July 13,2020 Your Source for Livonia Happenings
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Birds chirping, trees swaying in the breeze, landscaping beckoning, butterfly bush blooming, trumpet vine ready and green, iced tea awaiting.
It is not so difficult working at home. Well that is just one part of being home.
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Just how does the typewriter get along in this pandemic?
Not well, I don't think.
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Months into the coronavirus pandemic, the typewriter is confused. Maybe looking at my own mortality, a thought process that had not entered my consciousness to this degree ever.
Not only do I remain fearful of catching the virus and continue to follow strict precautions - social distancing, wearing masks and limiting excursions to public places - for the indefinite future, as mortality is no longer an abstraction. Death is on the front page every day.
People that I had considered intelligent are now posting on Facebook that we should just open society and discard the rules about wearing masks. If wearing a mask was the only issue at hand.
Today I should be babysitting my grandson in Aurora, Colorado. Paul and Raquel should be able to smile watching Leonardo play with the only grandparent who could visit. Raquel's mother is in Brazil, her dad is in Italy. Paul's mother recently passed away.
But instead of visiting I cancelled my reservation on Southwest, just unable to bring myself to sit in an airplane and possibly catching the virus, not for the impact on my life, but the impact on my son, daughter in law and grandson.
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Oh sure, I am venturing out to Menards, they mandate masks, less frequently, or never to Home Depot, they don't seem to care about masks. And yes, I go to the Tuscan at 6:30 every morning to read my newspapers and have my green tea. They have one door for entrance and one for exit. Front and back. Lots of outdoor seating so I am not near anyone and the employees hide behind a glass barrier and wear a mask.
Groceries? Still by Shipt and left on the front porch in a tub put there especially for the groceries. Once a week venture out to Fresh Time for fresh vegetables. At 7:00 when they first open and no one, repeat no one is there. Take our own bag and pack the grocery item by hand so no one else touches.a
Gary and Alan and I meet up at Sam's Place on Friday at 7:00 when we are the only ones in the restaurant, well maybe one or two others. We sit apart and enjoy some normal conversation. Then the mask goes on and we go our separate ways.
I mostly miss my every Friday movie at the Phoenix, the every Saturday venture out to the Farmington Farmers Market and the Sunday Birmingham Farmers Market.
I'm not going to be comfortable freely moving around until they're able to do a reliable antibody testing and there is a vaccine, Right now, I am having to learn to live smaller. That is not something I am finding easy to do.
This was to be my year to travel. Colorado. Farmville North Carolina. Decatur Georgia. Colorado. Texas. Colorado. I am afraid that by the time it is safe to travel I will be older and unable to drive thousands of miles to see friends, relatives, grandson. son, daughter in law, grandson. Well you get the hint.
I miss the meetings in Livonia. Tired of Zoom. I miss the people in Livonia. Tired of emails.
This social animal in me is trying to dig deep into a recalibration of life. Keep calm and carry on as the Brits would say. So wear your mask. Social distance. Let's show the rest of the nation that Livonia and Michigan are doing what is best for all.
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A look at how Livonia took the lead in providing persons with developmental disabilities community opportunities
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Livonia has always taken the lead in defining quality of life. From the 65 parks, voter approved Bennett Civic Center Library and Kirksey Recreation Center. Over 20 art organizations. Our Livonia recreation programs excel every year. Music from the Heart. On and on. One area not as well known is support for persons with developmental disabilities. Let's take a look at how the Community Opportunity Center has been at the forefront of providing these opportunities:
The Beginning:
Community Opportunity Center (COC) was founded in 1965 by a group of leading family members and advocates to enhance community opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities in Western Wayne County.
Among the early group of “dreamers” sharing this vision were Robert W. Clogg, George Conover, Marjorie Conover, David Cooper, William Green, Anna Jung, Bill Kelley,
James E. Mies,
Alice Mohrhardt, John and Barbara Moore, John M. Murowski, Joan M. Murphy, Clifford E. Page, and Wendell Smith.
James Mies was inducted into the Livonia City Hall of Fame, Class of 2009. Mies Park is named in his honor. The founding leaders are in the picture on the left, James Mies is the third from the left.
The first organizational meeting was held March 16, 1965 sponsored by American Association of University Women, Plymouth Jaycees under Wendell Smith, and parent groups from Livonia, Redford, and Northville. The purpose of this meeting was to establish a sheltered workshop for persons with developmental disabilities. The corporation was named Community Opportunity Center.
A general organizational meeting followed on June 17, 1965, and on July 1, Ernest Moran was hired as the first director to develop and lead the job training workshop held in the Newburgh School in Livonia. In January 1966, the workshop opened with 13 workers and staff.
Initially, employees worked for $.20 an hour with the hope that COC would soon meet the national minimum wage of $1.25 an hour.
A New Need:
Prior to the late 1960s, if a family could not care for a child or sibling with a developmental disability, the only public option was to place him or her in an institution, such as Plymouth State Home, Coldwater or Lapeer State Home.
As institutionalized residents, these individuals had few rights and were deemed “trainable” as opposed to “educable” and led austere lives. Fueled by family dissatisfaction with institutional care, persons with developmental disabilities were offered community-based options beginning in the early 1970s.
In response to this movement, the State of Michigan began moving persons from institutions into community settings. Pat Babcock, then state director of mental health, was among the early leaders at the state level to make this possible.
Through collaboration with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), the State Department of Mental Health, and organizations such as COC, 23 homes were financed through MSHDA. The majority of these homes were designed for up to 16 people living together, which, at that time, was deemed the most suitable model for community-based living. Among these homes were: Plymouth Opportunity House, Livonia Opportunity House, Garden City Opportunity Manor, and Redford Opportunity House.
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Livonia's First Home:
A resolution established a community living center to be organized and operated by COC where persons with developmental disabilities aged 18 or older would live. In August 1974, MSHDA gave tentative approval for COC to build a 16-person home at 593 Deer Street in Plymouth. In May 1975, Plymouth Opportunity House was opened. In June 1980, COC built and opened Livonia Opportunity House at 31230 Lyndon in Livonia for 16 individuals. Today, this is home to 10 people, all of whom have a bedroom of their own.
In November 1984, COC built and opened a new six-person home in Redford at 17369 Beech Daly Road. The following year, in April 1985, COC built and opened a 14-person apartment building at 6337 Central in Garden City known as Garden City Opportunity Manor (GCOM). Later, one additional apartment was added to GCOM by converting the live-in administrator’s apartment to a one-bedroom apartment. Today, 15 people live at GCOM. In 1988, COC purchased a 3-bedroom home at 29047 Balmoral in Garden City, which has since been home to persons with independent living skills.
In response to the needs of its membership, COC then turned to purchasing and leasing smaller homes (1 to 4 persons) to provide services to the more encompassing needs of individuals.
In 1990, COC opened Milburn House at 19415 Milburn in Livonia, which began as a semi-independent home with limited staffing needs. After people moved from this home, COC received a grant from the Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Board to support seniors with developmental disabilities in this four-person home.
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In January 1998, COC opened Curtis House at 33730 Curtis in Livonia, which became a home for 4 individuals. From 1998 to 2015, 16 more personalized living locations were established, including a home in Plymouth, known as Rocker House (2007), which is leased to 3 men. Four people lease another home in Plymouth. Its residents chose to refer to this home as, “Friendship House”. Additionally, 9 apartments located in the communities of Livonia, Plymouth, and Westland are home to 16 people.
Since 2006, COC has completed several renovations to homes, including repainting, landscaping, installing new kitchens, furnaces, boilers, bathrooms, offices, and similar renovations which are all aimed at providing the best independent living experience for the persons we support.
From 2007 through 2015 COC became the staffing agency for six homes owned by individuals or their families.
Denise King recently retired from the Community Opportunity Center, and was inducted into the 1835 Livonia City Hall of Fame, Class of 2019.
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July in Livonia
16, 23
Wilson Barn Farmers Market
Livonia Parks and Recreation
14
Livonia Democratic Club Meeting
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16
Major Woody
Music from the Heart
21
Summer Fun Series @ 6:00
Miss Paula and the Candy Bandits
Livonia Parks and Recreation
23
Weekend Comeback
Music from the Heart
28
Drive in Movie @ 7:30
Livonia Parks and Recreation
30
Toppermost Beatles Tribute
Music from the Heart
August in Livonia
1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Wilson Barn Farmers Market
4
Primary Election--vote early and often by taking a neighbor to the polls
6
Sinjon Smith
Music from the Heart
13
Devin Scillian and Arizona Sun
Music from the Heart
17
2020 Golf Outing Benefitting MiWorkMatters @ Idyl Wyld Golf Course
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Cruzin Jupiter
Music from the Heart
27
Cosmic Groove Band
Music from the Heart
30
The ARC NW 2020 Golf Outing
Fox Creek Golf Course
September in Livonia
5, 12, 19, 26
Wilson Barn Farmers Market
12
Thomas A. Dooley Knights of Columbus Golf Classic @ Fox Hills $100 includes dinner and prizes. To sign up call John Glennon 734-968-2286 or Lou Fiorentino 248-808-3834
October in Livonia
1
1835 Livonia City Hall of Fame
Rosedale Presbyterian Church
Presenting Sponsor: Dan MacIver Financial & Portfolio Advisors
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Another slice of history from Dan MacIver
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You Gotta Love Livonia.
Take advantage of all that is happening. Just one night in July and so much to do.
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FridayMusings was at the Kirksey Recreation Center Tuesday night listening to the Music Lady and watching the children with parents enjoying the music and at times moving along with the music. During the intermission they joined Mayor Maureen Brosnan at the Unity Project. Livonia has outdoor art. How cool.
Our Parks Department is doing a great job showcasing so much that is good about Livonia. In one location in one night Livonia had the The Unity Project, The Music Lady, Mayor
Maureen
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Miller Brosnan,
Parks Superintendent Ted Davis along with his wife and son. Clarenceville Athletic Boosters selling the famous Mystic Kettle Popcorn. The Police Department was showcasing their drone for children on site. Add to all that the Detroit Institute of Art outdoor art exhibit.
And there was the typewriter working with Michelle to wind the thread around the poles raising consciousness about the labels we give ourselves. It was as much fun determining which labels to give me. But when I did it sure was fun.
And the Mayor was going and going. I don't know how many labels she gave herself but it was a lot more than I gave me.
I'm telling you, you gotta love Livonia. Check it out with Music from the Heart this Thursday and back again next week with all these activities plus Miss Paula and the Candy Bandits.
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Our Parks and Recreation Team invites you to a Summer Fun Series in July and August
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Mike Ladwig Livonia AM Club
Rotarian of the Year
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FridayMusings and the typewriter says "way to go" Mike Ladwig. Here are just a few of the nearly 50 comments on Facebook offering up their congratulations:
Traci Sincock
That is awesome! I did not know you had joined Rotary. Great decision
Claude Curry
As a Rotarian of 48 years I know how much great work goes into earning this award. Way to go!
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Let's get out and play a round.
A round of golf supporting MiWork
Matters
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