Transcript - slide 9

In closing...

Be optimistic.
Be flexible.
Keep your eye on the prize.

Interviewer: Well, in closing, I'd ask you if had any final thoughts. You've had so many wonderful things to say today. I really appreciate your time. Would you give some closing advice to parents about supporting their sons and daughters in community employment.

Dale Dutton: Well, I guess I've said it. You've got to start. We're all not going to be around all of our sons and daughters lives and I want to make certain that Dusty does have a full life and her mother does too. We've been pretty supportive parents through the years and Donna, her mother, has worked hand and hand with the teachers who have come along. I've tried to do my part with the funding world and the service delivery world as an adult.

We encouraged Dusty to move out on her own, actually before we got really into all this employment stuff. I wanted to see from a distance, an arms length distance, what her life would be like when we're not here any longer. When I put myself in that mindset. I can see clearly where the cracks are, where the holes, or what needs to be kicked in a little bit. This employment piece was real clear.

We live in a nice part of the world. Dusty has a very rich support system around her, but she wasn't making enough money doing what she was doing to enjoy it. I could see down the road that she was not going to be able to take vacations, buy new clothes, and replace furniture without more income. We then went from the income piece. Well, shall we increase the number or hours that she's working in the employment jobs? Or, shall we go down this road of finding her passion and finding something that would make her some money and perhaps build her a little well in a business?" Right now it's a combination of those things. Probably bottom line is just being optimistic, being flexible, keeping your eye on the prize. The prize for us is for Dusty to have a nice little life here.