Log Cabin Democrat Features: A helping hand 4/28/98

Published Tuesday, April 28, 1998

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Tuesday, April 28, 1998 Preparing a meal at Ross House include Fran Mauldin (from left), director of the Profiles Adult Learning Center; Yves Black, staff member at Reynolds House; Janice Smith, staff member at Ross House; and ILS residents Carolyn Ridgell, Terry Ashley and Christine Miller.Samantha Huseas PhotoA helping hand

Independent Living Services residents make meal special

Last modified at 12:12 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 1998

By CAROL ROLF

Log Cabin Staff Writer

Everybody needs a hand in the kitchen now and then, and many of the residents of Independent Living Services Inc. welcome the help they get through the Profiles Adult Learning Center on Front Street.

On Mondays, a group of about 20 gathers for lunch at the Ross House on Independence Avenue, one of several residential homes operated by ILS. Groups take turns each week cooking for everyone in the program. Profiles director Fran Mauldin takes a few of them grocery shopping first, while others await their return so they can begin preparing the meal. The clients choose their own menu several days before so that all is mapped out for their cooking session on Monday mornings.

One recent Monday morning found a group busy in the kitchen. The menu included Noodle Lasagna, Mexican Turkey Sandwiches, Vegetable-Pasta Salad, Lemon Bars and Kool-Aid or iced tea.

Christine Miller was busy stirring the meat for the lasagna sauce, Carolyn Ridgell and Susan Strickland were busy with the salad and the noodles, and Ray Price had just completed making the lemon bars with Ms. Mauldin's help. Terry Ashley and Tony Fisher were in charge of the Kool-Aid, and James Plaxco was preparing his recipe for the Mexican Turkey Sandwiches.

Others involved in Profiles include Paulette Adams, Debbie Bradley, Dean Bridgewater, Karen Carr, Susan Gordon, Robert Graham, Harvey Guion, Roger Meeks, Allen Parish, Benny Shew, Carole Smith, Casey Williams, Ricky Williams and Delma Woodall.

Skills learned in the kitchen revolve around safety (don't put the recipe card too close to the stove), measuring ingredients and following directions of the recipes.

While the cooks are in the kitchen, others in the program are in the classroom on Front Street. They come back to Ross House around noon, when the meal is served. After lunch, they all return to the classroom to continue their work in any number of areas, including computers, sewing, self-esteem, library skills, exercise, sign language, job interview skills, just to mention a few.

The clients bring their own lunches the rest of the week, and are "on their own" for the weekend, Ms. Mauldin explained.

Many of the Profiles clients live in their own apartments, which are operated by ILS on German Lane, or those that are privately owned, while others live in the ILS residential homes, which include Ross House and Reynolds House for men on Independence Avenue and Patterson House for women on Tyler Street. Creative Living operates the Schneider House group home on Hubbard Road.

The purpose of the Profiles Adult Learning Center, indeed of the entire Independent Living Services organization, is to offer people with developmental disabilities a chance to become more independent, to learn skills that allow them to become self-supporting with a job and an apartment of their own or to obtain the training to reach their highest level of functioning possible.

Peggy Schneider serves as executive director of ILS. Assisting Ms. Mauldin at Profiles are Cindi Wiedower and Ruth Boling.

According to Mrs. Schneider, the ILS organization serves about 100 residents today and another "30 plus" live in their own apartments "all over Conway, with a few in Vilonia and a few in Greenbrier." ILS has served more than 300 clients since its inception in 1970.

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