Before the birth of Exceptional Foresters (now EFI) in 1957, Mason County residents with developmentally disabled children were presented with two stark and depressing choices:  they could place their children in a state institution or continue to provide care at home.  Both options had major deficiencies and posed an intolerable dilemma for many families.

Institutions were overcrowded, understaffed, and lacking in the ability to provide meaningful lives for their residents.  Backlogs in admission were large and waiting periods extended seven to ten years.  Once institutionalized, the child was effectively isolated from family and community.  This made any prospect of readaptation or reintegration into community life unlikely the longer the client remained within the institution.

If the child remained at home, his need for special attention often placed great strains on the family structure.  Individual families were forced to bear the dual responsibilities of raising and educating their handicapped children alone.  Tragically, this resulted in an immeasurable amount of heartache, guilt, and not infrequently, divorce.

Opportunities for special education were still in the initial stages of development.  On March 17, 1953, legislation was passed enabling school districts to have the option of offering special education.  Until that time, it had been the duty of the individual families to educate their children.  By 1955, only a few of the state's larger cities had any form of education of developmentally disabled children, and the lack of educational opportunities was especially noticeable in rural areas. 

Against this bleak background, Bob and Louise Kimbel were touring the country, hoping to find a suitable program in which to educate their two young developmentally disabled sons.  Back at home, they finally learned of an obscure branch within the Department of Public Institutions called Education for the Handicapped.  It was staffed by three people who occupied a small cramped office in Olympia.  The director told the Kimbels that if they wanted special education and a work program within Mason County, they would have to do it themselves.  Bob then scrawled out his guidelines for such a venture on two small sheets of memo paper.  From such humble beginnings arose Exceptional Foresters and Rogers School.  Rogers School for the developmentally disabled was named after Roy Rogers, a long time activist in efforts to aid the developmentally disabled.  Rogers School was the forerunner of Exceptional Foresters, Inc., and a rallying point for the aroused residents of Mason County who were concerned with the well-being of their special citizens.

Since its inception in 1957, Exceptional Foresters, Inc., has been guided by the philosophy that developmentally disabled people have the same rights and responsibilities as other citizens.  Among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness plus the responsibility not to infringe upon the rights of others.

As a nonprofit organization, Exceptional Foresters maintains the facilities needed by its clientele to achieve maximum independence within the Shelton community.  All training and support services complement, not replace, normal community services and family support systems.  Together, these systems form an extended family for the client and are a key to his or her life fulfillment.

In our 50 plus years of service to the Developmentally Disabled, Exceptional Foresters wishes to extend its deepest appreciation to the citizens of Mason County.  This web site cannot possibly acknowledge the many instances of love and support that have been extended to Exceptional Foresters over the years.  To all, our heartfelt thanks!

• Chapter 2 -- The First Foresters 
• Chapter 3 -- Growing Pains
• Chapter 4 -- Exceptional Manor
• Chapter 5 -- A New Focus
• Back to Company History

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Last Edited August 31, 2011