|
Even though Gov.
George Ryan has announced the complete closure of the Lincoln
Developmental Center, the Lincoln Parents Association, a group of
about 250 parents of LDC residents, is not giving up the fight to
save the institution that, they affirm over and over again, is
taking good care of their children.
"I absolutely will
not quit until I hear the key in the lock, and maybe not even then,"
said Janet Bruns of Taylorville.
"Somebody set this
place up to close many years ago. Many of the charges are bogus.
They are not even charges, only allegations. Somebody has a
political agenda."
Bruns was one of
about 50 parents from all over central Illinois who got together
Saturday at Lincoln’s Depot restaurant to talk over the latest
developments and meet with the press. Ironically, exactly 40 years
ago that day she put her daughter into LDC.
"Her life expectancy
at birth was one year. She’s 42 now. Without their good care she
would not be here."
[Robert and
Eileen Springer of Eureka have been
happy with the care their daughter
has received
at LDC since 1984.]
Robert Springer of
Eureka said the allegations of abuse and neglect that led to the
decision to close the 125-year-old facility have been blown out of
proportion.
"The governor said a
new management team was being sent in to put the facility back on
track. The team was not looking for positives but for negatives.
They were looking for things they could report. We see no good
reason why LDC should be closed."
He said he and his
wife, Eileen, have never felt any fear about their daughter, Jannie,
who has been at LDC since 1984.
Several of the
parents were concerned that the Department of Human Services, the
state agency in charge of LDC, would move their sons or daughters to
group homes. These homes, which house eight residents each, do not
have the trained staff to adequately care for their loved ones, they
say.
[Rosemary
Murray (left), formerly of San Jose, and Joanne Courtwright of
Lincoln, both widows in frail health, are concerned about the future
of their sons when LDC closes.]
"They’ve been telling
me all along my son would never have to leave Lincoln," said
Rosemary Murray, a widow in frail health. She held up a letter she
had received that morning.
"Now they are telling
me they are considering him for community placement. He has been in
community placement, and he became so self-abusive he had to be
hospitalized. He was admitted to LDC, and they brought him back to a
proper functioning level."
Joanne Courtwright,
also a widow with health problems, cites a similar experience. In
1980, her son was sent to another facility but had to be brought
back to LDC.
"He’s subject to
seizures," she said. "Doctors and nurses at LDC monitor him and can
tell when he is in danger of a seizure and take the proper
precautions. This kind of care would not be available in a group
home."
"My daughter can’t be
anywhere else. We tried community placement, and it didn’t work out.
I couldn’t take care of her at home, and I couldn’t travel a long
way to see her," said Jerry May of Peoria.
[to top of second column in
this article]
|
Angie Gaffigan, a
registered nurse, has had a son at LDC for the last 10 years. She
says she brings him home regularly and does a body assessment, so
she knows he’s well cared for.
"LDC is safer for him
than community placement, because in group homes there are not that
many people around. The chance for abuse and neglect is greater in a
group home than in a facility with more staff.
"I’ve been in group
homes where you can smell the urine and feces, and I know good ones
are difficult to find. The threat of having their son or daughter
put in a group home is a big concern for parents who are aging."
Parents are also
unhappy with the lack of communication with DHS. "We can’t get
information about what’s happening. The department doesn’t respond
to letters we write. We need to get our questions answered," Eleanor
Newmister said.
"DHS is masterful at
keeping information from our association as well as from the
public," said Pat Brown, co-president of the parents association.
"They use confidentiality rules as an obstructive tool.
"We can’t get
information about what was actual reported to upper-echelon DHS
bureaucrats or to the governor, so there is no way we can refute any
charges. We can get information about our particular loved one but
not anything else," he said.
"It’s not time to
give up now," Brown told the group. "We are going to continue the
fight. We know we are in the right."
[Pat and Linda Brown of Leroy, co-presidents of Lincoln Parents
Association, study a list of senators who voted to keep LDC open.]
Keeping up the fight
means leaning on politicians, he said. The group has tallied the
votes of members of the state Senate, which recently failed to
override the governor’s veto on restoring LDC funding.
"Politicians need
votes. Those that voted against us need to be encouraged to do the
right thing," Brown said.
He said he was
disappointed with Senate Democrats, because only four voted to keep
LDC open.
"The Cook County
Democrats didn’t go with them. Logan County is Republican, and
that’s the political world we live in."
The parents group
should also keep the pressure on the two gubernatorial candidates,
both of whom have promised to support LDC, he added. "One of those
guys is going to be our next governor. Both have promised help."
Another way to
continue the fight is the lawsuit filed by AFSCME, the union that
represents most of the employees of LDC, Norlan and Eleanor
Newmister, parents of an LDC resident, and Sen. Larry Bomke of
Springfield, which is now before the Appellate Court.
Also, before closing LDC, Gov. Ryan must
get a permit from the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, and
the board must schedule public hearings at which parents and others
can testify.
[Joan
Crabb]
|
|
Not only will the family of Pettijohn
be affected by the tragic accident, but because of his friendly
personality and generosity he will be deeply missed and remembered
throughout the community. He was known to respond without hesitation
to numerous requests to support small and large fund-raisers. Pizzas
were supplied in abundance for walkers and talkers or rockers,
whatever the cause and whoever needed feeding at a fund-raiser. He
gave generously and without hesitation.
People also knew him in everyday life
for his congeniality, even in the small things like his friendly
manner of taking a pizza order. He would talk to some personally and
not just about pizza. His sincere personality came through whether
you were ordering a pizza or asking for a donation.
Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of
Commerce Executive Director Bobbi Abbott summed it up well: "Andy
Pettijohn was a big man with a big heart and a big smile, and his
untimely death will leave many family members and friends feeling a
big loss. He was a self-made, successful business owner who went
from delivering pizzas to owning two Domino’s franchises. Andy
sponsored a hot-air balloon every year, and we celebrated the birth
of his twins on the first day of the festival in 2000. We last saw
Andy on Thursday night (June 13) when he came to office to donate
pizza coupons for the Chamber Roundup. He was wearing one of those
handmade "Greatest Dad" T-shirts, with the painted handprints of his
kids, and that is how we will remember him. Andy was a terrific
friend of the chamber of commerce, and his untimely death is truly a
tragedy."
[to top of second column in
this article] |
Pettijohn began his business career as
store manager when Larry and Diane Laughlin ran the Domino’s Pizza
franchise in Lincoln. For several years during that period the
Laughlins sponsored a balloon for the balloon fest. Dave and Kathy
Reinke of Champaign own and pilot the balloon that was assigned to
the Laughlins. Through this means, Dave Reinke became acquainted
with Andy Pettijohn.
When the Laughlins decided to sell the
franchise, Reinke and Pettijohn purchased it as partners. He and
Pettijohn have been partners in Domino’s for approximately four
years. Reinke said Pettijohn was "a marvelous guy to be partners
with." He added, "I’m going to miss him very much."
Reinke said he considers Michelle
Pettijohn to be his business partner now. She owns and operates
Michelle’s Home and Garden on Kickapoo Street. Reinke emphasized
that it is too soon to tell whether there will be any changes at
Domino’s. Among other issues, franchise considerations are involved.
Larry Laughlin is expected to return to
Lincoln from Dataw Island, S.C., to help out with Domino’s for a
time.
The business
was operating as usual Saturday night and expects to continue as
before.
[Jan
Youngquist and
Lynn
Shearer Spellman]
[Obituary]
|
