Woman accuses farm owner of 'discrimination' towards adults with special needs
By Cory Ruf, CBC News
Posted: Aug 9, 2013 6:54 PM ET
Last Updated: Aug 9, 2013 7:15 PM ET
A Facebook post condemning a Waterdown orchard for its treatment of a group of adults with special needs sparked uproar on social media on Friday.
Christina Milloy said her clients faced discrimination during a visit to Frootogo Orchards in Waterdown. (Google) On Thursday, Christina Milloy, a Beamsville woman who works with adults with disabilities, took to her Facebook page to decry how she and her clients were treated during a field trip to Frootogo Orchards a day earlier.
Before it was taken down, the post had been shared over 3,000 times and spawned dozens of comments from Facebook and Twitter users slamming Frootogo for its approach to patrons with disabilities.
The furor prompted the farm's owner Willy Hekman to posted a video to Frootogo's Facebook page on Friday afternoon showing her apologizing for any "misunderstanding" that had taken place.
In her complaint, Milloy said Hekman told her and her coworkers that they "should've called ahead of time to let her know that 'challenged' people were coming so she could 'warn' her staff."
Hekman, Milloy also wrote, spoke disparagingly about participants who required wheelchairs: "When she saw our wheelchair bus she said, 'I hope you don't have a bus full of wheelchairs coming.' Then [Hekman] stated that she didn't mind if a couple of wheelchair came inside the store… only a couple, not all."
CBC Hamilton wasn't able to reach Milloy on Friday afternoon. But her mother Linda confirmed Milloy had penned the post and said she was a "strong advocate" for persons with special needs.
Dozens spoke out on Twitter to condemn Frootogo Orchards in response to Milloy's Facebook post:
'Heartbroken'
In a telephone interview with CBC Hamilton, Hekman said she's "heartbroken" by the outrage expressed on social media, and insisted Frootogo Orchards treats all of its visitors "equally."
"I am apologizing from the bottom of my heart and I am very sorry if my words were misunderstood, because I am not a discriminatory person," Hekman said. "I have a disabled husband myself and I know the many challenges there are in life."
'Safety is always on my mind, whether it comes to our staff or our customers.' —Willy Hekman, Frootogo Orchards
After her interaction with Milloy, Hekman noted, she invited the group to "have a wonderful day," but said their visit was cut short when a rainstorm rolled in.
However, Hekman admitted she does ask organizations to call in advance if they wish to make a bus trip to the orchard. She also wants those groups to assure to her they will have enough staff on hand to deal with their participants' needs.
"Our farm is a working farm with machinery and it is open to the public. But we as staff are, first and foremost, looking toward the safety of everyone. Safety is always on my mind, whether it comes to our staff or our customers. "
She also responded to the Facebook post's claim that the orchard owner used derisive language to refer to Milloy's clients, "calling the participants 'challenged and handicapped.' "
"I think she has misunderstood what I'd said. Maybe she has even reworded what I said," Hekman said, stressing she would not have deliberately uttered anything to put down individuals with special needs.
"My own father was very challenged as well. And I don't know if I should even use the word 'challenged.' I don't know what the right word is. But I know about this from firsthand experience."
Here's the text of Milloy's Facebook post:
Dear friends,
As some of you know, I work at a program for adults with disabilities. Our program consists of going on daily trips. Yesterday we went to Frootogo Orchards in Waterdown but didn't stay for very long. When we arrived, the owner approached us saying that I should've called ahead of time to let her know that 'challenged' people were coming so she could 'warn' her staff. She then went on saying that she felt that her staff were unsafe and that she was concerned for their safety because 'mentally handicapped' people were there. I told her that our participants are safe and not 'dangerous' like she implied. She still seemed uneasy and continued calling the participants 'challenged' and 'handicapped'.
She commented about our participants with wheelchairs as well. When she saw our wheelchair bus she said, "I hope you don't have a bus full of wheelchairs coming." Then later stated that she didn't mind if a couple wheelchairs went inside the store... only a couple, not all. She then started talking about a group of people who had visited in the past and said, "Last time you people were here there were six wheelchairs and no staff with them and they fell down a hill." Funny thing is, today was the first day that any of our programs went to this particular farm. So I told her that we had never been there before and that clearly this would be the first and last time we would be visiting. She apologized and said that she didn't mean to come across as rude but I knew that her apology was not sincere. Basically, it seemed like we were unwanted there and so I decided that we would leave because I was not willing to subject the participants to this kind of discrimination.
At first she said she was upset because I didn't call ahead of time to let her know that 'challenged' people would be coming so she could let her staff know. When I questioned her on that and let her know that she was being ignorant, she changed up her story. She said that she was upset because I didn't call ahead to let her know that buses would be coming and that the schools who come always call ahead. I told her that we are not a school and that the website didn't say anything about calling to inform them that we would be coming. She replied, "Well you should just know to do that." I questioned her again and said, "So if we came here today in a couple of vans instead of a bus, you wouldn't be having any problems right now?" She replied by saying that the only problem was with the bus. Of course, I questioned her again saying, "You said earlier that you wanted a warning call to let you know that people with disabilities would be coming and said nothing about a bus." She just stood there and said nothing. I continued, "I figured that because this is a public place that everyone would be welcome and that I wouldn't have to call ahead of time to let anyone know that we would be coming." Again, she just stared at me and had nothing to say.
Before we left, I told her that I didn't appreciate the way she was acting or the language she was using. When she found out we were leaving she offered nothing to us and it was clear that she never wanted us there to begin with. I also informed her that I would be telling everyone I know not to go there, so this is what I'm doing now. Her words and actions were cruel, ignorant and completely unnecessary. The way she acted upset me but I knew that I had to be strong and advocate for these participants who I care so deeply about and am lucky to call my friends. What this woman did was offensive and uncalled for because no one should be treated the way she treated my participants. Clearly there are issues regarding human rights here. I refuse to let this woman get away with what she did and will do everything I can to support and advocate for my friends. You haven't heard the last of me, Willy.
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