PAGE ,12, 'ýWWiMf'Y FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12,1989 /~ 'Imagine is a national campaign of The Canadian Centre for Philanthropy to increase -~ I Canadlians' awareness and contribution to ail charitable and volunteer organizations. We.- spport their goals and are contributing space for the Imagine ads on this and other pages. To bring the campaign dloser to home, the Whitby Free Press is runni-ng a series of profiles of teneeds and activities of local organizations. Cali us if your organ.ization could use a boost. Return to idependence Can you imagine being the only person in an institution of elderly people? Maybe not, but for John Micallef of Ajax, the independence -wbich most people ÀO take for granted, came to bim at à -orn in Malta, of Maltese parentage, Micallef came to Canada at age 6. When he was 17, wbile workIng as an apprentice macbinist, he suffered ga trauma which left bim with resîdual quadriplegia. After bis hospitalization and rebabilitation, he was sent to an institution where he was te spend the next 25 years. At age S 19, he was the only young person in an institution of elderly occupants. After suffering from anger and frusratin, icalef was encouraged by a staff member to try_ mouthpainting. He finally sucumbed to the challenge put S to bini. Only later did he find out that it was a plan propsed by bis father who supplied t h funding for the niaterials. Ini bis first effort, Micallef, who prefers to paint landscapes, seascapes and horses, placed fourth and received honorable mention in a gnrlcontest at the Canadian Exhibiti on. His fiancee saw an article about an upcoming Ontarlo March of Dîmes summer camping rornand after cafling the ba in oce for information, suggested that he attend. Affer a visit to the office, she learned about other services that were availahie. He agreed to attend 't camp, where he met two very godfriends. The experience to be more than he had I~pd for, and it was the first step towards independence. The Ontaie March cf Dmes spends 90 per cent cf its dollars on tbree major prograins: mobility aids, independent living assistance and employment - training. The remaining funds are used to support prograins raning from a sumnmer recreation program, in wbich Mîcalef participated, te a post-poio education network. Only 1.6 par cent of the budget is directed towards administration. MARCH 0F DÎMES Purpose: provide disabled aduits with job opportunities, medical and financial assistance. Funding: special projects are funded by provincial and federal grants. Funds raised lovally through coin boxes in retail locations. Local budget: Approx. $10,000 spent on assistive devices. Contact: Pat Wright (Durham Community Services Manager) 434-5280 "independence is the yardstick that we use to measure ail our services to disabled persons said Andria Spindel, executive director of' the Ontario March of Dîmes. Micaflef has sinoe participated in the Durham vocational needs survey, and is now attending the Ontario NMarch of Dimes microconiputer course in Toronto, which is part of the employment trainin program. He is lookcing f=amr1 t o continuing bis painting, and pursuing bis other hobby of chess, which he learned at summer camp. While stiil ini the institution, he was assisted by a new dietitian who encouraged him with regards to bis health. They were marrîed last sunimer. "My wife doesn't place much stress on my disability," Micallef says. "Aloo the support of the Ma ch of Dimes? local staff;and the friendships made at camp, have ail made me feel once more like a whole person. I have been gvnbaek my independence." Tre hub of bis current activities overwhelms him at times, but the encouragement of bis wife, bis outgoing pesnality and determination hel p h im endeavor te live to bis ful potential. The March of Dimes By Tamara K. Downes In 1951, the Ontario chapter of the Canadian Federation of 'Poliomyelitis was formed to help ~.hose struck witb polio. It belped te fund research and te supply medical assistance to, those with the virus. After incorporation and several miner changes in programs, the organization became knon as the Ontario Marcb of Dîmes (OMOD). In 1952, OMOD began funding rehabilitation centres for those who had contracted polio. In 1955, the Salk vaccine was discovered, partially as a result of fundinq by OMOD. As poio was brought under cotoOMOD began expanding their belping bandas. Other dis- aled aduits recieved medical and financial assistance.; Today tbe Ontario Marcb of Dimes provides rebabilitation and. employment, recreation, housing and advocacy for those pýscalissbld te, make peo le independent," saiys Pat W rigbt, community ser- vices manager of tbe Durbam Region. The Ontario Marcb of Dimes assists those aduits pbysically bandicapped. This dees net in- clude those people witb "heart, lung, ear or sight disabilities.» OMOD aids those wbo are in need of job training and job placement and offer special com- puter training progranis. The microcomputer ap plica- tiens training project was desig- ned to belp those wbo are severely disabled. The prograni provides skill training in busi- ness application software. It is a two-year prograni accredited tbrougb George Brown College. Many cf their special projects are funded by tbe provincial and federal governments even tbougb clubs in the Whitby/Oshawa area aIso raise funds for sick rooni equipment and other sucb necessities. Ricbmond Hill pro- vides bingo games that are open te the public. During January and February, coin collectons are placed on store counters. Last year approxi- mately $1,600 was raised. OMOD consists of a board cf directors and il regional.officers, ail providing care and helpful progranis. "Independence cornes in vani- eus degrees for different people. For the quadriplegic it may mean attendant care to enable bum/her te get in and out of bed. "Ail this enhances a person's dignity and gives greater niean- ing to his/her life." The logo, a tree witb a missing limb, was first introduced in 1967. It was inspired by a line from.a poem written by Tenny- son: "Tho mucb is taken, much abides." The camping program heid each year bas been very success- fui. Last year 300 attended at three locations. This year only two locations are availale.0One at Villa Loyola, Sudbury and the other at Scalon Creek, Bradford. Sessions are one week long and provide the fresh air of the out- doors, a pleasant atmospherE and many types of recreational* activities. What started out as a funding for research for polio grew to be wbat is now a very busy and respected non-profitable organi- zation concerned with physically disabled adults.