Options 25th Anniversary Song by Peter Leidy

(as rocked out live on the stage at the Picnic)

It was back in 1981

The first Ronald Reagan term had just begun

Options was born we were a young little pup

No logo yet to put on a coffee cup

From RFDF Options did spring

Apartment living --was Options thing

Gail and Howard were there at the start

And so many others who played a big part

The very first director was someone named Claire

I never met her, cause I wasn’t there

I heard some stuff, I don’t know if its true

Was she really overthrown in a coup?

All I know is Gail became Director of Options, of Options She put her vision and her heart and her soul into Options

There was a Westside office on University

Above the Ovens of Brittany

Eventually came the consolidation

The East side became the official location

Do you remember the years in a place called Farley?

The office maintenance man called Harley?

Remember when people could smoke in the hall?

Remember when there wasn’t anybody on call?

Remember phone duty—don’t remind me please

The days before cell phones and pocket PCs

Writing all those stories, there’ve been few regrets

Except for one or two numbers by the Optionettes

Come on, let’s sing a song about Options, about Options Don’t you know it’s been 25 years of Options, of Options, that’s right

And now we’re a quarter of a century old

The office is either too hot or too cold

But that doesn’t matter at least not very much

Cause with what’s important - we haven’t lost touch

You see all the changes and memories are true

Through 25 years that’s what happens to you

But there’s a mission from the start that we hold to still

In spite of the pressures that test our will

We’re all citizens and we all have a right

To have our own home where we sleep at night

To live with freedom and dignity

Belonging to the community

So many people have given so much to Options to Options Making Dane County a better place to live, that’s Options, Options oh yeah

The list of accomplishments is not short

Thanks to aH the great people getting Options support

You’ve taught so many people along the way

You’re the reason for this celebration today

I’m so lucky Options is a place I found

There’s not a better bunch anywhere around

I can’t name too many names ‘cause there’s too many to name

But I’m acknowledging Kim Turner just the same (thank you Kim 24 years!) And Alice—24 years, and Julie, what, 22? Randy... 20? Somebody stop me!

Thanks to all you people who are getting support

Your families and friends, and folks of that sort

Thank you staff and those of you on the Board

Especially Niles and Janet serving since day one! Good Lord!

Everybody, let’s say Cheers! Options has been here 25 years Congratulations, it’s a wonderful thing, makes me wanna come up and sing about Options

Come on, let’s sing a song about Options, about Options Don’t you know it’s been 25 years of Options, of Options, that’s right