Shade

Kelly Shade has been a part of Riverside programming for most of her life. Kelly lives on her own in Troy with remote supports, which are cameras and 2-way communication technology that offer increased safety and security for people with disabilities.

Kelly also has two direct support professionals (DSPs) who help her in person with necessary tasks. DSP Sharon Amburgey works with Kelly 32 hours weekly, helping her stay active in her community. Kelly and Sharon are always on the go, participating in many activities such as painting and crafts at the Troy-Hayner Cultural Center, walking in nature, especially at Brukner (her favorite place), shopping at thrift stores, watching old TV shows like The Waltons, westerns, The Price is Right and soap operas.

At Riverside, Kelly participates in activities such as Breakfast Chit Chat, karaoke, cooking, and crafts and is a very active member of the Aktion Club, a service and leadership club that is a branch of Kiwanis. Kelly likes people in general, which is why she loves serving through Aktion Club. She is very social, friendly, kind, and thoughtful. She recently attended Night to Shine, hosted by Troy Christian Church. Last year, Kelly went through a major surgery to have a tumor removed from her jaw.

Despite the severity of the procedure, she pulled through with the support of her team and is doing great. Kelly now has a nurse who visits once a week in addition to a speech therapist. Kelly also visits her mother weekly and typically stays overnight with her mom every Saturday night.