By Andrew Edwards
Elmore/Autauga News Staff Writer
Located in Millbrook since 2018, Azalea Training Center provides organized, meaningful Day Hab services which provide enrichment to persons served while fostering independence.
Originally located in Prattville from 2012-2018, ATC was started by Janet Lewis, who served as director from 2012-2014. Lewis, who worked at a previous Day Hab center for several years, says that much of what she learned from her previous job helped to inspire her to start ATC.
“I saw things that were needed, and built off of ideas that I either liked or maybe didn’t like. I used the experience that I had to help start this wonderful family that we have here,” Lewis said.
The ATC helps to promote independence, and it does so through a variety of training that’s tailored for each individual.
“There’s no certain one plan that everybody follows,” said Bobbie Cessna, who has served as Director since 2014.
Cessna said that individuals can learn skills that range from hygiene to budgeting to money training. She also says that they try to interact with the community as much as possible.
“We go out a lot of the times during the week. We have some who volunteer, and we take them grocery shopping once a week so they can learn to do that independently,” Cessna said.
Tamara Cooper, enrollee at ATC, frequently visits the Autauga Interfaith Care Center in Prattville to help with food drives and participate in other volunteer opportunities. It’s an experience that always brightens her day.
“I love to go down there and help people in any way that I can,” Cooper said.
When she’s not helping out in the community, she’s at the ATC learning from people who are more to her than just a teacher, she says.
“We’re a big family here. I’d have to say my favorite thing to do is learning how to file papers,” Cooper said. And there’s a never a dull day at the ATC, who currently has 15 members with ages ranging from 21-60.
“On Mondays we go out to eat. On Tuesday’s we go on community outings, like to Sweet Creek Farms or the Elmore County Museum. Wednesdays we watch ‘America’s Got Talent’ and then we exercise at the park. We cap off the week by going to Jack’s every other Thursday morning where we have our coffee club. We just want to stay busy and make sure that everyone here is learning those necessary life skills,” Cessna said.
Over the past year, Azalea has had to overcome several challenges due to the pandemic – including being shut down for close to a year. Cessna said that they are currently putting the troubles of 2020 behind them and focusing on the future.
“It was very difficult and we had our fair share of struggles, but everybody has been slowly coming back and I’d like to think that we’re on the downhill side now,” Cessna said.
Because of the pandemic, the Special Olympics in Troy was cancelled this year, a trip that the ATC takes annually. However, faculty and members of the center decided to make the most out the situation and held their own tournament at Bama Lanes.
“We pay a lot of visits there to go bowling. We had a great time that night, and family and friends came by to cheer on our team. We truly thank everyone for their support,” Cessna said.
And the support has been nothing short of amazing since the ATC made the move to Millbrook, says Cessna. “Millbrook has been so nice to us. At our grand opening we just instantly knew that we loved Mayor Kelley and everyone over at the Chamber. It’s truly been a blessing,” Cessna said.
Lewis, who is the mother of Cessna, says that at the end of the day, working at the ATC is not a job, but much more.
“It’s never feels like I’m going to work because I love what I do here. I wouldn’t have started the ATC nearly a decade ago if I didn’t love it. We’re one big family. We have our ups and downs, but at the end of the day, you can always rely on your family,” Lewis said.
For more information about the ATC, give them a call at (334) 517-4777 or check them out on Facebook.
