Humanity in its truest form

Darren Diguette sits in his office at the STRIDE building with early photos of the program sprawled across his desk. The images date back to 2001, with nearly all of them featuring Kevin.

At STRIDE’s headquarters, tucked a few blocks west of Downtown Winchester, the program’s executive director, Darren Diguette, flips through nearly 20 photo books he has by his desk . He lands on an image of Kevin Beck, one of the group’s very first members. Darren reminisces on STRIDE’s first event, a Halloween dance at the local Fish and Game Club.

“Kevin was dressed as Sting,” Darren remembered, trying to disguise the tear on his cheek. “I still remember dancing with him.”

Housed in a former school building, STRIDE (Supporting Therapeutic Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities Everyday) began as an extension of Clark County’s Association for Handicapped Citizens. The resources for people with learning and developmental disabilities to survive were there, but the resources for them to live full lives were not.

Kevin, a social butterfly who has Down Syndrome, went to STRIDE after graduating high school.

“I don’t know what I would do without these programs,” said Nancy Beck, Kevin’s mother. “[Kevin] wouldn’t do anything except stay at home.”

According to Darren, that was the case of many people with disabilities similar to Kevin’s. There was a void to be filled. Darren and his wife, Brittin, were hired straight out of college to lead the program.

For 11 years, Darren said, STRIDE ran purely off money from fundraisers and donations from the community.

“At the start, we struggled to get one bus for our guys,” he said.

But after plenty of waiting, persistence and support from the town, the program gained regular funding from Medicaid, allowing them to grow every aspect of STRIDE — the resources, staff and participants.

The adult day program provides opportunities for members to make friends, exercise, practice social skills and get involved in the community.

For Kevin, the best part of joining STRIDE has been building relationships. “My friends,” he said.

STRIDE cultivated a community for adults with disabilities to live more full lives. To Darren, the program also proves how important people with disabilities are to their community.

“Our guys are needed now more than ever in our community,” Darren said. “This is humanity in its truest form.”