This summer I had the road trip of a lifetime.
For four glorious, childless, caretaking-free days, I had the opportunity to hit the road to Whitehouse, Ohio with two of my fabulous cohorts in crime from HomeLife 21.
There were decadent tacos consumed, with the requisite margarita chaser.
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My dear friend and I were able to ascertain with all due certainty that rest stops in Ohio are far superior to those in Pennsylvania.
And there were secrets shared we will all take to our graves.
There’s not enough I can say about these women, who I carefully selected years ago to accompany me on this journey to create a safe, exciting, out-of-the-box residence for our sons, in part because of their talents, but also because I knew I would continue to like them for another forty years.
I have my priorities.
As much as I enjoyed the bonding, the real star of the trip was visiting Bittersweet Farms, the first farmstead-based program for adults with autism in the United States, established in 1983. The farm impacts lives through its residential, vocational, educational and recreational programs. It sits on eighty acres, and boasts many green houses, a wonderful market and retail store, an art studio, a full-scale commercial kitchen, six residential homes, an outdoor pavilion and pool, and other buildings necessary to its success.
And while all those facts are accurate, the true essence, the soul of Bittersweet, is in its people.
Bittersweet is the vision of Bettye Ruth Kay, a public school teacher in Toledo, Ohio, who with the help of her students and their families brought this concept from a dream to an intentional community, an establishment dedicated to improving the lives of people with autism. They have since expanded to two other locations, but my friends and I toured the Whitehouse location specifically, Bittersweet’s origin story.
And what a tour it was.
The fabulous Tammy Chambers took us around the residence, often in golf carts where I hung on for dear life, and we were fortunate enough to see all of the facilities listed above. They were inspiring, and left us with so many ideas about what we want to do for our boys, and how to help other families.
But the star of the show was its employees, and its residents.
We were lucky enough to spend time with one young man who regaled us with stories of the chili peppers he had grown, and gave us his own private tour of one of the main greenhouses. It was obvious from our conversations how fulfilling and enriching his days were, how at peace he was, how much he loved his life.
It was also evident from every staff member who interacted with him how much he was loved.
Their respect for their clients was paramount in every chat we had.
This devotion was apparent as they spoke with unwavering reverence about the dignity of their residents.
Their dedication shone as they discussed the importance of their clients having choices, and a semblance of autonomy in how they live their lives.
Their compassion and love for these incredible adults came through in each dialogue we had with the folk who’ve dedicated their lives to this farm, and its mission.
It is my profound hope, and the hope of the other women in HomeLife 21, that we too can emulate this vision in our scaled down version of this incredible enterprise.
When we left, we had hugs, and business cards in hand.
We were told we were part of the family now.
I believe them.
Many thanks to Tammy, the employees, and the residents of Bittersweet Farms, for the trip of a lifetime.
We return indelibly altered, and inspired.
One secret, however, will be revealed.
We hope with all our hearts we can provide our sons, and the sons and daughters of other families with profound autism, an equal amount safety and peace, and the sense of accomplishment you have provided for your clients for over forty years.
Thank you.
For more on my family visit my blog at autismmommytherapist.wordpress.com
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