‘Independence day': For a local blind man, that day came when he moved out on his own

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Like any grown-up kid, Gary Sasser wanted to move out of his parents' home and into a place of his own.

At 38, he finally did.

“The hardest part was convincing my family I could do it,” Sasser said. “They said, ‘you're not going to — you will never make it.'”

Sasser, 51, was born blind. He was also born with a cleft lip and palate.

Sasser was a client at the Center for Independence 13 years ago. The nonprofit organization helps people with disabilities learn skills to achieve various levels of independence.

Center staff members came to Sasser's home to tell his parents they'd help him learn the skills needed to live on his own. They showed him how to sign up for phone service, and access human services so a home care provider could come twice a week to his apartment to assist with housekeeping, and meal preparation.

“One of the (CFI) staff came over and helped me organize my kitchen, and taught me kitchen skills,” Sasser said. “They helped me set up my apartment for what I needed.”

On March 22, 1996, Sasser moved into his own apartment.

“To this day I call that my independence day,” Sasser said. “It was a whole new life. It opened a lot of doors that wouldn't open before.”

The first couple of years had its bumps.

“I'd call staff and they'd come over to help me resolve what I thought were crises at the time, like for example the exploding meat loaf,” Sasser said.

Over time the “disasters” decreased.

Numerous CFI programs

Center for Independence was founded in 1982 by five newly blind women, who recognized a need for teaching survival skills to people with visual impairments who wanted to live independently.

Services expanded four years later to encompass the needs of people with all kinds of disabilities, including both physical, mental, emotional and cognitive. The federal and grant-funded program provides free services for people in 11 Western Slope counties.

Center for Independence offers a wide variety of programs, including interpreter services for the deaf, and specialized computer software and training for those with sensory and cognitive disabilities. The center also helps with finding housing, assists with applying for disability benefits and teaches functional Braille.

At the center people can learn daily living skills and attend support groups.

Not everyone who uses the center lives independently of their parents. For some the center is an opportunity to attend classes on health and wellness, attend specialized exercise classes, or partake in recreation through card games, potlucks, arts and crafts classes, or sports like tennis, basketball or bowling. There's yoga and fitness classes for people in wheelchairs.

The center provides vocational training to help clients gain confidence and skills for employment. Staff also helps members of the vocational program write resumes, fill out applications, prepare for interviews and seek job placement.

As part of its culinary training, Monday and Tuesday clients prepare lunch at the center for themselves, staff and community members.

The center serves 40-45 people on a monthly basis.

“Nobody knows what the Center for Independence is until they need it,” said vocational program manager Jana Hill. “This is the only minority group that anyone could join at any point in their life be it from illness or accident, or some kind of traumatic injury.

“It's important (people) know there's a place to go if that sort of thing happens.”

Art and crafts fair

Jane Slepitis, 57, uses a wheelchair and found herself being forgetful after she had a couple of strokes.

“This place has helped me want to get myself right,” Slepitis said. “I'm relearning things I'd forgotten.”

Learning to live independently proved critical for Sasser. His mother has Alzheimer's disease and lives in a nursing home, and his father is in poor health, Sasser said.

“There was a time about six months before I moved I had considered suicide,” Sasser said. “Leaving home when I did actually saved my life.”

As a child Sasser had taught himself to play the piano after discovering the instrument at the home of relatives.

“I'd take off exploring like kids do and found this thing sitting in the corner of a living room,” Sasser said. “When I actually sat down and started experimenting I found I could make music.”

Sasser will play the piano Saturday at an arts and crafts fair to benefit the Center for Independence.

The arts and crafts fair will be held at the center in its gymnasium, 740 Gunnison Ave., today from 4 - 8 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Local artisans and other vendors will be selling hand-made hula hoops, candles, jewelry, cards, baby clothes, purses, Tupperware, lavender sachets, rubber stamps, pet portraits, framed photography and food.



Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.