After careers as an attorney and a pastor, Brion Brooks never saw himself working as director of a day-services program that serves individuals with disabilities.

Brooks retired Dec. 19 after 11 years as executive director of the Village of Progress in Oregon, which serves people with developmental disabilities in Ogle County through evaluation and assessment, job training, supported employment, social and recreational experiences, health care, and maintenance and living skills instruction.

Brooks was a trial attorney in Grand Rapids, Michigan, from 1987 to 2007, attended seminary part time and became ordained before coming to Oregon to be the pastor at Ebenezer Reformed Church. His daughter, Rachel, has developmental disabilities and attended the Village of Progress. Brooks was then asked to serve on VOP’s board of directors, and later as executive director.

“I was responsible for personnel, budgeting, repairs and trying to find new areas the village could grow into and presenting those to the board to try,” Brooks said. “That was something I really enjoyed – looking at creative ways that the village could grow and expand in its services and opportunities it offers to people.”

Brooks has three accomplishments he’s proudest of from his time at VOP. The first is establishing its attendance grant program, which provides funding for individuals to attend programming part time while they wait to receive state funding. The second is the opening of the Village Bakery, where adults with disabilities work with professional staff to learn workplace skills and interact with the community.

The third is the groundbreaking of the Hill Street Neighborhood in Mt. Morris, which will see people with and without disabilities living in the same housing together, and people with disabilities having the chance to choose their own services. Construction will be completed in 2027.

“As a Christian, I believe that God gives us the opportunity to shape the world for better or for worse in big ways or small ways,” Brooks said. “The Village gave me the opportunity to help shape the world – at least this little corner of it – into something better than it was before. That’s something I will always have.”

Brooks will turn 68 in December and decided to retire about a year and a half ago. He was replaced by Angie Martin-Bakener, who previously served as VOP’s manager of qualified intellectual disabilities professional services.

When Brooks moved with his family from Michigan to Illinois, he was disappointed to hear that Illinois ranked 49th among states in service to people with disabilities. He was relieved after his daughter started attending Village of Progress programming.

“After about a year of that, I felt like the Village of Progress was a bit of an oasis in the desert of Illinois in terms of services,” Brooks said. “Disability services in Illinois are very difficult. The state has a lot of red tape, and it can be very restricting to the more creative things that places try to do. But we’re still able to accomplish a lot of good things. It’s pretty cool work. It was a life-changing experience for me.”

Seeing people with disabilities improve, interact with others more and learn more about the world was gratifying for Brooks. VOP often takes its clients on trips such as concerts and sporting events.

“We want to get them out into the community to experience a little bit bigger world than they knew before,” Brooks said. “We took people to the post office to pick up mail one day, and one person froze when they saw stairs because all their life they had lived in institutions where everything was one level. Even little things like that make an impact and can be gifts. It helps individuals become a more integrated part of society.”

Brooks thanked the people of Ogle County and abroad who supported the VOP over his 11 years with gifts of money, donated items, volunteering and more. He thanked VOP staff members for their work with clients, and called the environment “collegial,” where staff and clients work together and enjoy being with each other.

At the Ogle County Board’s December meeting, Brooks spoke about his retirement and called the past 11 years the most rewarding of his professional life.

“I’ve had people from the state tell me that the Village is so much different from a lot of other day-service programs,” Brooks said. “The idea of seeking out integration and giving people new experiences is something that is unique. That was heartwarming to hear.”