Keith Peterson : Be All You Can Be Part 4 of 4

Every day millions of people in America wake up in the morning, dress, go to work or school, spend time with family and friends, and go about their day unaware of the ease with which they live their lives. For Keith Peterson, whose life was changed forever by spinal meningitis at the age of 2, it took a great deal of help, hard work and persistence to master the arts of daily living.

Keith started out like any other healthy kid but his childhood illness left him with various physical and mental disabilities, the most imposing of which was severe blindness. As he grew up, he was forced in his own unique ways to adjust to the same world that everyone else takes for granted.

Thanks to the support of his family and an array of services coordinated through the Greene County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disability (MRDD), Keith has accomplished a great deal. Having recently turned 50, he has an apartment of his own, a job and in-home help, but he still has plenty he wants to do.

Most people want to be productive and feel a sense of accomplishment, that's why Keith wants to continue to work and learn more on his job at Greene, Inc., however it is still unclear how the agency will be affected by the economic recession. The news is full of stories about cuts in social services of all kinds and Greene County agencies are by no means immune to the effects of the erratic economy.

Greene, Inc. is the adult services affiliate of the Greene County MRDD which currently serves 295 individuals with physical and mental challenges by providing them with valuable employment and training. The work is made possible through contract labor services offered by Greene, Inc. to outside companies, some of which are feeling the effects of the economy and limiting their production output.

Right now Keith works on assembly and packaging projects, but should Greene, Inc. lose valuable production contracts, his work hours may be cut or he could possibly lose his job altogether. However, his work would be replaced by habilitation programming, which would be provided at Greene, Inc.'s facilities. The prospect of having his job change in the future is upsetting to Keith.

As mentioned in Part III: Workin' Man Blues, Keith is interested in the economy and he is concerned about these potential cutbacks on services and reduced work hours. Expressing a need to speak up about the problem, he recently wrote letters to President Obama and various United States Senators expressing his distress regarding the current economic situation.

He also noted his views on the potential development of an expanded public transportation system including rural bus lines and rail services. The Greene County Transit Board, more commonly known as Greene CATS, currently provides area residents with local, daily, round-trip transportation.

Long-distance travel, however, is still not an option for most physically challenged people and a more advanced public transportation network would be of great help to those individuals. Keith may be on the road to becoming an activist for social services, but for now he is focused on taking advantage of the summer season and enjoying his weekends off.

He especially likes to get outside and get together with friends and family. "Keith enjoys everything that most other people do at this time of year, but with help," said Angela Curfman, Keith's sister. He enjoys visiting the National Museum of the United States Air Force, attending church functions, and especially going to the movies.

"Going to the movies is a big deal," said Curfman. "For a blind person to go and not be able to see the screen, the movie needs to have a lot of talk and action." The action is what Keith loves, which is why he was excited to finally see the latest Terminator film. While these solitary activities are fun for him, Keith is an outgoing and socially interactive person who enjoys spending time with others.

Last year, he hosted a Christmas party in his home for his caregivers and he is looking forward to what he calls a "big cookout" for his caregivers later on in the summer. He would also like to take a vacation. "I want to go to Niagara Falls," he said. "I want to see what the weather is like there." He may have had a struggle on his hands to get this far, but it is clear that Keith still has much to do.

Keith Peterson may not have achieved all he has on his own, but regardless of any outside influences, his strength of will and character have urged him onward, despite his challenges. There are thousands of stories about people just like Keith all around the country but now Greene County knows of one right here at home.

Hopefully his story will encourage others to work hard, have faith and do everything possible to overcome the adversities of life and let those like Keith be an inspiration. Where he leads, others will follow.

Acknowledgement:
Developing a series like "Keith Peterson: Be All You Can Be" requires the cooperation of many people, especially those charged with the care of the individual upon which the story is based. I would like to thank Keith's family and representatives of Greene County MRDD, Greene, Inc., Equal People, and the Greene County Dailies. My best wishes go to Keith Peterson and his family.