A string of individuals lined up at Centennial Hall on Thursday night, prepared to address a packed house.<\/p>\n
One by one, the speakers shared individual stories and lit a candle to represent a theme. Most of the speakers spoke for themselves, but Damon Hampel of Wasilla spoke for his young son, Malachi, who suffers from hypoplastic left heart syndrome, meaning he only has half of a working heart.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s not really great at public speaking quite yet,\u201d Hampel joked as he began.<\/p>\n
Hampel spoke to the Sheffield Ballroom, which was filled with those involved with the Key Coalition, an organization that advocates for community-based services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This annual gathering, known as the Key Campaign, culminated with a demonstration on the steps of the Alaska State Capitol on Friday, marking the 30th year of the campaign.<\/p>\n
Hampel explained how meaningful the support from those in the room and beyond was, and that he\u2019s grateful for organizations that aid families and disabled individuals. The candle he lit was for community, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery person has a right to live in the community of their choice,\u201d Hampel said. \u201cEvery person can be and must be a contributing, valued member of that shared community. Children must remain with their families. Adults must be given the support to live independently in community. Community is<\/em> belonging.\u201d<\/p>\n Hundreds around the room nodded in agreement, some exclaiming and almost all of them clapping. They\u2019ve spent a long time building this community, and it\u2019s still growing.<\/p>\n \u2018Waiting for the door to be unlocked\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Mary Jane Michael, a trustee on the Alaska Mental Health trust, has been involved in numerous volunteer efforts over the years and was one of 20 people \u2014 \u201cif that many,\u201d she recalls \u2014 who participated in the first Key Campaign back in 1988. After budget cuts in the mid-1980s that greatly reduced grant money for community care, she and others knew they needed to do something and came to Juneau. Then the hard part began.<\/p>\n \u201cWe got off the plane and we really didn\u2019t know where to start,\u201d she recalled.<\/p>\n Slowly, they figured out ways to create change. Symbolically, one of the foundations for the group came when former Alaska senator Johnny Ellis kept a pickle jar at the state capitol and people from around the state would either drop off or mail keys to be placed in the jar.<\/p>\n The keys represented all those awaiting services, \u201cwaiting for the door to be unlocked,\u201d Michael explained. Slowly, Ellis\u2019 pickle jar became full of keys, serving as a reminder of those who were waiting and work that needed to be done. Keys continue to not only be the namesake of the movement, but also a primary symbol of it.<\/p>\n At the dinner Thursday, large paper keys covered the back wall, carrying the names of cities from Nome to Juneau that were represented in the campaign. The room was filled with some such as Michael who had been there for years and many who were there for the first time. The days of bring 20 timid campaigners to Juneau are very much in the past.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s 30 years later,\u201d Michael said, \u201cand look at the size of this crowd tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n