--Joel Wiebe, April 9th, 2010, Peterborough This Week

A big grin comes across Paul Tiller's (right) face when he hears his friend, Jeremy Booth (left), start singing in the adjacent room.

Instinctively, he raises his arm and starts conducting, laughing and grinning.

Moving out is a major milestone for many young adults: Paul and Jeremy are no exception. They've been in neighbouring single-bedroom apartments for only a few weeks and are thriving.

Paul, 24, and Jeremy, 33, have intellectual disabilities that have meant overcoming a series of challenges to get to this point, including many months of easing the transition, but their parents say it's worth it.

The excitement surrounding Paul and Jeremy is enough evidence to know they agree.

"They've done so well," says Jeremy's father, Terry Booth.

The transition is still underway with a variety of workers spending time with Jeremy and Paul, including making meals, but the process toward independence is well underway.

Lucinda Hage, Paul's mother, says in the past her son would likely have needed to live with his parents until they died or spend his life in a group home. Now, there's opportunity to help her child gain greater independence and contribute back into society.

Both Paul and Jeremy are busy, spending time at work, the gym, and on various social outings.

Paul regularly takes the bus to Holiday Inn where he was previously named employee of the month for his hard work. Jeremy works at the Peterborough Humane Society and may soon be training co-op students.

The two friends know the bus drivers and if they might miss their stop, people along the route know them and remind them.

"We were willing to let go as parents," points out Ms Hage. "I want Paul to take his place in the community."

She says parents can get trapped feeling like no one else can take care of their child like they can. She's not going to be around forever and wants her son to be prepared for that day.

Mr. Booth says it was a bitter/sweet choice, knowing he'd miss having Jeremy around but also knowing he'd develop in a way he couldn't at home. Still, living with a child who has special needs is demanding, and there's a sense of freedom he and his wife, Shannon, found in not having to worry about Jeremy.

"It's intense," adds Ms Hage. "You're always on your toes." People's expectations of persons with disabilities, she says, are changing.

Providing opportunities for people like Paul and Jeremy to take on a bigger roll in society is helped locally by organizations like Community Living, where Mr. Booth serves on the board of directors.

Dave Smith, another board member for Community Living, says there's a 10- to 15- year waiting list for assistance to people with intellectual disabilities, which is why they are stepping up their fundraising efforts by setting a goal of $5 million.

The only timeline is to raise it as quick as possible.

"There's just not enough money from the government," he says.

While Paul's and Jeremy's families are able to privately pay for services, not everyone can and Mr. Smith says people shouldn't have to.

This year, the organization is hosting Spring Spectacular, an evening social at Peterborough Square on April 17 as a way to not only raise money, but heighten local awareness of what the organization does.

"It was time to reach out to the community," says Mr. Smith.  

He states they focus on trying to maximize the abilities of people with intellectual disabilities, the success of which blows people away.

"We have to do better than we've done in the past," he says of the institutions and groups homes their clients were once relegated to.