The
'Good Life' for Mark
In the mid 70s, Ken and Mark grew up in nearby households in Mechanicsburg,
a small town in Boone County. Three decades later, their lives are still
connected, through a United Way-funded program that helps adults with disabilities
find, get and keep jobs in the community where they live.
In childhood, Mark Tomlin was well-known as the poster child for muscular dystrophy. After high school, he got training at Goodwill Industries in Indianapolis. From there, a series of brief work experiences each ended unhappily, sending him to file for unemployment, and putting him in an undesirable statistical majority: nationally, 70 percent of adults with disabilities are unemployed.
The
lives of the two men crossed again in 1998. After serving in the Peace Corps,
Ken was hired as an employment consultant with Arc Rehab Services in Lebanon.
Injuries he sustained from a car accident required seven operations, more
than three months in the hospital and left him with slurred speech and compassionate
understanding of his clients' needs.
Arc Rehab job Employment
Consultant Ken Graham (right) helped Mark Tomlin (left) find and keep a
job at Hendrickson International, located in Mark's home county. The Job
Connection program that helps people with disabilities move toward self-sufficiency
is funded in part by unrestricted contributions to United Way of Central
Indiana.
Assigned to work with Mark, Ken went about the task of finding a job in the community for his former classmate. Incorrectly diagnosed in childhood, Mark was dealing with impaired muscular power and coordination that results from cerebral palsy. Their goal was for Mark to stay on the parttime job in maintenance at Hendrickson International for at least six months.
'We
opened the door.'
Now, as he looks forward to a five-year anniversary at the
manufacturing company, Mark earns a wage that not only enables him to live
in his own apartment, but allows for the extras, including a wide range
of hobbies and interests like racing go-carts, riding a four-wheeler, and
collecting remote controlled trucks.
At Hendrickson, Mark's a valued team member. "Our role was to help open the door for Mark, but since then he's had to perform on his own and blend into the workforce," explained Jim Lower, human resources manager.
Jon
Blackburn, Mark's supervisor, agrees that Mark fits into the environment
well. "He takes pride in what he is doing and is very cooperative," said
Jon Blackburn. "He doesn't require much direction at all."
Diana Teachnor, Vectren spokesperson, taped the close to Vectren's Channel
RTV 6 segment that featured Mark Tomlin. The story aired Sept. 30-Oct. 4,
2002 on Channel 6.
Independence!
As part of Arc's services, Ken stops by to visit Mark on the job about three
times a month. But the visits are now just a formality. "He's really living
the good life," says Ken of his life-long friend. Thanks
to unrestricted gifts from thousands of caring people, United Way invested
more than $2.6 million in 2001 to help adults with disabilities. When we
care in a United Way, we can change the future for thousands of people like
Mark, enabling them to be as independent as possible.
