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Year #1: September 1995-June 1996
- Pilot Project was idea of Paul Dickey, Director of Crawford County MH/MR during that year
- Paul arranged for a contracted educator to work with a facilitator from Women's Services to bridge the learning gap between abuse prevention and communication/learning challenges for consumers with histories of abuse
- The acronym L-E-A-P was the brainstorm of Bob Merlin. In 1995, Bob was a case manager with Crawford Care Management.
- 12 consumers met with Debbie Fisher, Educator, and Gay Taylor, WSI facilitator, once a week
- At the end of that pilot year, consumers presented to the county that they no longer wanted to focus on violence and abuse. They did want to continue meeting to explore life skills progress through group experiences.
Years #2, #3, #4, #5, #6: July 1996--June 2001
- LEAP support services continued to be provided by Debbie Fisher who was contracted by Crawford County Human Services.
- LEAP sessions and workshops were held at numerous places in Crawford County including: The Arc of Crawford County; Vallonia Industries; public libraries; public dining places; outdoor parks; people's homes.
- More HIGHLIGHTS...
- LEAP's first few annual awards celebrations were held at Perkins Restaurant
- We had our first formal First Aid/CPR courses
- Bus Trip to the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh
- 1st annual Retreat, an overnighter at Bear Lodge in Saegertown
- 1st annual theme song for 2000-2001 was "Dancin' in the Moonlight"
- 1st tent campout at Colonel Crawford Park
- began networking with Allegheny College, leading to LEAP's first Theater Skills workshop
- Allegheny's Communication Arts Dept. prepared a video documentary about L.E.A.P.
- Bus Trip to Carnegie Museums of Art and of Natural History
- 2nd annual Retreat at Bear Lodge
- On May 7, 2001, LEAP obtained 501(c) 3 status as a non-profit, tax-exempt agency.
- annual awards celebration at The Arc of Crawford County
- On May 21, 2001, LEAP's first Board of Directors meeting took place in an empty office space in Meadville.
- 6 years of Private Contractor Funding
Years #7 - #8: July 2001-June 2002 and July 2002-June 2003
"LEAP" transitioned into Crawford County LEAP, Inc. -- a service provider agency in contract with Crawford County Human Services. On July 1, 2001, we moved into LEAP's Place, the 5th floor suite of 310 Chestnut Street in Meadville. In March 2003, a group of LEAP consumers met for the first LEAP Advisory Board meeting. Year #7 HIGHLIGHTS... LEAP hosted "Arts-a-thon" event 1st annual Jingle Bell Walk & Holiday Social annual theme song for 01-02 was "We Are Family" received a grant through the PA Council on the Arts to implement a community Theater Skills workshop Bus Trip to Niagara Falls, Canada 3-day Retreat at Wesley Woods in Grand Valley LEAP's 1st Yearbook annual awards celebration was at St. Paul's Church in Meadville Year #8 HIGHLIGHTS... Bus Trip to Cleveland Science Center 1st licensing through the City of Meadville to have a fundraising dinner Overnight bus trip to Pittsburgh including a Just Ducky Tour of the city, a Pirates vs. Mets ballgame, and the Pittsburgh Zoo annual theme song was "Its My Life" LEAP's Advisory Board of consumers met for the first time 5-day Retreat at Wesley Woods published LEAP's Place Recipes Volume I 1st annual awards celebration at The Eagles Club in Meadville 2 years of Program Funding
Years #9 - #10: July 2003-June 2004 and July 2004-June 2005
- LEAP's services based on individual Budget Plans of Care.
- Year #9 HIGHLIGHTS...
- a LEAP Team participated in Meadville's Weigh-To-Go program
- Bus Trip to Cleveland, toured NASA's Glenn Research Center and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
- 5-day Retreat at Wesley Woods
- Year #10 HIGHLIGHTS...
- received a federal grant, allocated by Senator Arlen Specter, for our Valued Social Roles project
- 1st publication of LEAP's Tidbits, including recipes and original poems
- 7-day Retreat held locally
- 2+ years of Fee-for-Service Funding
Year #11: July 2005-June 2006
- LEAP's 10th Anniversary Trip to Washington, D.C. in September 2005
- 1st year in Meadville's Halloween Parade on Oct. 29, 2005
- 1st year to have a consumer-driven website that we can routinely revise and update: www.ccleap.com
- LEAP's 10th Anniversary Celebration was held at The Eagles Club in Meadville on Nov. 17, 2005
- Annual theme song elected on Feb. 11: "EVERYDAY PEOPLE" by Sly & The Family Stone
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