Hello my name is Gerald Oesch from Chilliwack BC.
I am the newest member on the CLBC Editorial Board. I’m very happy to be joining this board.
I am also the new Vice President of BC People First where we work to make sure that people with a developmental disability are respected and included in communities as full citizens.
You can learn more about BC People First here www.bcpeoplefirst.com. I’m a proud Mount Cheam Lion member too.
I think things have changed for the better over the year for people with diverse abilities, like I have jobs that I love and my own apartment.
But people are still bullied and sometimes don’t feel safe in their own communities.
Here’s a little bit about my life.
I was born October 8 1966 in Chilliwack General Hospital . I went to little Mountain Elementary school .
I was in a special class for slow learners and then later on I got a lot older and went to Chilliwack junior high.
I was bullied a lot then. Later I attended Chilliwack senior high. It was better in high school.
The odd student would call me names. In the winter I was hit by snow balls a lot.
There was one person at school that stood up to one of the bullies and told him to stop, so he did, and after that I wasn’t bullied again.
In 1985 I graduated from grade 12 Vocational Basic class . Later on I got a job in the laundry business. I ran washing machines for a least 10 years.
Later on I gave up that job and I now work at Chilliwack Society for Community Living as a maintenance assistant for almost 6 years now .
I love my job and my staff that I work with. I also work at the City of Chilliwack as a contractor sweeping parking lots and recycling.
I live in a apartment building called Fair View Apartments. I have a support worker and she helps me a lot with shopping and paying bills .
I am married but now separated. We still see each other at times, but we don’t live together now. I enjoy being a self advocate.
