TARC history

In 1958 this organization began to enroll students and Mrs.

In 1960 the Ponchatoula Civitan was organized and Mrs.

In 1961, our first executive director, Ethel May Miller, was hired.

In 1962, $5,000 was raised by the group of parents and teachers, and the Terrebonne Association for Retarded Citizens was formed as a non-profit Louisiana corporation.

In 1966, Wonderland moved to what was then known as the Tri-T building adjacent to the Municipal Auditorium where the program expanded to four classes, and the first bus was purchased to transport students.

How very fortunate for the people of Tangipahoa Parish that the Pirosko family decided to move into our area in 1972.

So in January 1973, the Hammond Ponchatoula ARC name was changed to the Tangipahoa ARC and the first class was started serving six children with various levels of special needs and developmental disabilities.

Founded in 1974, after purchasing the privately-owned Louisville Transit Company, the Transit Authority of River City (TARC) is the only public transit system in the Louisville-Southern Indiana metro area.

Radiothon has been in existence since 1985 with each year’s support more and more astounding.

In 1986, TARC preschoolers received their first computer from the Telephone Pioneers, marking the beginning of Assistive Technology at TARC.

1989- It became apparent by 1989 that two separate organizations were needed to address the growing needs of people with disabilities.

So OPTIONS was created for adult clients and on July l, 1990 TARC and OPTIONS began operating as two separate agencies each with their own Director and own Board of Directors.

Radiothon has raised as much as $75,000 in two days Penny Power was created in 1991 accessing our Tangipahoa Parish schools.

Due to growth at TARC, in May 1994, a second location was opened at North Cypress Street and both Case Management and Administration moved in.

In 1995, Kansas enacted the Developmental Disabilities Reform Act which included the beginning of TARC’s Community Developmental Disabilities Organization (CDDO) Department to implement the provisions of the Act.

In 1997, TARC finally received its first 10-passenger Dodge van from the state to transport children to and from our Early Intervention Program.

Kids ‘R’ Us Early Learning Center began on June 5, 2000, as an extension of TARC’s Early Intervention Centerbase Program.

2001 The TARC Foundation, Inc. was formed with a 15 member Board of Trustees.

TARC celebrated its 40th Anniversary in 2002.

Hammond BBQ was founded in 2003.

2005 marked TARC’s 50th year of providing excellent service, support & advocacy for children, families and adults with developmental, intellectual or related disabilities.

In May of 2009, Melinda Shaffet resigned as CEO after 15 years of service.

Throughout the 2010’s, TARC’s Winter Wonderland (our largest fundraiser) continued to grow and become a popular holiday tradition in Topeka and the surrounding areas.

In April of 2011, Abels worked with the Livingston Parish Chambers Education Committee to incorporate the Ability Beyond Scholarship into their Academic Scholarship Program.

Josh Randall and the members of the AWOL Jeep Club along with other local surrounding area jeep clubs held the Louisiana 4x Fest in Hammond on June 23, 2012.

Due to funding, the Kids ‘R’ Us Daycare Program was closed in October of 2013.

February 8, 2014 marked TARC’s 60th Anniversary.

January 2015- Robin Abram Director along with Jimmy France as Co-Director held the 1st Annual “Very Special Miss Louisiana Pageant” in January 2015 in Hammond with 20 contestants.

January 29, 2016- TARC celebrated 25 years of Penny Power.

March 2017 - TARC held the 32nd Annual Radiothon raising over $82,000 this was the largest dollar amount raised in 32 years of hosting Radiothon.

March 2018- TARC released the new version and update of the TARC website.

In 2019, TARC celebrated 65 years of dedicated service, support and advocacy.