Norm McLeod Awards

Eyla Rogers: Dreamweaver Award Winner

A Champion on Many Fronts
by Andrea Collins

Eyla Rogers has had a life of many journeys: constant moves for her husband’s career as a military engineer, the rocky road to get her Down Syndrome daughter the resources she needed, and the many paths to advocacy she has traveled.

When you hear her stories, told without pride or passion, you soon realize why this indomitable lady was chosen winner of the 2004 Norm McLeod Dreamweaver Award.

Eyla took up “causes” at an early age. The first was women’s rights. She became a schoolteacher at age 17 and soon realized “there were things open to males that weren’t open to me.” Disability causes weren’t even on the radar, because “35-40 years ago, the whole area of disabilities was not one that was thought about much – we were all busy getting an education and building our careers.”

Bob Rogers’ career in the military led him and Eyla to 11 postings in 13 years, “from one end of the country to another.” In 1968, it was overseas to Tanzania, Africa. “When Bob accepted the posting, I wasn’t pregnant but I was when we arrived and two weks before the birth, we found out it was twins.” The twins were born without incident but one, Fiona, was born “normal”; the other, Faith, with Down Syndrome. Three more moves during the next three years led the Rogers from Chiliwack to Toronto to Winnipeg. It was time for pre-school. Eyla had all sorts of trouble finding a place for Fiona and no trouble finding a program for Faith in a special needs program in an elementary school that even included transportation provided by the Kiwanis Club.

However, when moving to St. Albert in 1975, Eyla discovered schooling for a child with disabilities was virtually non-existent, except at Winnifred Stewart School in Edmonton. Faith was enrolled there and Eyla became chair of the board of directors. She also began a newsletter for the Edmonton Association for the Mentally Handicapped and volunteer work on a host of committee, dealing with everything from curriculum for special needs students to transportation and accessibility.

Now it was time to tackle the home front. Eyla went to the St. Albert School Board to see if she could bring special needs schooling closer to home. “Our great fortune was that Lois Hole was on the board and she was very supportive. So was Dick Ploen who was Mayor and Roger Ayotte whose son had a disability.” It didn’t take long for things to start happening in St. Albert and Eyla reflects how that same networking and activism would be difficult today. “We were able to connect the dots among people with a common vision. Today we couldn’t do that because there are so many different regulations, privacy acts, secrecy.”

Eyla became an “advocate for almost everything” to do with children and adults with developmental disabilities, earning her an introduction as Mrs. Handicapped when she spoke at a provincial conference for Alberta municipalities many years ago.

Asked why she got so involved, Eyla replies, “Because I had to. I have a strong sense of what is just. As a Christian, I didn’t think it was fair to treat some people one way and not include others. Some years ago, I was invited to an event at Michener Centre and when I toured the residence, I found the experience frightening. Living in a community is best.”

Eyla’s efforts for community inclusion included successful lobbies for other changes in St. Albert, such as curb cuts in sidewalks at intersections and a lift installed at Fountain Park pool, and lobbying for province wide reform in areas such as education, housing and income. Her volunteer work with Chrysalis (her nominator) and encouragement to other community agencies helped see supportive housing become a reality. The Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program was a direct result of advocacy by Eyla and her peers. She is now working on creating PLAN Edmonton, a parent guardian partnership society.

Today Faith Rogers lives in a supportive living home with two other ladies and a caregiver. “We bought the house for them through Chrysalis and they are able to pool their AISH income to live quite comfortably. People looking for a similar option for their adult children should be aware that there are no property taxes on houses bought for non-profit agencies.”

“We are fortunate that their home has excellent staff who have stayed awhile,” adds Eyla. “It makes an enormous difference – having a routine and knowing the caregivers.” She knows that staffing can be a challenge for many. “There needs to be a lot more focus on finding people who can relate, see individuals as individuals, not as a paycheck. There also needs to be more support for those who do care. This work is draining, emotionally and physically, and not many people say thank you.”

Eyla also advises against a new trend that reflects an old one: some caregivers encouraging adults with developmental disabilities to be childlike, in their dress or through carrying dolls or other toys. “If you want to be accepted as an adult, you have to look and act like one, and caregivers should help that happen. Behaviour will rise to expectations.”

Overall, though Eyla thinks Alberta has come a long way and now has an excellent system for adults, there is still a need for advocacy. “Sustainability is a concern of mine as are accountability and equity, especially in employment. Work opportunities and challenging day programs are more important than housing; many parents are able to provide residential care but they can rarely provide activity that is meaningful. There are imaginative ways for people with developmental disabilities to be productive – they may move a little more slowly than some of us but they get there - and they will instinctively know whether the activities they are asked to do are important or not. We must all work toward encouraging employers and others to see these individuals for what they are – fellow citizens.”

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