Collective Copies

​​71 South Pleasant Street

​ Amherst MA 01002

              and

      93 Main Street

 ​Florence MA 01062

Broadside Bookshop

247 Main Street  

​Northampton MA 01060

Graphic descriptions of the abuse suffered at the hands of those who were supposed to be looking out for [patients’] welfare. Disturbing, gritty, realistic, and precise. Portrays [Donald’s] human spirit and determination to resist being crushed and tossed aside as if his life didn’t matter.

https://www.amazon.com/Youll-Like-Here-Belchertown-Patient/product-reviews/194547310X/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_show_all_top?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews

https://smile.amazon.com/Ed-Orzechowski/e/B01MS54ME2?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_fkmrnull_1&qid=1555080095&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33963927-you-ll-like-it-here?ac=1&from_search=true#other_reviews

https://spirituallemons.blogspot.com/search?q=orzechowski

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1xSfp4LUSU

http://sentinel.turley.com/sn-archives/sn06.28.18.pdf

http://www.edorze.com/advocacy-network-final-newsletter.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZyspXIqnZg&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENCJ7oIfDgw

https://digital.nepr.net/news/2016/12/20/youll-like-one-patients-account-growing-belchertown/

https://cofarblog.wordpress.com/2019/06/12/the-late-judge-joseph-l-tauro-honored-at-memorial-service/?fbclid=IwAR0Ltq5A9t4fVClJ3ucbZf4MXz3oGvkKtvQ03BUL6aWeLrl_-kKZ-9lTWmQ

https://www.gazettenet.com/BelchertownMemorial-hg-050319-25279644

https://www.gazettenet.com/Vitkus-Funeral-hg-062318-18285118

http://sentinel.turley.com/sn-archives/sn06.28.18.pdf

https://youtu.be/ENCJ7oIfDgw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZyspXIqnZg&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgT6FC_Nnac

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTDzEmB7yNA#action=share

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS-kA_4CzNY&t=3s

The COFAR Voice January 2020

https://cofar1.files.wordpress.com/2020/01/voice_january-2020.pdf

Ed Orzechowski receives Ricci honor 

Ed Orzechowski, a former COFAR vice president, accepted the 2019 Dr. Benjamin Ricci Commemorative Award in March 2019, and called for the establishment of a “lasting memorial” at the former Belchertown State School. 

The annual Ricci award celebration recognizes the accomplishments of individuals served by the Department of Developmental Ser vices, and the dedication of caregivers and advocates.

Orzechowski authored “You’ll Like it Here,” a gripping book published in 2016 about the life of Donald Vitkus, a one-time resident of the former Belchertown State School. 

Orzechowski’s book chronicled Vitkus’s childhood in the 1950s at Belchertown, which was then notori- ous for its inhumane and unsanitary conditions. The book also described Vitkus’s battle throughout the rest of his life to come to terms with his past at Belchertown. Vitkus, who died in January 2018, received the Ricci award posthumously that year. 

In calling for the establishment of a “lasting memorial” at the former state school, Orzechowski proposed the establishment of a museum on the grounds, and a memorial, a place for archives, and photos and exhibits. 

In addition to serving for many years on COFAR’s Board, Orzechowski was president of the Advocacy Network, a former advocacy organization for the developmentally disabled in western Massachusetts. The Ricci award is named for Ben Ricci, the original plaintiff in the landmark federal class action lawsuit, Ricci v. Okin, which brought about upgrades in care at Belchertown and other Massachusetts facilities. 

http://www.edorze.com/whmp-radio--the-bill-newman-show.html

http://www.edorze.com/preview-magazine.html

http://www.edorze.com/preview-magazine-page-2.html

http://www.edorze.com/preview-magazine-3.html

https://www.hcc.edu/about/news-events-and-media/events/donald-vitkus.

http://www.edorze.com/a-story-of-triumph-over-horrors.html

http://www.edorze.com/gazette-front-page-3-22-17.html

http://www.edorze.com/learning-to-be-loved-part-1.html

http://www.edorze.com/learning-to-be-loved-part-2.html

http://www.edorze.com/how--you-ll-like-it-here--came-to-be.html

http://www.edorze.com/author-of-month-northampton-senior-center.html

http://www.edorze.com/whole-children-flyer.html

http://www.edorze.com/book-launch.html

http://www.edorze.com/related-video-link--titicut-follies.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTDzEmB7yNA#action=share

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS-kA_4CzNY&t=3s

https://cofarblog.wordpress.com/2019/03/22/ed-orzechowski-receives-the-ricci-award-and-calls-for-memorial-to-residents-of-former-belchertown-state-school/

http://theadvocacynetwork.homestead.com/Adnet_News_Apr_01.pdf

http://theadvocacynetwork.homestead.com/Adnet_News_Nov_Dec_02.pdf

http://theadvocacynetwork.homestead.com/Adnet_News_Nov_Dev_03.pdf

http://theadvocacynetwork.homestead.com/Adnet_News_June_July_04.pdf

http://theadvocacynetwork.homestead.com/Adnet_News_Sept_Oct_05.pdf

http://theadvocacynetwork.homestead.com/Adnet_News_Sept_Oct_05.pdf

http://theadvocacynetwork.homestead.com/Adnet_News_Mar_Apr_07.pdf

http://theadvocacynetwork.homestead.com/Adnet_News_Sept_Oct_2007.pdf

http://theadvocacynetwork.homestead.com/Adnet_News_Spring_09.pdf

http://theadvocacynetwork.homestead.com/Adnet_News_Spring_10.pdf

http://theadvocacynetwork.homestead.com/Adnet_News_Fall_2010_.pdf