SKIP EGBERS WAITED 48 YEARS FOR THIS NIGHT
(Media please note: Skip Egbers may be reached at: 859-431-7857)
COVINGTON, Ky. — It was a special night for David (Skip) Egbers.
He knows about being special – he has a very special son – Marc.
As for Skip, he walked away with $20,000 as the winner of The Point/Arc’s Raffle for a Reason – the yearly fund-raiser for the 54-year-old non-profit agency based in Covington.
“I’ve been purchasing raffle tickets since the Raffle for a Reason was started back in 1978,” Skip told the audience after his name was drawn, Thursday evening at a dinner reception at The Point/Arc’s offices.
And what Skip did next, wasn’t a shock to many.
“We have some work to do on our house,” the 87-year-old said, “and that’s what we’ll do with the winnings.”
‘Our House,’ refers to the home that bears his name – the Egbers Home —one of 18 residential homes owned and operated by The Point/Arc.
His son – Marc’s home. Where Marc can walk to work.
At 57 years of age, Marc has been a resident of The Point/Arc for 23 years – one of the longest on record. But his real claim to fame – he’s a full-time Special Projects Manager for Batoray, the past 14 years.
Batoray was founded in 1987 by David (Skip) Egbers – Marc’s dad. And sons Steve and Joe – as a wholesale distribution branch of Ludlow Hardware Company.
“Our mission,” said Skip, “was to provide batteries and lighting products to wholesale customers in the Greater Cincinnati area. In 1997, we decided to sell our retail hardware operation and devote one hundred percent of our time to wholesale distribution.”
Enter Marc Egbers.
“If it wasn’t for Marc packaging, we wouldn’t bid on many of our orders,” Ski said. “We wouldn’t take these jobs if we didn’t have him.”
Marc works on packaging and filling orders – daily – from 8am to 10 am. He’ll fill six boxes of batteries a day, totaling some 1,400 batteries per-box.
The road to Batoray was a long one for Marc Egbers.
“His health and physical condition seemed to worsen as he approached adolescence,” said Skip. “He was diagnosed by some 18 different doctors, and honestly, we still don’t have many answers.”
And, according to Skip, it was time for Marc to have some personal care and housing – he left their home about the same time he left Dixie Heights High School.
First stop — St. Benedicts Church in Covington. “It was an old Priests’s house,” said Skip, “and Marc wasn’t comfortable there.”
Next stop – Falmouth Senior Citizens Center — a full-time residential center.
Again – no luck.
Enter Judi Gerding – President and Founder of The Point/Arc –a non-profit organization founded in 1972 by a group of parents fighting for the educational rights of their children who were diagnosed with an intellectual (I/DD) disability.
The mission – to help people with disabilities achieve their highest potential educationally, socially, residentially and vocationally.
“I heard about Judi and The Point/Arc,” Skip said, “and I wanted to introduce her to Marc.”
He did – they met – and the wait began.
“I waited about two weeks to hear from her,” he said. “Nothing.”
So, after their fifth —yes fifth – visit with her, Judi Gerding said: “What do you want?”
Skip said: “Just give us a chance.”
Gerding: “Ok, you got it.”
Marc Egbers found a new home in Newport, Ky. – a facility formerly owned and operated by The Point/Arc.
He later moved to the McBee Home, located in Burlington, Ky. – one of the 18 residential facilities owned and operated by The Point/Arc.
And for five years, Marc trained and honed his skills at BAWAC — an organization founded in 1973 to meet the needs of people with disabilities and/or barriers to employment in the community.
Therse was still one void yet to be filled.,
David (Skip) Egbers needed some help at his growing Batoray operation – but son Marc lived too far from the facility to make the daily trek from Burlington to Ludlow.
The answer – Skip helped purchase what is The Egbers Home – 586 Oak Street, Ludlow – Marc moved in, and could walk to Batoray at 648 Elm. He’s been a resident at Egbers for 11 years.
“The Egbers Home was built in 1910,” said Skip, “my wife and I helped furnish it. We replaced the air conditioning, painted it and visited auctions to buy furniture.”
The original chandelier – in its original state – resides at The Egbers Home, says a proud Skip.
Marc resides at the home at bears his name. There is 24-houre supervision, seven-days-a-week at the house with two other residents.
The long road to have father and son working together took years; but is now just a distance of a few blocks.
“We all want to fit in socially,” said Skip Egbers. “Marc has friends, places to go and a job. It’s what life is all about.”
As for The Point/Arc, Skip said: “If there was ever a load on my back — it’s gone now.”
And as for the $20,000 winnings, he says: “I think we’ll use it to fix-up the bathrooms.”
The Point/Arc
