An interview with Kirk Ludwig, who is a Senior Advisor at SJS Investment Services as well as the Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Courageous Community Services (CCS). This interview is part of our Stories of Giving & Achievement Series, highlighting community involvement efforts. If you are interested in learning more about Courageous Community Services, please visit the CCS website or contact Kirk Ludwig.
Kirk, can you tell us about Courageous Community Services (CCS) and their mission?
Most people might know CCS by the former names of Camp Courageous or The Arc of Northwest Ohio. Through a merger between agencies, today the agency is known as Courageous Community Services (CCS). The mission of CCS is to promote healthy lifestyles and better quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities and their families by providing support, education, advocacy, socialization, and outdoor recreational experiences which foster inclusiveness and independence. Our campers have limited social and outdoor recreational activities as part of their normal routines. Camp is designed to deliver these experiences while providing life skills, advocacy, and respite for family members and caretakers!
Source: “A Day in the Life of a Camper“. Courageous Community Services, ccsohio.org.
What is your involvement with Courageous Community Services? How did you originally get involved / what do you do within the organization?
Currently, I serve on the Executive Board as Treasurer as well as chair of the Finance Committee. Additionally, I’m on the Strategic Planning and Facilities Committees. 2023 is my 12th consecutive year participating on the board and second round as an active board member.
Many years ago, I coached Special Olympics, through which I met several families who were members of the Arc of Northwest Ohio Board. At the time, I couldn’t fully comprehend the challenges that the athletes and their families dealt with on a daily basis. It didn’t take long to understand the struggles and needs that these families faced. It was very easy for me to want to get involved in a way that advocated for a better way of life. One that provided respite for the caregivers as well as fun social interactions and outdoor activities for our campers.
When the Arc and Camp Courageous merged, I was very excited about the opportunities that the camp experience would have for the community that we serve. Camp delivers experiences that so many people take for granted. Spending time outside in a wooded park-like setting, playing games and laughing with other campers and counselors, swimming or wading in the zero-depth entry pool, participating in arts and crafts, gardening, and so many other camp activities.
Source: “Peer Buddies“. Courageous Community Services, ccsohio.org.
What is your proudest moment or biggest accomplishment since you’ve been involved?
One of the major challenges for CCS is consistent annual funding. For many years, the agency received funding support from the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities, but the funding ended several years ago. Approximately 95% of the campers use Medicaid waivers to pay for camp, which only covers a fraction of the total cost that it takes to operate the agency and maintain the pool and campus. The shortfall is typically covered by grant writing, fundraisers, and private donations.
Recognizing the challenging budget and the desperate need to repair and upgrade the 50-year-old camp facilities, the agency was in need of raising capital. CCS owned about 84 acres of wooded property adjacent to the Oak Openings Preserve Metropark, which is well known in the park district community because of the diverse number of species that occupy the land.[1] With this in mind, we received the assistance of Metroparks Toledo to explore the unused property of CCS. They discovered populations of at least 15 plant species listed as endangered, threatened, or potentially threatened in Ohio.[2] This qualified the property for conservation purposes, and allowed Metroparks Toledo to be eligible for a grant to purchase about 64 acres of the CCS property.[2]
The timing was (accidentally) perfect! The property sale closed near the beginning of the pandemic. Camp was closed for 2020, a limited hybrid version occurred in 2021, and there was a slower “back-to-normal” opening for 2022. During the down time, CCS was able to use some of the proceeds from the sale to do the necessary upgrades to the dining hall as well as the boys and girls cabins. Additionally, we were able to build a new administration building, add a new walk-out viewing terrace, repair major cracks in the pool, and add a sensory-friendly walkway.
More importantly, the proceeds provided the necessary support to keep camp operating with all the new and improved grounds. My involvement in assisting with the transaction has been my biggest accomplishment to this point, but I hope my proudest moment is yet to come. There are endless joyful stories from our campers and their wonderful experiences, which makes all the time and energy worthwhile!
Source: “Agreement Will Preserve Natural Area While Enhancing Services for People With Disabilities“. Metroparks Toledo, 18-Aug-2020, metroparkstoledo.com.
How can the community get involved with CCS?
According to the CDC, approximately 1 in 6 individuals between the ages of 3 and 17 lives with one or more developmental disabilities.[3] Though this is a staggering percentage of the population, it doesn’t include the family members and caregivers also impacted by the individual with the disability. There is a tremendous need in our area for respite services as well as opportunities for socialization and outdoor activities for many of the members of our community.
People can help CCS by volunteering their time by participating in social walks, joining in camp clean-up days, or sharing their knowledge and skills serving in a board position. Making introductions to other agencies with similar missions is also helpful. And of course, all financial support is greatly needed and appreciated.
CCS is providing so many exciting opportunities for hundreds of campers and their families, but there is so much more to do. We’ve been very fortunate and grateful to maintain and improve camp during these extremely difficult times, but now it’s time to thrive and take camp to the next level!
Source: “Advocacy“. Courageous Community Services, ccsohio.org.
Important Disclosure Information & Sources:
[1] “Oak Openings“. Metroparks Toledo, metroparkstoledo.com.
[2] “Agreement Will Preserve Natural Area While Enhancing Services for People With Disabilities“. Metroparks Toledo, 18-Aug-2020, metroparkstoledo.com.
[3] “Health Needs and Use of Services Among Children with Developmental Disabilities“. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cdc.gov.
Hyperlinks to third-party information are provided as a convenience.