Joey, Mark and Joanne.
I help out with some things that need to be done around the house. I do enjoy putting dishes away.
I love listening to music. Some of my favourite artists are Johnny Cash, Englebert Humperdinck, Neil Diamond and some folk music. Once a week I attend Music Therapy. I play the spoons and the Harmonica. My father taught me how to play the spoons. Andree (staff) plays the guitar & we all will sing and dance. I have been to a few concerts. Kenny Rodgers was one of my favourites, he was performing at Casino Rama so I got to play the slots! Recently I went to Stage West for dinner and listened to a tribute for Neil Young and Engelbert Humperdinck. I loved it.
I enjoy going out for walks. I listen and smell all that nature has to offer. I enjoy it even more when our last stop is at Tim Horton’s! I love my coffee and enjoy the odd donut!
I have a glider swing on my deck in the backyard; I will sit outside during the summer and listen to one of my favourite CD’s.
As I am visually impaired & feel with my hands, I like to keep small objects in my pockets so I have something to pass the time with. I will “sometimes” have so many things in my pockets; I need suspenders on just to hold my pants up!
I have a fantastic sense of humor and joke around quite frequently. The ladies that support me throughout the day/evening joke around and tease me back and we all have great laughs. My source of communication is sign language and I have made up my own signs so the staff needs to pay close attention and have to learn what I am trying to tell them.
If I could have more? It would be too spend more time with my family.
Kelly Cleary
Hi I'm Kelly Cleary
My Mom’s name is Shirley. She calls me “Sweet Pea”. Sometimes she calls me a “Sour Puss”. I have two brothers, Mike and Patrick. Mike is married to Rhonda. My brother works at the Gap. Pat buys me clothes. The staff help me see my family.
I came to Community Living Dufferin in 1998. I live with David, Leanne and Ken. I like living with them. Yah! Yah! The staff call me Little Kel. I like that name. I don’t to chores. The staff sometimes call me Princess or Kelly Kelly.
I go to Options at CLD. I do the arts and crafts. I do music and I go swimming. I go to the spa. The staff wash my hair and they put sparkles in it. Pat (CLD volunteer) did my nails today but usually Jody (staff) does my nails. It is a good job. Pat did them because I was being asked questions today. Sometimes they put make-up on me.
I go swimming with the people at CLD. I float on my back. I am learning to swim. Pat helps me. I go with Glen and he is my friend. He helps me too.
I like strawberry milk. Yah! Yah! I want some now, please. Mmmm ... good. I like Chinese food. I like chicken balls. I like the sweet and sour sauce. I like pizza. I like all food. I tell the staff I like their cooking.
I go have coffee with Glen every Sunday at Tim Horton’s. A lot of people from two houses go. The staff take us there.
I like music. I have lots of C.D.’s. I like Elvis Presley. I like to dance to the music. The staff take me to the store and help me pick C.D.’s. I like Rhianna. Marilyn (staff) makes C.D.’s for me. I love the Beatles and I know all their songs. I sing to them and dance to them. I love Christmas. I sing Christmas carols all year round. I like singing “Jingle Bells”. I help decorate the Christmas tree. I sing, “Oh Christmas tree”. .
I went for a picnic on the weekend in Barrie. The staff and I chased the seagulls because they tried to take my lunch. I had a good time. Yah! Yah! I like to go on trips. I went camping with Leanne, June and some staff.
I love going to the library. I listen to the books on C.D.’s. I am listening to “Emily’s Runaway Imagination” right now.
I sometimes go to Church. Mama sometimes takes me. I sing in church.
The staff say I am a flirt. I wink and I blow kisses. I make Ken laugh. I make Glen laugh too. The staff say I am pretty easy going. I am happy. I am a good girl. I like to be teased. I like the people at CLD. Yah! Yah!
Donna Reid
My name is Donna Reid.
I was born in Shelburne. My Mom was Lucy and my Dad was Clarence. I have a sister, Barb. I went to public school and I had a private tutor. I lived at home with my Mom and Barb until my Mom got sick. My Mom and I lived at the Avalon Nursing Home together.
When my Mom died, a staff member who worked at both the Avalon and Community Living Dufferin (CLD) told Barb, my sister, about CLD and when there was an opening at one of CLD’s houses. I recently have moved to a house on William Street. I live with Kelly, Lee Anne and Lyn Peter, I like living with them. I like my room. My staff helped me paint my room bright pink and grey. I have my photography hanging on the walls.
I enjoy going to options. I participate in several of their programs including photography, music, crafts and clay experience. I love to take pictures and am very proud of my work. I like to spend the money I make selling pictures on myself. I also really enjoy creating different pieces of clay.
I don’t like tomatoes and sometimes I don’t like ketchup. I love ice cappuccinos from Tim Horton’s. Every chance I get we stop at Tim’s so I can buy one. When the grocery flyers come in the newspaper I look through them and show the staff what I would like to buy for groceries. Usually I like to get Pogos and muffins.
I use PEC symbols (picture exchange communication symbols) to help explain what I want. The staff shows me pages with pictures on them and I point to what I like. I like cheeseburgers. I like coke. Sarah made me a new communication book with lots of pictures in it. This morning I showed my staff what I wanted to eat for breakfast. I chose fried eggs on an English muffin with cheese. For lunch I am having Chinese food, which I also pointed out in my book. I also am starting to use my tablet to communicate what I would like.
I am hoping to go to Niagara Falls with my boyfriend Ken this spring/summer. We will do some things that he is interested in and some that I am interested in. I would like to go to the botanical garden and also the bird aviary or butterfly conservatory. I might also go to the farm that is completely accessible for a night or two with Ken.
I like scary movies and cartoon movies like Shrek. I also like to watch the Littlest Hobo and the Little House on the Prairie television shows.
I am part of a red hat society group, my fellow red hatters and I enjoy going to different events. Sometimes we get together at one of our houses and some times we go out. In the fall we went to see the Famous People Players production. It was amazing. I had a fun time that night.
I am on the Dufferin Accessibility Committee with Krissa, a support person from CLD. She helps me and I tell them what they are doing wrong. This is important to me. This has been my biggest accomplishment. My term was up and I was invited to be on the committee again for another term.
I was in CLD’s fashion show. I went to the museum and I got all dressed up and had gloves on. I did it for two years. The staff put make-up on me and did my hair.
I have a new electric wheelchair, it is pink. It has given me a lot of independence! This is very exciting for me and my staff. I can move freely around the house without having to wait for staff to help me. I am also able to help out by taking my plate to the sink. In the morning I wheel over to the cereal cupboard and show staff which cereal I want to have. I have a whole new world to explore.