Imagining Possibilities

ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT CONTINUES EXPANDING IN COMMUNITY

PROFILE

CAROL COSGROVE HART

Born: June 23, 1947, Shreveport, La.

Husband: Bill Hart, married Dec. 21, 1968

Children: Sons Jacob Hart, 35, and Josh Hart, 30

Education: B.A. Art, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas

MISSION

Life Styles enthusiastically supports individuals with developmental disabilities in reaching their full potential as contributing members of the community. Supported employment sites include:

Life Styles Blair Center 5200 S. Thompson St., Springdale 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Life Styles Car Wash 3010 W. Walnut St., Rogers 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday

WEB WATCH

LIFE STYLES

www.lifestylesinc.org

— In 34 years of imagining the possibilities, Carol Hart has not wavered in her belief that adults with disabilities should be active, fully contributing members in their home communities.

Hart, founder and executive director of Life Styles Inc., started the organization after working at the Elizabeth Richardson Center, where she was employed soon after graduating from college. She saw that once the children there became adults, there were no services for them - other than institutions or group homes away from their families.

Community

Hart places great significance on the importance of community.

“We talk about community as a place, but the concept of people in a supportive environment - to be a part of one has incredible value.”

Life Styles clients are encouraged to be active participants in their local communities - working, volunteering and taking part in community activities.

Clients volunteer with a number of Northwest Arkansas nonprofit organizations such as Meals on Wheels, Children’s House and at Washington Regional Medical Center delivering mail.

“Communities are stronger when all members are able to participate,” Hart said.

The nonprofit organization serves approximately 150 individuals in Benton and Washington counties, helping them live and work on their own.

Supported Living

What started with 10 units for supported independent living at the former Vet-View Motel on College Avenue in Fayetteville has grown to encompass the College for Living, a comprehensive art program, a high school transition program, supported living and employment training. There are now a 12-unit apartment complex, six duplex units and six single units used for supported living.

College for Living is the educational component of the group’s offerings and teaches clients life skills such as financial management, rights and responsibilities, safety, votereducation and how to handle relationships.

Blair Johanson is a Life Styles board member and father of client Stephen Johanson, 29, who has been receiving Life Styles services for 10 years. Blair andhis wife, Ann, have “seen Stephen have opportunities we didn’t think were possible ... We get comfort knowing he can achieve what he wants to achieve.”

Having Stephen with Life Styles gives the Johansons theirown independence, “a sense of knowing that he can be productive and live a life beyond us. He’ll be able to do it on his own.”

When asked at what point she knew that Life Styles was a success, Hart replied, “Always and never ... We’ve always felt good about our work, but yet sometimes it seems we’ve never arrived. It continues to be challenging and exciting.”

She added that there are times when her staff thinks of something new and wonders, “Why haven’t we thought of this before?”

She points to Project Launch as an example. Part of the College for Living, it gives clients the opportunity to continue their education after high school graduation with a three-year program on the University of Arkansas campus. Started in 2009, the program has nearly a dozen clients participating. Students spend 20 hours a week in the classroom.

“What took us so long? Of course, they can be on campus!”

First-year curriculum covers independent living and social skills, and Life Styles students are paired with UA student mentors.

Students put their learned skills to the test in the second year when they move into apartments with staff help available.

The third year will emphasize employment skills such as interviewing, writing resumes and behavior on the job. In some cases, students will graduate from the program with jobs.

Student I.D.s, lunches in the Arkansas Union, workouts at the HPER and Razorback pep rallies add to their collegiate-style experience.

Employment

Supported employment is a large component of Life Styles, based on the belief that gainful employment contributes to self-worth, confidence and the ability to lead a fuller life.

“We have a very, very strong commitment to working in the community,” Hart said.

The organization works with area businesses to pair them with clients who are competitively employed, rather than working in sheltered workshops.

Employment support comes in the form of vocational assessments, job development and job training.

The organization’s employment program is certified by the state as a Community Rehabilitation Program.

Life Styles training sites include Fayetteville Shredding Company and the year-old Life Styles Car Wash and Detail Center on Walnut Street in Rogers. The sites provide a place for clients to learn how toget and keep a job, acceptable work behavior, how to create resumes and how to interview for jobs.

Area employers working with the group have included the University of Arkansas, Walton Arts Center, Tyson Foods corporate oftces, Chick-Fil-A and Panera.

The Arts

Educated as an artist, Hart felt compelled to make art training accessible to clients. A visual art program became part of the College for Living in 2006.

Hart said she was very deliberate in hiring artists to lead the program, rather than special education teachers.

“We don’t want special art - we want art.”

The art program, originally housed on the Life Styles campus on Sycamore Street in Fayetteville, quickly outgrew its spaceand moved to what is now the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences campus at the corner of North Street and College Avenue. The art studios and gallery moved in 2009 to the Blair Center, donated by Nancy and Jim Blair.Life Styles artwork is also available for purchase at its Rogers car wash.

Hart said dramatic arts are the next to be added. “We have very dramatic people,” she said with a smile.

Passionate Leadership

Woody Bassett, longtime board member and supporter, recent capital campaign chairman and past board president, has been with the organization since the early 1980s. He said that early on, “Clearly (Hart) had a dream.”

Bassett attributes the group’s success to “her overwhelming commitment to help people with disabilities and her belief in the program and what it can do to help people.”

He said the name recognition and reputation for getting results garnered by Life Styles is “a testament to Carol’s leadership and the board’s eff orts.”

Current board president Charlie Harwell said that Hart’s “creativity and enthusiasm show day to day, and she still has the same drive and determination to help. She inspires that same ‘cando attitude’ in her staff .”

Johanson said that in the years he’s worked with Hart as a board member, he’s “been impressed with Carol as a business leader. She has always wanted to continue to learn and apply what she’s learned.” As a result, the nonprofit she leads is “always looking to improve, learn more and apply it to the organization.” Imagining the Future

The future of Lifestyles includes a new 14,000-square-foot College for Living Center adjacent to the current Sycamore Street campus with an anticipated April 2011 completion. The Stensgaard Center, as it will be known, will include life skills training areas, a fullservice employment center, space for physical therapy and exercise, art studios and a gallery, an individual and group therapy room and awheelchair garden.

Construction began in mid-July after a successful $3.7 million capital campaign was completed in less than three years with approximately 300 donors.

Harwell said the organization is easy to love and support. “The life-changing stories that come out” of Life Styles keep supporters coming back.

The transition to a new building will also involve a transition in leadership as Hart plans to retire in the fall of 2011.

On the future of Life Styles and the community, she said, “My hope is that all people get to stay in the community. We need to ask ‘How can we structure the community so needs can be met?’”

Looking forward to a smooth leadership transition, Hart added, “The planning process is going to be fun. I want to do transition well.”

GO AND DO

POLO BENEFIT

What: Polo in the Ozarks To Benefit: Life Styles Inc.

When: 4 p.m. Sept. 11

Where: Buell family farm, Fayetteville

Tickets: $10-$75 Information: 521-3581

Polo In The Ozarks

Life Styles’ signature fundraiser, Polo in the Ozarks, is slated for Sept. 17 at the east Fayetteville farm of Donna and Brian Buell.

The 21st annual event begins with a polo match at 4 p.m., replete with tailgating on the sidelines. This year’s tailgate theme is “Polo Around the World,” with food from countries where polo is played, such as Argentina.

The match has grown to be a family event with an extensive children’s area that will include games, inflatables and, new this year, camel rides.

A silent auction will open with the polo match and continue through the evening gala set to begin at 7 p.m. The benefi t helps fund the art and employment programs. Tickets for the Gala Package are $75 for adults and $25 for children and include the match, dinner and dancing. Tickets for the match only are $15 for adults and $10 for children 7 to 12 years old. Children younger than 6 will have free admission.

Our Town, Pages 11 on 08/29/2010

Upcoming Events