*** Aug 5th Election ** 69th District State Representative Gina Walsh needs your support
Gina, along with Sen Tim Green and others, played a strong role in helping secure $18 million for a new 52 bed facility @ the Bellefontaine Hab Center. She has long worked for us.
Please make sure you take the time and effort to recognize the work she's done for us
** Sunday, Aug 10th 2:00 PM PARENT'S ASSN MEETING @ BHC Dietary Building **
All parent association members, friends and BHC staff are invited to attend.
Learn about the current happenings concerning Bellefontaine Habilitation Center (BHC)
There will be attendance prizes and delicious refreshments. MARK your CALENDAR NOW for Sunday, AUGUST 10th.. THE RESIDENTS NEED YOUR SUPPORT.
From the AUGUST Parents Association Newsletter:
BHC Parents & Guardians
Say "no" to WHATEVER you think is not in the best interest of the resident.
Only sign specific items you approve of.
If you are intimidated or faced with a situation you do not understand,
Call the Parents Association @ 314 340-6002
Article in Bellefontaine News
Article in Journal for NCI Award, Community Devp't award to BEtty Coll for Work for Parent's Assoc. BAC
Award letter for BHC Parents Association member, Betty Coll for May 9th, 2008
Their annual Community Development Award Breakfast is Friday, May 9th @ 7:30 Am @ the St Louis Airport Marriott--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous articles
Mother treasures her job: Working at thrift shop makes woman feel closer to her son
Northeast County-PostStl article
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| Mars Maynard photo - Volunteer Betty Coll (left) is known as the "chief" of Hidden Treasures Thrift Shop at Bellefontaine Habilitation Center. She started the shop with her sister, Ruth Vondras (right). |
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Men's and women's fashions, some with original price tags attached, neatly hang from commercial clothing racks. The attire includes wedding dresses and formal dresses, clothing for work and for play.
Knickknacks rest on tables. Lamps are in one corner, baby and children's clothing in another. Blankets, small appliances, barbecue grills, boots, shoes and jewelry are some of the finds, all waiting to be taken home for a song.Coll has priced and sorted every one of the items at the shop, located on Bellerive Road at the grounds of Bellefontaine Habilitation Center.
Pricing and sorting have been her duties since the 1960s, shortly after her son, Patrick, was admitted to the center. Patrick, 40, is severely mentally retarded.
"I tried to get help for him everywhere," Coll said. "He had (uncontrollably) disruptive behavior."
She said her son's physician had told her, "One day Patrick would ruin my younger son's life. A week later, Patrick threw our younger son down the basement stairs."
After Patrick's admission, Coll recalled, "I felt depressed and so sorry for myself. I didn't feel like existing."
She said she "snapped out of it" when listening to a fellow parent talk about her child. Not only did it help the person talking, it also helped Coll, by motivating her to begin activities that could help Patrick.
One activity was establishing the Bellefontaine Habilitation Center Parents' Association. The group runs the thrift shop, which began with a rummage sale Coll and her sister, Ruth Vondras, held after a parents' meeting.
Today, nine or 10 volunteers staff the thrift shop. They look to Coll as their chief.
"If not for Betty and John (Coll's husband of 40 years, who is now deceased), we wouldn't be here," said volunteer Dee Baldetti. "She comes in nearly every day."
For the past 30 years, the parents' association has raised millions of dollars for center residents and advocated on their behalf.
In its first year, the association installed the center's therapeutic warm-water pool. Last year, it allocated more than $36,000 to provide center residents with seasonal parties and decorations.
The group also recognizes outstanding employees at its annual luncheon.
"We (the association) provide things the state can't," Coll said, referring to things like televisions, DVD players and furniture.
The thrift shop is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Wednesday. Items are "new or gently used," Coll said.
First-time shopper Lois Elliott of Moline Acres carried neatly folded sheer window panels over her arm as she looked through other items. She was there to get an "overview of merchandise."
"A friend told me about this place last week. There's a lot of stuff to look at," Elliott said.
Coll, who admits to being a senior citizen, describes herself as "not easy. I'm a female Clint Eastwood. Sometimes I remind myself (of Eastwood), even with the language I use."
She said the shop plays an important part in her life.
"I feel closer to Patrick here," Coll said. "Sometimes I drop in to see him, but the big visiting day is Sunday."
If Hidden Treasures didn't take up so much time, she said, "I would probably have my own little shop somewhere."
It might be a shop that carried only stuffed animals, which she loves.
"Did you notice that each stuffed animal has a distinct personality?" Coll asked. "Just to heap them together (the way we do here) isn't right. I would like to see their personalities bloom.
"If you had a place where you could pose them a certain way, they could tell you their story, and you would see their personalities," she added.
Despite her dream, Coll said that little shop never would be a reality.
"This is my job, what I'm supposed to do," she said. "No matter what happens, I will still be in there working for the severely mentally retarded, even if I lose Patrick."