On those rare days when things were just not jelling and he needed a break to clear his mind, Bud Brown would take a ride out to Sunland to see his friends at Tierra del Sol.
They never failed to lift his spirits with their laughter as he walked around the campus greeting them by name, and asking how their parents were doing.
After all they had been through as developmentally challenged kids who were now adults in a society where doors had been shut to them for so long, it amazed him they still attacked life with so much joy.
Tierra gave them respect and an opportunity to explore and create what was in their minds through its many arts and craft classes. It provided them the job training they would need if one day they ever had the opportunity to step out into the workforce.
But, who would hire them? Who would open the door for them to walk through and show all those people who pitied and ignored them what they could do if only given the chance?
Bud Brown opened those doors.
He was still working for GTE as a branch manager and community relations director the first time he visited Tierra in the early 1980s. A few of the staff members were working on an old service vehicle that had broken down. Without it, they couldn’t transport people to and from the campus.
Bud put that in the back of his mind as he continued on his group tour. This was a special place with special people he quickly realized. What can I do to help?
That’s the way Bud thought when he saw a problem. What could he do to help?
He had the means and the connections, now he had the opportunity. The next day, a GTE truck that was being taken out of commission arrived at Tierra del Sol — tuned up and ready to go.
At first, he didn’t know why his new friends at Tierra would ever want to leave and get a job. They had everything right here — their friends and the arts and crafts classes they loved. Why leave to work eight hours a day for minimum wage?
It wasn’t the money for them, he…
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