Spotlight Series: Taler Cole
There is an authenticity to Taler that will strike you from the moment you see him. His cowboy fashion and kindness stand out in almost any crowd. Polite and well-mannered, Taler is clearly a success a Community Living Services program success story.
It wasn’t always so clear that Taler would end up so independent. Many people know about Taler’s growth and offered some words about him. “He utilized his resources and came in the Supported Living program with a mind frame that he really wants to be independent and on his own one day,” said Steve Wilson, a division assistant who has worked with Taler for a long time. He added that Taler has achieved 100 percent on all the objectives and goals that were set for him. “He is an amazing young man and an example of how all our consumers should approach their independent living situation.”
Candia Nicholas, now Director of the Family Support Program, met Taler when he was around 11 years old and describes him as strong-willed, quiet, and reserved. “I remember meeting with Taler and his grandmother years ago. One thing I remember is having lunch with him and his grandmother. We ordered drinks and Taler ordered a large coffee, black.” She recalled that he was just a unique young man and said he has really come out of his shell. After seeing him working at Encore she could tell that she was looking at a young man and not the boy she had first met. “I was amazed at how he’d grown and so proud of the man that I saw in front of me” she said.
He will be moving back home to Jasper soon, and he will be missed in Springdale! Taler is one of the many wonderful examples of how a little support can go a long way on the path to independence.