Employment can be considered an honor and privilege, and some believe that everyone should have equal access to work.

It's a belief that Occupational Development Center (ODC) has grown into over these last 75 years.

"It's a situation where we've all had great jobs we've loved," said Ken Mueller, ODC's public relations and development manager. "But we've all had jobs we don't love. I got to go to work today, and I enjoy what I do, even though there are challenges. A lot of people don't want to hire individuals with disabilities. ... Our folks want to do their jobs. They don't complain about work. They complain when they don't have the work."

Located at 640 Martha Ave., Lancaster, ODC trains and helps employ individuals with emotional and mental disabilities. On Thursday, Feb. 1, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., ODC will recognize its 75th anniversary with a Founder's Day celebration and open house.

Mueller will open the festivities with a short talk on the history of ODC, and state and local government officials will be on hand to present citations and proclamations. Tours of the facility will be given, and light refreshments will be served.

"Our organization was started by two ladies (Marian R. Headrick and Olivia Stoner) who had relatives with intellectual disabilities, and they weren't happy with how society treated people with disabilities," said Mueller. "There was no special education at that time. The original name was the Help-Self School, and eventually it became known as the Child Development Center."

The Child Development Center was designed to provide instruction to children with disabilities in an attempt to assimilate them into the community.

"In 1958, the state mandated special education in schools, and there wasn't a need for what we were doing," Mueller added. "That's when we made the shift to the occupation center. What we do has changed over the years, but we've been doing it for a long time."

Typically, ODC trains young individuals with disabilities who have graduated from high school around the age of 21. ODC accepts those people around age 24, after they've had three years to search for employment on their own.

Currently, ODC is working with 35 individuals with disabilities from all over Lancaster County. At one time that number was over 100 individuals.

"At the base level, our clients are getting a paycheck," said Mueller. "There's pride that comes from earning a paycheck. There's pride that comes from doing a job and doing it well. We want to bring them a level of independence. Some live at home. Some live in group settings. Some live as individuals."

ODC partners with local businesses to develop skills and confidence, in both in-house and community settings.

"The idea is to get them out in the community and get them to know what they like to do," said Mueller. "We have helped a lot of individuals over the years. But we're not just helping the individuals; we're also helping the families. They see the difference it makes helping just that one individual."

"These individuals are no different than you and I," Mueller continued. "They have dreams. They have passions. They have the same interests we have. They should be able to seek employment. ... We're here to assist them and enable them and help them find their way through life."

For additional information about Occupational Development Center, go to http://www.odcenter.org.