70 years of supporting Southwest Florida

LARC clients and staff were honored at the 70th anniversary celebration. COURTESY PHOTOS

Lee Association of Remarkable Citizens (LARC) celebrated its 70th anniversary at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Fort Myers last month. Established in 1954, LARC Inc. is a training center for success that provides support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson read a proclamation recognizing March as Intellectual and Developmental Disability Awareness Month.

LARC’s executive director, Angela Katz, recognized vital individuals who have contributed to the organization’s success over the past 70 years. These individuals were given keepsakes created by LARC participants.

¦ Bobbi Griffin, whose parents founded LARC with other parents whose children with intellectual and developmental disabilities were not allowed to attend public schools in 1954.

¦ The family of Kathy Bradley, whose parents were a founding family of LARC. Kathy attended programs at LARC for many years. Her brother Roger was the executive director of LARC for thirty-one years, and her brother Brian is now a member of the LARC board of directors. The family also donated the home, which became LARC’s first group home.

Judy Rogers was honored for 34 years of service at LARC.

¦ Judy Rogers has been a dedicated instructor at LARC for 34 years.

¦ Ross Webb has served on the LARC board of directors for 36 years.

¦ Representative Jenna Persons-Mulicka helped LARC attain state funding for their commercial culinary training kitchen.

¦ Marc Collins established a scholarship fund at LARC in honor of his late wife, Lori Carroll-Collins.

“LARC provides a wide array of programs that serve more than 300 individuals annually, and participants range from 14 to 81,” said Katz. “We are so proud of all of our accomplishments over the past 70 years, and we are committed to advocating for people with developmental disabilities to ensure they receive opportunities to live happy and fulfilling lives and have a meaningful place in society.”

Todd Swaney, Marcia Ross, Marc Collins, Randall Barber and Juan Santiago. People were given fun socks and encouraged to post the designs on social media.

Katz highlighted LARC’s programs that include:

¦ LARC’s Adult Day Training program is designed to enhance abilities and help individuals live happier, more productive, and independent lives. Activities include self-care, daily living skills, and various pre-vocational and life skill opportunities.

In addition, opportunities are provided to increase fine and gross motor activities, communication skills, academic skills, positive behavioral approaches, independent living skills, social skills, and recreation and leisure skills.

¦ Learn, Achieve, Become (LAB) is an on-campus experiential learning environment that transforms traditional program areas into spaces for innovation, vocation, demonstration, and learning. Five Labs focus on work and independent living skills, including Lab for Living, Wellness Lab, Smart Living Lab, Vocational Exploration Lab, and Collaboration Lab. LARC provided more than 100,000 hours of life skills training last year.

¦ LARC recently broke ground on its Commercial Culinary Training Kitchen, where individuals with disabilities will be trained to work in the hospitality industry.

¦ LARC’s Campus Employment allows individuals to explore career opportunities while earning wages. LARC partners with local businesses to provide packaging and assembly work, and LARC’s Woodshop constructs and sells custom wood products.

¦ LARC’s Community and Employment Support Services provide ongoing assistance to individuals living in their homes, including medical, medication, money management, grocery shopping, obtaining benefits, exploring community resources, and other needs. In addition, Supported Employment is a service for individuals who require support services to obtain and succeed in competitive employment. More than 200 individuals are employed through LARC programs.

¦ LARC’s residential group homes provide room/board and 24-hour supervision in a person-centered, home-like environment. Individuals receive life skills training, including meal preparation, homemaking skills, personal hygiene, medication awareness, and budgeting. Healthcare management is provided, and individuals receive education about overall health and well-being. Residents participate in group and individual community inclusion and recreational activities. LARC recently broke ground on a new home that will replace a home in North Fort Myers that Hurricane Ian destroyed.

At the end of the event, attendees were invited to take a pair of fun socks, wear them, and share them on social media in recognition of National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. ¦

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