After Jeremy Legg’s family moved from West Virginia to Whitehouse, OH he enrolled in camp at Courageous Acres, not far from the family home.
What made him want to sign up for the camp? “Women,” he says with a grin.
Jeremy, who is served by the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities, hasn’t missed a camp in 11 years, including the last three as an employee there.
“I love this camp,” he said. “I love everybody here. I love my job.”
He started working in 2021, shortly after Laura Kuhlenbeck took over as Executive Director of Courageous Community Services, which runs the camp.
“As a camper, he was always offering to help in the kitchen,” she said. “We had very limited staff that summer and Jeremy just kept showing up for work.”
Thanks to that work ethic and initiative, Jeremy works more than 30 hours per week, everything from cooking and cleaning in the kitchen to cleaning the bathrooms, mowing the grass, and bringing out yard games for campers to play. He knows all 18 acres of the camp like the back of his hand, zipping through the woods driving a passenger in a golf cart during a detailed tour of the property earlier this summer.
An avid sports fan, Jeremy roots for the Dallas Cowboys, just like his dad raised him, and also participates in Lucas County Special Olympics. His volleyball team took home the state championship in June!
“Jeremy values hard work and has shown that with persistence and strong self-advocacy skills, you can accomplish your goals,” said Ticha Ziegler, his Service & Support Specialist at Lucas DD. “He has turned his passion for the outdoors and love of camp into a community job. This has helped him gain access to new opportunities and skills that will continue to grow with him. As his SSA, I could not be prouder of his growth and can’t wait to see what else he achieves!”
Yes, it’s a job, but it’s also a training opportunity to develop and improve social skills and develop friendly and supportive relationships. The support provided by co-workers and the personal satisfaction of a job well done can change someone's life experience from one of isolation to one of feeling part of a community.
“Individuals with disabilities are not defined solely by their disabilities,” Kuhlenbeck said. “As an employer, I have made a commitment to focus on skills, qualifications, and potential contributions to the organization. CCS is reaping the benefits of a diverse and talented workforce. The experiences of my employees have led to creative problem-solving and innovation for our organization. CCS intends to be a leader in fighting against decades of stigma and discrimination.”
