State to close home for disabled, fate of other centers in doubt
This is the story that changed my life. I have shared it with many youth ministers since then, of how important helping the poor is to High School Students.
As far as I can remember Apple Creek Development Center went on strike in 1974, and friends of mine from high schools all over Akron, went in as volunteers to take care of the very critical patients. We did not know how critical their needs were. I worked with a twenty year old male who was in a 8 foot high crib, where the metal bars on the side looked like like a jail. Inside was a person who was so thin you could see his bones. I lowered side-rail and began to feed him what looked like baby food. I next changed his diaper and then was told to turn him, so he would not get bed sores. I suddenly realized I had spend a lot of my time in high school trying to look cool to my fellow students. This man did not care if I was cool, but only if I could meet some very basic needs. (Tear). It showed me what was really important!
One of the members of our group, John Ballard Jr. was the Mayor of Akron’s son. He knew Sen. Oliver R. Ocasek, who was in charge of the State Ohio Senate at the time. He told him that high school students were taking the place of staff at Apple Creek, and the Institute needed financial help to end the strike. Sen. Ocasek, agreed to add 1.2 Million Dollars to the state budget, and ended the strike. (I tried to validate dates, but online newspapers did not go back that far. I am identifying on Facebook others who were there to help correct 40 years ago memory)
Others there: Marguerite Gebhart Coffield, Mark Ballard, Ward Ballard (not sure), John Ballard, Maureen McCusker, Mary Cavanaugh, Eleanor Dillon
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