Pathfinder Services Founding Members

Picture it, Huntington, 1965, a growing city full of promise and potential for its future residents, a perfect example of the American Dream. Looks excellent when put on paper, but that same promise and future did not include everyone. A significant group of those not included were community members with a disability. They had no support available to them locally. That all changed when a letter was sent to the Indiana House of Representatives.

Gene Snowden, the Representative who received that letter, knew he needed to address this issue and got to work. Mr. Snowden reached out to Herb LaMont, a local neighbor with the right connections. Their meeting brought Royce Ruckman and Dave Brewer into the fold, later including Dr. John Regan. These four gentlemen became the four Founding Members of Pathfinder Services, leading to thousands of people receiving support to find their promise and potential in Huntington and beyond.

These gentlemen saw a better Huntington and a brighter future for people with a disability. Despite many hardships and struggles, Pathfinder Services has persevered and continues to grow. Today we operate in six counties in Northern Indiana, supporting more than just the Huntington area. To know how Pathfinders got to where we are, we must reflect on the decades leading up to this point.

I ask you to join us in examining the history of disability services in northern Indiana. Get to know who our founding members are and together rediscover the heart behind Pathfinder Services through our history and that of the disability community.