At Cottonwood Inc., Eldon Greene is considered one of the facility’s best workers.

“He has a great work ethic, and he’s an all-around charming person,” said Laura Downs, his supervisor.

He’s also a shining example of what people with developmental disabilities can accomplish when given the opportunity to succeed.

One of eight children, Greene, 62, grew up on his family’s farm near Tecumseh. At the time, public schools were not required to offer special education classes so he dropped out after the sixth grade. He later spent time at Kansas Neurological Institute, the state hospital in Topeka for people with developmental disabilities.

Greene arrived at Cottonwood, 2801 W. 31st, in 1995; a year later, he moved into one of the facility’s group homes.

“When he first got here he was very shy,” Downs said. “I think he was pretty much overwhelmed by everything going on here and living in Lawrence, which, compared to Tecumseh, was like being in a big, strange city.”

Today, Greene has his own apartment. “I like it better, being on my own,” he said.

Greene cooks for himself and relies on the Lawrence Transit System to get around town. He has a new cat, too: “His name is Smoky Joe.”

Interhab, a state association of community programs for the developmentally disabled, recently presented Greene with its 2004 Achievement in the Workplace award.

Eldon Greene smiles as he works on a packaging line at Cottonwood Inc., 2801 W. 31st St. Interhab, a state association of community programs for the developmentally disabled, recently presented Greene with its 2004 Achievement in the Workplace award.

“I was excited to win,” Greene said, smiling.

Also, Cottonwood named Greene its Work Services Consumer of the Year during its annual “Classies” awards program in April 2004.

“The staff here nominated Eldon for the Interhab award because of the effect he has on the people around him,” said Peggy Wallert, director of community relations at Cottonwood. “He’s a very positive person and for those who have behavior problems, he’s a mentor. He’s very calming.”

Until about three years ago, Greene also worked at Target, 3201 Iowa, stocking shelves.

“Unfortunately, he had an accident on his bicycle and broke his collarbone,” Downs said. “He kept working, but the repetition got to be too much.”

Now, Greene is part of a crew assembling component kits for AJ Plastics, a Lenexa company that manufactures and sells aquariums through Wal-Mart and PetSmart stores.

“Eldon personifies the mission of Cottonwood, which is to help people shape their own future with whatever supports and services they need to achieve independence,” Wallert said. “He has shaped his life to be what he wants it to be.”

Cottonwood has 130 adults in its work services program; another 250 receive day, residential or case-management services in Douglas County.