Controversy over home for people with brain injuries addressed

BOYD COUNTY, Ky. (WSAZ) - A large crowd filled the Boyd County Community Center Wednesday night as a controversy over the newest residents of one home was addressed.

Tony and Carey Moore own Caring Moore Homes, an organization that for seven years has housed and treated people who’ve suffered traumatic brain injuries.

Carey says they already operate seven other houses in neighborhoods in the county.

“These people have had strokes, car accidents, motorcycle accidents, just everyday people that have had something horrible happen and changed their lives forever” Carey said.

After the organization bought a house on Bonanza Drive in Catlettsburg a couple weeks ago, a flyer circulated in the neighborhood that said in part, “A Boyd County resident has bought a home at 3025 Bonanza Drive for the purpose of a group home for disabled individuals. This is a cause that is needed, but not in our neighborhoods. If we allow this to happen, WHAT’S NEXT????”

The flyer announced Wednesday night’s meeting on the issue would be hosted by neighbor Greg Gibson.

People with disabled loved ones took offense, and employees that work for Caring Moore Homes showed up at the meeting with signs.

“Most of the people have really supported us through this,” Carey said. “The few people that haven’t, I think honestly it’s just that they’re just not educated in what’s going on.”

At the meeting, Gibson apologized for the wording in the flyer.

“I have hurt a lot of people,” Gibson said. “I just wanted information. It was a knee-jerk reaction.”

Gibson said after learning more about the issue, he’ll welcome the organization into the neighborhood.

“I am sorry,” he said. “I am genuinely and truly sorry.”

Jeanie Hatcher lives on Bonanza Drive and says she’d simply prefer not to have any type of business operating in the neighborhood.

“If one commercial business comes in, then what stops the next one?” Hatcher said. “We’re in a nice, quiet neighborhood, and we want to keep it that way, but we are not at all against disabled people.”

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. Carey says she hopes this educates people on the need for what they do.

“These individuals are active participants of this community,” Carey said. “They work here. Their families pay taxes here. They deserve to live here, anywhere they want to live, just like you and I.”

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