Annual Appeal: Upgrading for Safety and Well-Being

Annual Appeal 2021

From the Executive Director

Dear Friends of the ODC,

2020 was such an odd year for us, as I’m sure it was for many of you, and 2021 has been just as strange. After two shutdowns we reopened back in March with a much smaller number of participants and have been slowly welcoming back more of our folks as we are able.

But this summer we had to close again for just a week to take care of some major plumbing work. You see, for years we have been having plumbing issues, and have been taking care of them with small fixes, rather than addressing the larger problem. It was like putting Band-aids on a wound that required major surgery. We finally came to the point where we had to deal with the bigger issues, which required digging through 6 feet of concrete, asphalt, and dirt under the floor of one of our rooms. Now we are left with a big concrete slab on one of our floors. Seeing this made us realize how out of date of our building really is.

How old is our building? The ODC was founded in 1948 while the first section of our existing building was built in 1956 (with additions constructed in 1965 and 1984). Yes, the front part of our building (with offices, cafeteria, and one work area) is 65 years old! And not surprisingly, our building is showing its age.

Our participants are noticing! We asked Michael, one of our participants, what he thought of the building. His response? “The ceiling and the floor need…help. They look like they’ve been here a long time.” And he’s right! They DO need help and they HAVE been here a long time.

And it’s not just a matter of appearance and aesthetics, though those are important and can certainly help with morale. It is also a matter of the safety of our participants and staff. As the building has aged, it just isn’t as safe as it once was, and the safety and wellness of the individuals we serve is always our top priority. It’s time for us to stop fixing these issues with Band-aids, and get some major work done.

Here’s how you can help. So, for this year’s annual appeal, we are looking to raise funds to upgrade and replace some of the physical structure of our building, particularly the older front section. With the money we raise we are hoping to replace the current drop ceiling, and then move on to replacing and upgrading the old tile floors. If there is any money left over, we will then get a fresh coat of paint on the hallway and some of our offices. All of this will go a long way toward improving not only the inside “feel” of the building, but also in making it safer and a more pleasant work environment.

This year’s appeal goal is $30,000.

You can help us meet this goal by filling out the envelope you may have received in our annual appeal mailing and sending in your tax-deductible contribution, or by donating online at your convenience on our website. If you prefer, you can call us at 717-397-4269, ext. 16 or email your address to us at hello@odcenter.org, and we can mail you our appeal letter.

On behalf of our program participants, their families, our staff, and the ODC Board of Directors, we thank you for your continued support of our mission.

Gregg Richards, Executive Director

*Also, don’t forget to join us online at the Extraordinary Give at ExtraGive.com on Friday, November 19^th!