Robbie E. came to Cedar Lake Lodge in 1987 at the age of 23, having grown up at home with his parents, two brother and two sisters.

While he loved having a big family and very much enjoyed living at home, Robbie was also excited to be out on his own. Robbie's parents eventually moved out of state but came to visit often, and his siblings kept him very involved in family activities. Robbie's brothers, in particular, paid no attention to his disabilities and involved him in boating, swimming, horseback riding and much more. Over the years, Robbie also talked his family into letting him get an earring and a U of L Cardinal tattoo, which he wears proudly and will show to anyone who asks.

In the late 1990s, Robbie began to let the CLL staff know that he was interested in moving out – maybe to the CLR group home, maybe to his own apartment; but the bottom line for Robbie was that he wanted his own “bachelor pad.” Lack of Medicaid waiver funding was a major obstacle at the time, and Robbie and the staff kept hoping that one day he would get his chance. That day came in mid-2006 when a change in the Medicaid waiver rules made it possible for ICF/MR residents to get access to the waiver if they had the ability and desire to live in the community.

CLL staff asked Robbie if he was still interested in getting his own place, and the answer was an ecstatic “Yes!”

The rest, as they say, is history. Robbie moved into one of the CLR Keeling properties on June 18 and has spent most of the summer getting adjusted to his new home and two new roommates. Everyone at CLL misses Robbie and his mischievous charm, but we are also so very proud of him!
~Jason Squires, Executive Director, CLL