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BRAINERD, Minn. - Program specialist Debby Felske knows that looks can be deceiving, especially as an administrator at Oakridge Woodview, which provides residential and support services.

The developmentally disabled or special needs clients of Oakridge Woodview in Brainerd may need assistance from time to time, but they also help others more often than some may expect.

"The people that live in our homes, we serve them 24 hours a day, taking care of everything that they need, whatever they need," Felske said. "Those who live in the community are usually higher functioning and need less (life) skills and monitoring than watching them 24 hours a day."

But they also volunteer, for example, with cleaning at The Center, assisting with fundraisers such as plant sales by moving tables and setting up canopies, and supporting its rummage sale.

"We provide programs, events and activities for individuals age 45 and up to add to their dignity and quality of life," said DeAnn Barry, executive director of The Center, a Brainerd nonprofit.

"Sometimes they help get items people buy to their vehicles, and we sincerely appreciate the extra sets of hands helping us out, and they have a great attitude. We really appreciate that."

In 2001, Felske encouraged the clients of Oakridge Woodview to perform one hour of volunteer work, but now some of them are volunteering 18 hours in the Brainerd lakes area.

"Most of the people do it, and when you multiply that, that's significant," Felske said.

In the first year, 45 people from Oakridge Woodview began volunteering for a total of 1,197 hours of work donated to their communities, but by 2017, that number has grown to 107 people volunteering their time, for a total of 3,144 hours.

"Almost all the clients we serve, we're asked to provide social integration into the community, and so volunteering is part of that social integration," Felske explained. "And because I so firmly believe in giving back to the community that I live in, that's exactly how I presented it to them."

Some of them walk the dogs for Heartland Animal Rescue Team, a Brainerd lakes area animal protection organization, but others because of their disabilities or special needs may be only able to make dog biscuits from home and package them for others to take to HART.

"You may be capable of going to the Soup Kitchen in Brainerd to prepare a meal for people there, or you may not be capable of that but you make placemats at home and send them to the soup kitchen. We pair whatever their abilities are with what they could possibly do," Felske said.

"For example, we have a person who the only thing he really loves to do is ring The Salvation Army bell, and he starts the day that opens until the day that closes, and he dressed up in a Santa suit and he brings his Christmas music on a CD and give out candy canes. He loves that."

Felske is talking about John Owen of Brainerd, who receives support from Oakridge Homes.

"It's so cute," Owen said of his bell-ringing for The Salvation Army kettle drive fundraiser. "It gets you out for entertainment."

Other places where Oakridge Woodview clients volunteer at locally include, for example, Common Goods, The Babinski Foundation, The Salvation Army, Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery by Camp Ripley, American Legion Post 627 in Nisswa, and at various churches and nursing homes throughout the area.

"Another huge thing with volunteering is it gives our clients the opportunity associate with people who aren't paid ... and so it allows our clients to make relationships with people who don't have to be with them, who don't have to be nice to them," Felske said of Oakridge Woodview staff.

Examples of other volunteer work the developmentally disabled and special needs clients perform include clipping coupons for military families, making greeting cards to send to soldiers, handing out supplies to the poor, working at community food shelves, picking up litter and more.

"We have a gentleman who might do 100 to 200 hours a year cutting coupons and sorting them because he really is medically fragile and can't get up and about, and out in the community to do things, but that's his contribution," Felske said.

The staff meets with each client in April to look for ways the staff can support the clients in developing relationship by volunteering, and usually staff members accompany the client to the volunteer site and often participate as well.