HODGDON, Maine — When a Danforth man was born, doctors told his parents he would never ever talk.
Defying the odds, Robbie Garland, who was born with Fragile X Syndrome, recently captured the audience as he joked, laughed and easily shared tales of his work as “the host with most” at the Elm Tree Diner in Houlton.
Garland was the main speaker for Living Innovations’ annual fundraiser at Hidden Springs Winery in Hodgdon on Friday afternoon.
“At my job I greet the guests, provide them menus, bring their drinks and help with other tasks around the restaurant,” said the 45-year-old. “That is what I do. There are so many moments that I feel warmth in my heart getting to meet people and brighten their day.”
Living Innovations is the sole provider of the state’s vocational rehabilitation services in an area that spans from just past Newport to northern Maine.
In the northern Maine region, an employment team of 30 supports about 200 people with challenges such as physical disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, transitioning from recovery houses or having been previously incarcerated, to name a few. Throughout the state, Living Innovations works with about 4,000.
MaineCare funds part of the group’s operational costs, but does not fund the needs and dreams specific to each individual. That’s where the additional funding comes in, said Angelina Jackman, Living Innovations’ community relations manager and employment coordinator who organized the Friday event.
“One hundred percent goes to the individuals,” she said.
For example, if a person they work with gets a job at a restaurant and needs a new shirt or slip-resistent shoes, they will purchase those items from these funds. Sometimes people come to them in an emergency situation on weekends late at night and all they have are the clothes they are wearing, she said.
There may be a person who has a seizure and breaks their glasses. MaineCare only replaces glasses every three years.
“What are they going to do?” Jackman said, adding that they would use this fund to buy a new pair of glasses.
In Garland’s case, he wanted to take a CPR course to make sure he could take care of his aging parents and use it for his work at the restaurant. But he did not have the resources to pay for that, so the fund took care of it for him.
It has also helped Caribou violinist Christiano Belzaire.
When he first came to Living Innovations, his work sheet said he could stock shelves. But what he really wanted was to play violin. The team got to work to make that possible.
“He never had a new violin to call his own. We worked with vocational rehab and the Mini Music Store who donated half of the cost of the violin to make sure he could afford it,” Jackman said. “And we have been looking for places to get him gigs.”
During Friday’s event, Belzaire entertained a room full of guests with breathtaking renditions of Bach compositions.
Jackman’s annual goal is $40,000, and Friday’s event along with sponsor donations got her nearly halfway, but she won’t know the exact total to draw from this year until the end of the month with pledges and pending grant applications, she said.
Garland, who lives with his parents as part of Living Innovations Shared Living program, has been getting support including speech therapy and job counseling from the team for decades, since high school.
“I have been able to take vacations, purchase an iPad that helps me to connect with family and friends that live far away,” Garland said on Friday. “I am able to attend important meetings and research events in my community.”
In his work life, Garland made salads at a nursing home, cleaned a tax office and a fire station and even worked for a security company. But the job at the diner that he has held for the past three years is the one that touches his heart, he said.
“My favorite part is not the paycheck, it’s the moments I share with people,” he said, adding that he starts each day at work with his “Honey, I’m home,” greeting.
He talked about Living Innovations helping him get his CPR certification and how it took him 10 months to complete.
“I know some people can do it in a one-day class. But for me, I worked really hard to make sure I could complete it and do well,” he said.
According to Garland, being able to work might not seem exciting to some people, but for adults with disabilities it makes them feel important and like everyone else.
“If you ever feel like you can’t do something, think twice,” he said in closing. “People can do anything they put their mind to. Sometimes you might need help and that’s OK. It might not turn out the way you thought it would, but like the motto of the Special Olympics, ‘Let me win. If I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.’”
