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- Foundation Board Member Commitment Plays in Many Acts
- Masons Make a Difference
- Spring into Awareness - IDD Awareness Month wrap up
Foundation Board Member Commitment Plays in Many ActsJuly 1, 2022
“I’ve been on the Developmental Disabilities Foundation (DDF) board for 10 years, and I really like being part of it and seeing what’s going on with DDRC,” said Barb Moritzky.
“I love going to the tournament, meeting people, and volunteering on the course. You can also win some cool things from the auction and feel gratified knowing it’s for a good cause. One year I won a beautiful quilt from the Quilt Museum,” she says, "and I have donated African fabric bags to the auction from a Ugandan ministries group I have worked with for years.” The auction is virtual so anyone can register to bid. Biding opens August 1 and will close on August 15.
Barb’s connection to the intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) world stems from her personal experience of having a sister with disabilities, who, after growing up in Fort Collins, has been served by DDRC for many years.
While at Colorado State University, Barb got involved in a program that paired college students with people with disabilities. Armed with a degree in Social Work, Barb worked for an IDD focused organization in Nebraska teaching independent living skills, becoming the area manager, and helping move people from state institutions and nursing homes into neighborhood group homes. Later, she was the Rehabilitation Manager at Laradon Hall.
In 1984 Barb and her husband joined the Peace Corps, went to Tunisia, and worked in a center for people with IDD. Inclusion of people with IDD was not accepted, but Barb gained success in using sports for integration, as soccer was universally loved. “I am especially grateful to have been invited to advise on the starting of the first Tunisian Special Olympics. When the first games were held, even though they didn’t have fancy new uniforms, the pride everyone had, and the joy in playing, still brings tears to my eyes.”
Currently, Barb is the Development Director for the Lakewood Symphony Orchestra. She loves music, singing and theatre, and along with her sister Julie, is involved with the DDRC Players, a theatre troupe that is now the Special Needs Acting Program (SNAP) of Colorado Acts. "I love how the theatre allows people to see themselves in a new light through the characters they play," she says.
“Services and supports like those offered through DDRC have made an important difference for my sister Julie, helping her to become more independent and social,” Barb says.
Years back, Julie worked at the Bruno Center in group employment, and now participates in opportunities offered through DDRC's Weiland Center. Julie shines in Weiland’s Zoom sessions playing Hangman, using her Dynovox, discovering she is a really good player, getting answers correct and delighting herself and others. She expresses her artistry there, too.
Barb says that knowing that her sister is engaged in things she wants to do gives Barb the important opportunity to work in varied areas.
When Barb reflects on the passage of time, she says, “We are definitely light years ahead of where we once were with disability inclusion, even though we have a long way to go.” DDF is lucky to have Barb’s experience and passion, along with the other DD Foundation members, to help move us forward in that journey!
Learn more about the August 15, 2022 DDF/DDCR Golf Tournament, "Groovy on the Green"