When federal and state guidelines dictated clients with disabilities be mainstreamed into the community about two years ago, most of the 419 adults from the…
When federal and state guidelines dictated clients with disabilities be mainstreamed into the community about two years ago, most of the 419 adults from the Bessie Benner Metzenbaum Center were transitioned into training, jobs and community life.
“Our folks need to be out in the community, doing what people typically do,” said Metzenbaum Director Don Rice.
Metzenbaum clients are being mainstreamed into jobs in local stores, libraries and manufacturing plants, supervised as they learn to become contributing citizens in the real world.
The program leaves the large center at 8200 Cedar Road, Chester Township, owned by the Geauga County Board of Developmental Disabilities, virtually empty most of the time.
The Metzenbaum Center was established in 1966 to serve the needs of developmentally disabled people in Geauga County. Services are provided from birth through adulthood. The center includes a large school and four houses on the grounds that are home to 25 people. The school has two preschool classes.
Since the main school building now sees little use, Rice said MRDD officials decided since the building is owned by the taxpayers of Geauga County, they would make the facility available to local groups for meetings and events.
“We started making it available to seniors groups about two years ago, opening our swimming pool,” Rice said. “Then we added pickle ball in the gym last year.”
Rice said there are many activities at Metzenbaum that are open to the public, including dance and art classes, as well as violin and harp lessons.
“We even supply the instruments,” Rice said.
Art classes charge a nominal fee for supplies and students can take their projects home, he added.
In addition, the center has two gyms that are available for meetings and group functions. The smaller gym can hold about 100 people seated at tables and chairs, and the larger gym will hold about 300.
“The gym can be used for free because it is taxpayer funded,” Rice said, adding there is a nominal fee if someone is needed to open and close the building after normal daytime hours.
The pool is shallow and perfect for water aerobics, he added.
“We’re open for whatever,” Rice said.
Some activities are shared with Metzenbaum clients who participate in, for example, the art and dance classes.
Rice has been making the rounds of local government meetings to spread the word that the center is open for public use. He attended the Aug. 16 Parkman Township Trustees meeting and the Bainbridge trustees meeting Aug. 22.
He told Parkman trustees the MRDD serves more than 860 clients in Geauga County. Because of the mainstreaming services, only about 30 to 40 adults use the center regularly.
“Our rule of thumb is it’s a public building and a public resource and it is available for free, when there is nothing else scheduled,” Rice told Parkman officials.
Rice told Bainbridge officials two people do scheduling for the building and for the ongoing classes.
“If anyone is interested in using the facility or taking part in a class, give us a call at 440-729-9406 or look at our website, www.geaugadd.org,” Rice said.
