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By ROGER LARSEN Plainsman City Editor The white, tree-shaded house at the corner of Fourth Street and Iowa Avenue S.E. is much like any other home in Huron. It may be a bit larger than most, with its high ceilings, seven bedrooms and 3% stories. But a person walking in the front door of 205 Fourth St. S.E. finds the same sense of welcome and hospitality that South Dakotans pride themselves in offering to visitors. And inside, like in many other homes, there’s a lot of learning going on. Two months ago last Friday eight developmentally disabled adults moved into Huron's first group home. The large house offers them a home-like environment with trained supervisors to teach them self-help skills that will someday allow them to be on their own. Bill Reiling, director of the home, says that the clients work at the Huron Area Adjustment Training Center each day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. At home in the mornings, and each evening after work, the residents learn how to do their own cooking, cleaning, housework and laundry. And the occupants also learn shopping skills by going on excursions around town to buy groceries and other daily needs. But it’s not all work either. During their free time, residents are permitted to go to movies and to church. It’s also not unusual to see the group together in the park, throwing a frisbee or a baseball. The residents also go for walks, or for a drive, to get acquainted with where things are in Huron. Reiling said he’d like to have an open house at the group home this fall. At that time, members of the com munity would be free to visit and see how the home is operated and supervised by Reiling, Jocelyn Miller and Inez Huether, independent living trainers. Reiling explained that the home is funded through Title 20 monies to provide training for the clients. While the state provides some of the money, and administers all of it, the federal government funds most of the operating expenses. However, because of funding cutbacks, it’s likely there won't be any more than the 30 group homes in South Dakota established for a few years. Reiling says the current feeling is to maintain the ones already going, rather than opening new homes and jeopardizing all of them. Establishment of a second group home in Huron therefore may not be financially possible for a couple of years, Reiling said. Reiling, with the help of the Mid-Dakota Associa tion for Retarded Citizens, had to apply several times for a conditional use permit in different locations before the current home was approved in February. Other locations were denied because of neigh borhood opposition. Reiling said much of the problem is lack of education about what constitutes a developmentally disabled person. Those who are so disabled fall into one of several categories. Examples of disability are mental retardation, epilepsy and cerebral palsy. The developmentally disabled person, he continued, is capable of learning, but it takes him longer. And he said it helps to get those not extremely afflicted into group home environments where they can learn day-to-day skills. Reiling said his job as director is rewarding, “‘if in no other way than watching them become aware they are capable of doing something they weren't able to do before.”’ WHILE THEY FOLLOW a work schedule each day, residents of the group home also have their leisure time. Listening to Albert Lynch's singing and guitar playing are, from left, Paul Dilley and Gaylen Galbreath, (Plainsman Photo) COOKING MEALS is one of many self-help skills eight developmentally disabled residents of the group home learn before and after work at the Huron Area Adjustment Training Center each day. At left, is Inez Huether, independent living trainer; and the clients, starting second from left, are Lyle Horsley, Cynthia Hanson and Albert Lynch. (Plainsman Photo)
Newspaper Details
Huron Daily Plainsman
Huron, South Dakota, US
Sun, Jul 03, 1977
Page 11
Full Page
Clipped by
Jamie P.
USA 25 Jul 2026
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