Fifty years of dedication to working with the intellectually disabled has earned Ellen Douglas CableVision’s Community Service Award.“Our selection committee has discovered a rare gem for this latest award. Today we celebrate Ellen Douglas,” said Terry Roberson, general manager of Bermuda CableVision.Mrs Douglas has been working with the intellectually disabled since a young age, and started as a volunteer at St Brendan’s Hospital. While volunteering, she found she had a natural gift for working with the intellectually challenged patients. Mrs Douglas felt that mental health practitioners of the time were overlooking the potential that the patients held.She began trying a number of techniques to engage the patients such as storytelling, making crafts, cooking, gardening and playing dress up. Unlike the common practice of the time, Mrs Douglas would get on the ground and give children her undivided attention and try to communicate with them and find new ways to keep them interested.After completing this practical experience, she decided to pursue qualifications in the field of educational therapy and sought employment with the Department of Health. She names her inspirations as Dr Simon Frasier and Father Pat Mackan.“You know how people get all excited about going home and watching The Young and The Restless? Well I used to get all excited to go home and listen to Dr Frasier on the radio every night. He was my inspiration,” said Mrs Douglas.After working with the Department of Health for 20 years, she joined a team that in 1982 founded the charity HOPE Homes to assist to the developmental and residential requirements and needs of the intellectually disabled.Clients of the HOPE Homes have gone on to live independent lives and overcoming major feats such as finding sheltered jobs.Health Minister Zane DeSilva said: “I am very pleased to be here today as Bermuda CableVision presents Ellen Douglas with its latest Community Service Award in recognition of her 50 years of service as an educational therapist to those with intellectual disabilities.“The healthcare sector owes a debt of gratitude to people like Mrs Douglas, who push the boundaries and question techniques and approaches in order to help better the lives of those people who are in need of special care and encouragement.”Accepting the award, Mrs Douglas said: “It’s everything to me. I’m accepting it on behalf of everyone who assisted me without whom I couldn’t have done this.”She is now working on broadening her services to “engulf the whole community”. Mrs Douglas now wants to work on a programme catering to Bermuda’s so called “young men crisis” and help troubled young men to become successful members of the community.