A crash course in changing the world.
I've been thinking all day about who I consider my hero. Someone that has really impacted society and that I would want to fill their shoes one day. Of course my initial thought was Steve Rogers. And once the 8 year old inside me left from the decision making process, i realized it was an obvious answer, Jack Fowler.
Jack and his wife, Reta, started The Fowler Center in 1957 here in Michigan. The Fowler Center is a summer camp for people with disabilities. Activities everyday like zip line, rock wall climbing, arts and crafts, swimming, boating, horseback riding and a ton more.
The thing about Jack is that he himself has cerebral palsy. Yet he hasn't let that stop him. It sounds cliché, but it's true.
The center's history between opening to 1977 was shaky with having to relocate and constantly expand due to growing popularity within the mental health community, and getting the financial support from others. It hasn't been an easy road for Mister and Misses Fowler, but they never stopped.
It's funny how every year around this time, friends from work start getting really antsy. The sun is coming out more, the snow is melting, the coats are getting thinner and everyone is waiting to see if they have a spot this summer at The Fowler Center. The first time I heard about the center I couldn't stop thinking about how much I would love to have done that myself and how much I would love to visit the place.
I still haven't had an opportunity to visit the center, but last year I had the honor of meeting Jack Fowler in person. My boss was receiving the Lifetime Achievement award at the Fowler Center's annual fundraiser, and she had invited me and my girlfriend. We went and they showed a PowerPoint presentation basically telling the history of the center. After the presentation an old man took the microphone and gave the award to my boss. At the time i didn't know it was Jack Fowler, but he and my boss talked like old friends. It was just crazy to see my boss cracking inside jokes with someone I consider a legend in the mental health field.
If that wasn't crazy enough, when I went to congratulate my boss on her award, she said, "I want to introduce you to somebody."
About 5 seconds later I'm shaking hands with Jack Fowler. The man who started this wh*** thing.
IF THATS NOT CRAZY ENOUGH, as I’m shaking his hand he tells me that he's heard nothing but good things about me and the work I'm doing for "our guys". To be considered someone whos "guys" are the same as Jack Fowler's "guys" brought tears to my eyes...seriously.
I feel so fortunate to have met one of my heroes.
Another crazy thing...as i'm sitting here writing this up, I couldn't remember if Reta Fowler was still living, so I emailed my boss asking. She emails me back saying that her and Jack are having lunch together this Tuesday and invited me along!! She also gave me his phone number and said that I should set up a time to go visit him, because he loves to talk to young people in this field. *enter goose bumps*.
I'll leave you with this quote from Jack himself. I think it sums up fighting for anything in the mental health field to make things better....for OUR guys.
"It really isn't so great a challenge when you think of all that has been accomplished over the years on behalf of disabled children, youth and adults who constantly seek to find solace and reward in the outdoors. I have no fear or hesitation that we should embark upon our most ambitious feat to date to keep the standards high and deliverance of our programs top priority. We have the faith to know that our mission is sound and our purpose resolute. We have done it before, and together we can do it again."
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