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History
 The Key Training Center was established in 1966 to unlock and open the door of opportunity for people with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities.
Historically, expansion of Key Center programs and services was driven by a consistently increasing need within the local community. Expansion also was driven by the agency’s fundamental belief that programs and services should be available to all developmentally disabled people who need them.
Expansion, however, was possible because the Key Center enjoyed steadfast community support in Citrus County. As a community, Citrus County residents embraced, with compassion, our mentally retarded friends as full-citizen partners.
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Category
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1960’s
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1970’s
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1980’s
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1990’s
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2000’s
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Owned Acreage
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25
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40
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44
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125
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85
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Occupied Sq. Ft.
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6,250
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18,050
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105,250
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210,000
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475,000
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Vocational Clients
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35
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125
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200
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259
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300
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Residential Clients
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0
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8
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90
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143
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119
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Staff - Full-time & Part-time
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6
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30
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125
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175
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300
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Assets
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$120,000
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$345,000
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$4,014,187
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$9,000,000
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$14,099,196
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Operating Budget
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$70,000
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$365,000
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$2,692,287
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$5,880,000
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$11,000,000
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The Key Center has been recognized as a leader and innovator in initiatives associated with improving the quality of life for people with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities and has grown to serve about 1,300 consumers since it began.
Evolution of the Key Center as one of Florida’s largest and most efficient, not-for-profit, agencies serving the developmentally disabled is reflected by the following historical milestones.
Historical Milestones
1959 Citrus and Hernando County Association for Retarded Children established
1965 Mr. and Mrs. Schuyler Orvis donated 40 acres for future Citrus County Association for Retarded Children to be used as school and workshop
1965 First thrift store opens in downtown Crystal River
1966 Citrus County Association for Retarded Children chartered as corporation
1967 Key Training Center school and workshop building dedicated on February 13 to serve seven consumers
1968 Bob Neal named first executive director
1969 Federal mental retardation staffing grant and Florida grant-in-aid funds obtained
1970 Garnett Miller appointed acting director
1971 Chet Cole hired as executive director on June 14
1973 Florida Governor Rubin Askew dedicates Karla Rooks Workshop
1975 Capital campaign launched to build first group home
1976 “Run For The Money” annual fund-raising event begins
1977 Franklin Cottage opens in January as first intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded in the State of Florida
1980 Spooner Cottage opens to serve 10 consumers
1981 Key Pine Village opens as 48-bed intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded
1982 18,000 square foot W.W. Caruth Building completed on campus
1983 Thrift store opens in Inverness
1983 WYKE, TV 49 signs on the air as low-powered television station
1984 Atwood House, the first off-campus group home opens in Inverness
1984 First “Run For The Money” auction held in Inverness
1985 Page House (now Key Light Home #2) opens in Inverness
1986 Homosassa Thrift Store opens
1986 Crystal River Thrift Store opens
1986 Roger Weaver Building purchased from Citrus County School Board
1987 First Key Center telethon conducted
1987 Burnes Cottage is new campus group home for five consumers
1987 Simons Cottage opens as ten-bed campus group home
1988 Tidwell Field completed on main Key Center Campus
1989 Whitton House and Mann House open as off-campus group homes
1989 Davis Cottage is built as nine-bed campus group home
1990 Simons Pavilion built on campus
1990 Key Light #1 and Key Light #2 become first off-campus six-bed group homes
1990 Annual “Run For The Money” campaign tops $100,000
1990 CCARC becomes Citrus County Association for Retarded Citizens
1993 Key Center #1 and #2, six-bed group homes built in Inverness, open
1993 Key Manor Apartments in Inverness becomes first Key Center apartments
1993 Key Center Foundation established to create self-sustaining endowment
1993 Garden Center opens in Lecanto
1993 Thrift Store opens in Lecanto
1993 Key Pine Village swimming pool complex opens
1993 “Run For The Money” total contributions climb over $1,000,000 since inception
1996 Key Vista Apartments are completed to serve 17 consumers
1996 Crystal River Thrift Store relocates to US 19 and SR 44
1997 Key Center Foundation Office opens
1998 Inverness Workshop opens in Inverness
1999 Inverness Campus Established
1999 Inverness Thrift Store Relocates to Inverness Campus
1999 Business Office Relocates to Inverness Campus
1999 First program participant to build their own home through the County’s SHIP program
2000 Adult Day Training Program Begins at Inverness Campus
2000 Citrus Springs Group Home Established
2001 Allen House in Floral City opens
2001 Whitton House in Lecanto Opens
2001 Key Center Foundation establishes an organized Volunteer Program
2002 Dedication of the Dean F. Hopkins Park at Tidwell Field
2002 Annual “Run For The Money” Dinner Auction celebrated its 20th Anniversary
2002 “Run For The Money” total contributions climbs over $2,000,000 since inception
2002 WYKE obtains a Class “A” license status
2003 Construction starts on a bigger Lecanto Thrift Store facility made possible through a USDA Loan
2003 WYKE becomes first Class “A” station in the United States to file an application with FCC for a digital license.
2003 CCARC, Inc. becomes first nonprofit borrower to utilize USDA (Rural Development) Community Facility Loan Funds to refinance U.S. HUD 202/8 Loan for Key Pine Village a 48 bed IFC/DD, with continuance of Section 8 rent subsidy and nearly 1 million dollars made available for new construction and improvements for existing facilities.
2003 Pellgrin House in Inverness opens October 1, 2003, a unique Supported Independent Living residence.
2003 Plans underway for downsizing 11 bed Spooner Cottage and launching Capital Campaign to construct a 6 bed specialized Long Term Residential Care (Contento Cottage) with initial gift of $141,000.
2003 Crystal River Key Store is sold.
2003 Key Center Foundation and United Way Offices move to a new complex on SR 44.
2003 USDA $2,000,000.00 loan approved to payoff HUD Key Pine Village loan and build a new educational/recreational building at Key Training Center campus in Lecanto.
2004 USDA loan approved for $300,000.00 to convert Channel 47 WYKE to digital operation with new tower, transmitter and other equipment.
2005 New 295’ steel guyed tower with transmitter building erected on 17 acre site North of Key Pine Village.
2005 Old 300’ steel guyed tower removed.
2005 WYKE Channel 47 digital operations commence in March.
2005 Contento Cottage is completed and dedicated in March.
2005 Ground breaking and construction start of new 18,000 square foot educational/recreational building.
2005 First Key Training Center “Citrus County Bass Challenge” in Inverness, Florida.
2005 23rd Annual Key Training Center auction Dinner, 29th Annual Run For The Money and 18th annual Telethon in July.
2005 7th Annual Key Training Center “Fashion Show”.
2006 Alliance with CCARC, Inc. and New Vue, LLC February.
2006 Moved into new 18,000 sq. ft. educational/recreational building on Key Training Center’s Lecanto campus.
2007, January - CCARC in partners with Scioto to open Glenco Place. A 3 bedroom APD home.
2007, March - CCARC purchases 10 acre walker parcel on 491 in Lecanto for furture expansion of Geriatric Center, Plant Nursery and Supported Employment Offices.
2007, July - RFTM breaks 200,000 campaign goal barrier.
2008, February - Construction started on New WYKE Studios.
2008, March - Melissa Walker appointed Assistant Executive Director.
2008, May - Long time President B.M. Whitton retires is unanimously approved as “President Emeritus”
2008, June - CCARC purchase sun coast future property on U.S. 19 in Crystal River for new Super Thrift Store.
2008, July - Longtime Residential Services Director Cabot McBride Retires.
2008, August - Sara Roberts took over leadership of CCARC’s Housing & Residential Services.
2008, September - CCARC purchases new 3 bedroom APD home known as Tenison House in Inverness.
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