LIFE Village hopes to bring independent living to Boone

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LIFE Village hopes to bring independent living to Boone By Abby Whitt abbywhitt@mountaintimes.com Aug 1, 2019 0

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LIFE Village holds a ribbon-cutting ceremony in August 2018 for the tiny house built by the Construction and Design class at Appalachian State University.

Landon Miller at Coffee for a Cause on July 26.

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LIFE Village is a local organization that hosts Coffee for a Cause as a weekly event that takes place at Rev5 Fitness on Greenway Road from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Fridays. LIFE stands for “Living Innovation for the Exceptional,” and the organization’s mission is to provide a “community where adults with Autism can live, grow and learn,” said Candace Lang, co-founder. Landon Miller served coffee and lemonade at the Coffee for a Cause event on July 26, but on any given Friday there could be three baristas and two or three greeters who are a part of the LIFE Village program. Miller is especially good at the math that goes along with selling drinks, and Lang said he learned the register program faster than anyone else, herself included.

“The idea is for them to learn skills they can use to live as independently as possible,” Lang said. “We try to keep everything as person-centered as we can, and we always try to cater to the individual needs of each person we’re teaching while also giving them real-world experience.”

According to Lang, Rev5 Fitness has been the perfect place to hold Coffee for a Cause because there are regulars, and traffic is never too overwhelming for the greeters or baristas. Miller even has some regulars’ orders memorized. Rev5 owner, Derek Lale, donates 100 percent of the proceeds that come from Coffee for a Cause to LIFE Village at the end of each Friday. LIFE Village stemmed from Dr. Jim Taylor’s experience with parents at KAMPN, a weekend camp he and his wife, Sue Taylor, founded in 2011 in Deep Gap for kids with autism and their families. KAMPN (“Kids Making Progress in Nature”) was designed to get kids with autism out of their homes and into nature where they can experience new things and learn new skills. However, the camp sparked multiple discussions with parents about what it means to lead a full life as an adult with autism. As a result of these discussions, the Taylors and Lang joined forces as co-founders and began working on LIFE Village in 2014. KAMPN no longer happens, as LIFE Village requires an immense amount of energy and resources, but Jim Taylor is now on a mission to help adults with autism live full, happy lives. Now, LIFE Village has partnerships with Watauga Opportunities and Appalachian State University. Students in ASU’s construction and design department used the Individual Design Experience (IDEX) lab to design cottages and duplexes with the needs of independently living adults with autism in mind.

“We have enjoyed a great partnership with Appalachian State and their construction departments who designed one and four bedroom concepts for LIFE Village,” said Lang. She included that these concepts were extremely “person-centered,” meaning that each individual’s needs will be catered to to the best of LIFE Village’s ability.

In August 2018, LIFE Village held a ribbon cutting for a tiny house built by the Construction and Design class at Appalachian State under instructor Chris Schoonover. Without a foundation to access water and electricity, the tiny house is sitting at Cash Custom Homes on the 105 bypass in Boone. This tiny home symbolizes LIFE Village’s independent housing dream becoming reality. “There’s no blueprint for what we’re doing. However, we’ve contacted similar communities across the nation, such as 29 Acres in Texas, just to get some ideas,” said Lang. “What makes us different is that we want to build smaller homes and duplexes, instead of something like a dorm or apartment-style building, to offer affordable housing to the whole community. Being close to public transit is something else that we’re doing differently because most other communities are within walking distance to their downtown areas.” Currently, LIFE Village is raising money to take the next step in their organization: buying land for their housing developments. Lang says that LIFE Village would ideally have about 10 acres of land to build on, located close to Boone and on an AppalCart bus route. The goal for the housing development is to be able to provide affordable housing for anyone who struggles with housing in the High Country, not just adults living with autism. LIFE Village hopes to become a community hub where individuals can come to learn skills, such as cooking, to help them live on their own.

“I take ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’ very seriously, and we need a community where adults with autism can be happy because most of them won’t be happy in a “normal” community,” Jim Taylor said. “We still have a way to go to get there, but that’s what we’re working toward.” To learn more, donate or volunteer, visit www.thelifevillage.net.

Copyright © 2019 by Mountain Times Publications. Digital or printed dissemination of this content without prior written consent is a violation of federal law and may be subject to legal action.

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Tags Candace Lang Landon Miller Department Building Industry Economics Coffee Barista Rev5 Fitness Jim Taylor

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1ST ROUND Final CBS 7 Louisville LVILLE 76 10 Minnesota MINN 86 Final TruTV 3 LSU LSU 79 14 Yale YALE 74 Final TNT 5 Auburn Auburn 78 12 New Mexico St. NMSU 77 Final TBS 4 Florida St. Florida St. 76 13 Vermont VMT 69 1ST ROUND Final CBS 2 Michigan St. Mich. St 76 15 Bradley BRAD 65 Final TruTV 6 Maryland MD 79 11 Belmont BELMNT 77 Final TNT 4 Kansas KANSAS 87 13 Northeastern N'eastern 53 Final TBS 5 Marquette MARQ 64 12 Murray St. MUR ST 83 1ST ROUND Final TNT 7 Nevada NEV 61 10 Florida Florida 70 Final CBS 2 Kentucky Kentucky 79 15 Abilene Abilene 44 Final TruTV 1 Gonzaga Gonzaga 87 16 Fairleigh Dickinson F D'son 49 Final TBS 6 Villanova VNOVA 61 11 Saint Mary's (Cal) St. Mary's 57 1ST ROUND Final CBS 7 Wofford WOFF 84 10 Seton Hall S HALL 68 Final TNT 2 Michigan Michigan 74 15 Montana MONT 55 Final TruTV 8 Syracuse CUSE 69 9 Baylor BAYLOR 78 Final TBS 3 Purdue Purdue 61 14 Old Dominion ODU 48 1ST ROUND Final CBS 7 Cincinnati CINCY 72 10 Iowa Iowa 79 Final TruTV 8 Mississippi Miss. 72 9 Oklahoma OKLA 95 Final TNT 3 Texas Tech Texas Tech 72 14 Northern Kentucky N Kentucky 57 Final TBS 4 Kansas St KANST 64 13 UC Irvine UCIRV 70 1ST ROUND Final CBS 2 Tennessee Tennessee 77 15 Colgate Colgate 70 Final TruTV 1 Virginia Virginia 71 16 Gardner-Webb G Webb 56 Final TNT 6 Buffalo Buffalo 91 11 Arizona St ARIZST 74 Final TBS 5 Wisconsin WISC 54 12 Oregon Oregon 72 1ST ROUND Final TNT 8 Utah St. UTAHST 61 9 Washington WASH 78 Final CBS 1 Duke Duke 85 16 N Dakota St NDSU 62 Final TBS 3 Houston Houston 84 14 Georgia St. Georgia St 55 Final TruTV 5 Mississippi St Miss. St 76 12 Liberty LBRTY 80 1ST ROUND Final TNT 1 North Carolina UNC 88 16 Iona IONA 73 Final CBS 8 VCU VCU 58 9 UCF UCF 73 Final TBS 6 Iowa St. IOWAST 59 11 Ohio St. OHIOST 62 Final TruTV 4 Virginia Tech VA Tech 66 13 Saint Louis St. Louis 52 2ND ROUND Final CBS 3 LSU LSU 69 6 Maryland MD 67 Final CBS 2 Kentucky Kentucky 62 7 Wofford WOFF 56 Final CBS 2 Michigan Michigan 64 10 Florida Florida 49 Final TNT 4 Florida St. Florida St. 90 12 Murray St. MUR ST 62 2ND ROUND Final TBS 1 Gonzaga Gonzaga 83 9 Baylor BAYLOR 71 Final CBS 2 Michigan St. Mich. St 70 10 Minnesota MINN 50 Final TNT 3 Purdue Purdue 87 6 Villanova VNOVA 61 Final TBS 4 Kansas KANSAS 75 5 Auburn Auburn 89 2ND ROUND Final CBS 2 Tennessee Tennessee 83 10 Iowa Iowa 77 Final CBS 1 North Carolina UNC 81 9 Washington WASH 59 Final CBS 1 Duke Duke 77 9 UCF UCF 76 Final TNT 3 Texas Tech Texas Tech 78 6 Buffalo Buffalo 58 2ND ROUND Final TBS 4 Virginia Tech VA Tech 67 12 Liberty LBRTY 58 Final TruTV 1 Virginia Virginia 63 9 Oklahoma OKLA 51 Final TNT 3 Houston Houston 74 11 Ohio St. OHIOST 59 Final TBS 12 Oregon Oregon 73 13 UC Irvine UCIRV 54 SWEET 16 Final CBS 1 Gonzaga Gonzaga 72 4 Florida St. Florida St. 58 Final TBS 2 Tennessee Tennessee 94 3 Purdue Purdue 99 Final CBS 2 Michigan Michigan 44 3 Texas Tech Texas Tech 63 Final TBS 1 Virginia Virginia 53 12 Oregon Oregon 49 SWEET 16 Final CBS 2 Michigan St. Mich. St 80 3 LSU LSU 63 Final TBS 1 North Carolina UNC 80 5 Auburn Auburn 97 Final CBS 1 Duke Duke 75 4 Virginia Tech VA Tech 73 Final TBS 2 Kentucky Kentucky 62 3 Houston Houston 58 ELITE 8 Final TBS 1 Gonzaga Gonzaga 69 3 Texas Tech Texas Tech 75 Final TBS 1 Virginia Virginia 80 3 Purdue Purdue 75 Final CBS 2 Kentucky Kentucky 71 5 Auburn Auburn 77 Final CBS 1 Duke Duke 67 2 Michigan St. Mich. St 68 FINAL FOUR Final CBS 1 Virginia Virginia 63 5 Auburn Auburn 62 Final CBS 2 Michigan St. Mich. St 51 3 Texas Tech Texas Tech 61 CHAMPIONSHIP Final CBS 1 Virginia Virginia 85 3 Texas Tech Texas Tech 77 View Full Bracket Advertisement

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FIRST ROUND EAST Jacksonville, FL 6 Maryland 79 11 Belmont 77 3 LSU 79 14 Yale 74 EAST Des Moines, IA 7 Louisville 76 10 Minnesota 86 2 Mich. St 76 15 Bradley 65 EAST San Jose, CA 5 Miss. St 76 12 Liberty 80 4 VA Tech 66 13 St. Louis 52 EAST Columbia, SC 8 VCU 58 9 UCF 73 1 Duke 85 16 NDSU 62 WEST Tulsa, OK 6 Buffalo 91 11 Arizona St 74 3 Texas Tech 72 14 N Kentucky 57 WEST Des Moines, IA 7 Nevada 61 10 Florida 70 2 Michigan 74 15 Montana 55 WEST Hartford, CT 5 Marquette 64 12 Murray St. 83 4 Florida St. 76 13 Vermont 69 WEST Salt Lake City, UT 8 Syracuse 69 9 Baylor 78 1 Gonzaga 87 16 F D'son 49 SOUTH Hartford, CT 6 Villanova 61 11 St. Mary's 57 3 Purdue 61 14 ODU 48 SOUTH Columbus, OH 7 Cincinnati 72 10 Iowa 79 2 Tennessee 77 15 Colgate 70 SOUTH San Jose, CA 4 Kansas St 64 13 UC Irvine 70 5 Wisconsin 54 12 Oregon 72 SOUTH Columbia, SC 8 Miss. 72 9 Oklahoma 95 1 Virginia 71 16 G Webb 56 MIDWEST Salt Lake City, UT 5 Auburn 78 12 NMSU 77 4 Kansas 87 13 N'eastern 53 MIDWEST Columbus, OH 8 Utah St. 61 9 Washington 78 1 UNC 88 16 Iona 73 MIDWEST Tulsa, OK 6 Iowa St. 59 11 Ohio St. 62 3 Houston 84 14 Georgia St 55 MIDWEST Jacksonville, FL 7 Wofford 84 10 Seton Hall 68 2 Kentucky 79 15 Abilene 44 SECOND ROUND EAST Jacksonville, FL 6 Maryland 67 3 LSU 69 EAST Des Moines, IA 10 Minnesota 50 2 Mich. St 70 EAST San Jose, CA 12 Liberty 58 4 VA Tech 67 EAST Columbia, SC 9 UCF 76 1 Duke 77 WEST Tulsa, OK 6 Buffalo 58 3 Texas Tech 78 WEST Des Moines, IA 10 Florida 49 2 Michigan 64 WEST Hartford, CT 12 Murray St. 62 4 Florida St. 90 WEST Salt Lake City, UT 9 Baylor 71 1 Gonzaga 83 SOUTH Hartford, CT 6 Villanova 61 3 Purdue 87 SOUTH Columbus, OH 10 Iowa 77 2 Tennessee 83 SOUTH San Jose, CA 13 UC Irvine 54 12 Oregon 73 SOUTH Columbia, SC 9 Oklahoma 51 1 Virginia 63 MIDWEST Salt Lake City, UT 5 Auburn 89 4 Kansas 75 MIDWEST Columbus, OH 9 Washington 59 1 UNC 81 MIDWEST Tulsa, OK 11 Ohio St. 59 3 Houston 74 MIDWEST Jacksonville, FL 7 Wofford 56 2 Kentucky 62 SWEET 16 EAST Washington, DC 3 LSU 63 2 Mich. St 80 EAST Washington, DC 4 VA Tech 73 1 Duke 75 WEST Anaheim, CA 3 Texas Tech 63 2 Michigan 44 WEST Anaheim, CA 4 Florida St. 58 1 Gonzaga 72 SOUTH Louisville, KY 3 Purdue 99 2 Tennessee 94 SOUTH Louisville, KY 12 Oregon 49 1 Virginia 53 MIDWEST Kansas City, MO 5 Auburn 97 1 UNC 80 MIDWEST Kansas City, MO 3 Houston 58 2 Kentucky 62 ELITE EIGHT EAST Washington, DC 2 Mich. St 68 1 Duke 67 WEST Anaheim, CA 3 Texas Tech 75 1 Gonzaga 69 SOUTH Louisville, KY 3 Purdue 75 1 Virginia 80 MIDWEST Kansas City, MO 5 Auburn 77 2 Kentucky 71 FINAL FOUR Apr, 06 Minneapolis, MN 2 Mich. St 51 3 Texas Tech 61 Apr, 06 Minneapolis, MN 1 Virginia 63 5 Auburn 62 Championship Apr, 08 Minneapolis, MN 1 Virginia 85 3 Texas Tech 77 View Full Bracket Advertisement

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