Nancy and Jerry Mehler
greet Robbie Kaczander at
a gathering last Sunday in
Robbie's new home in West
Bloomfield.

2

A Horne Of Their Own

Two young adults are getting a shot at independence, thanks to the
generosity of a local couple and JARC.

JULIE EDGAR
News Editor

D

an Kaplan squealed with
delight at the Raffi video-
tape playing on a TV on his
desk. Rewinding again and
again to the beginning of a favorite
song, he sang along and occasionally
cracked up, looking away from the
screen from time to time to examine
the pages of a book of stickers — a
gift from one of the dozens of friends

3/27
1998

8

and relatives who came by to see his
new digs on Sunday.
In another room, Dan's new room-
mate, Robbie Kaczander, sat next to
his mother, Carol, good-naturedly
weathering the hugs and squeezes
from all those people. He eagerly ate
the cake and brownies guests carried
out from the kitchen and chewed on
the bubble wrap that came in a gift of
a clock radio.
His father, Rick, reminds Robbie
every day that he'll be moving into a

new home. He thinks his son is get-
ting used to the idea, even if he him-
self has trouble with the idea of not
having his "best buddy" around all the
time.
"I tell him 20 times a day," Rick
said, appearing to shore up his own
courage in the face of Robbie's immi-
nent departure. "I don't know if he's
aware of it."
This month, Robbie and Dan have
been spending time in the condo to
get used to each other and their new

surroundings. The Kaczanders and
Kaplans hosted two open houses,
including last Sunday's, to make way
for the official move-in next month.
Although the prospect of Robbie
leaving the nest leaves Rick and Carol
anxious — Rick called the house twice
the night before to check in on him —
they are grateful that he is getting a
shot at independence, thanks to the
Jewish Association for Residential Care
()ARC).
Robbie, 18, and Dan, who is 20,