BY KATIE THISDELL

Like any pair of friends, Damien Bollino and Ryan Lett go to fitness classes, out to eat or on errands such as to the bank.

But unlike many friends, Bollino is Lett's employee and personal-care attendant.

Over the past six years the men have grown close, as Bollino, 31, has gone from being a teacher to being an attendant for Lett, 24, who has autism.

"He's my family, too," Bollino said. "I can call him out on stuff."

Bollino is one of hundreds of personal attendants in Virginia who assist people with disabilities in their day-to-day activities.

"I'm there to help him access the community," Bollino said.

Now, the Virginia Association of Centers for Independent Living hopes to create an online directory of attendants, so that it's easier for matches to be made.

Currently there is no one place for clients and attendants to find each other--and there is no specific record of how many people are in each group.

The directory would be financed through a grant from the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities.

A training session is being held this Saturday at England Run Library in southern Stafford County to offer more information on being an attendant.

"There's not a whole lot of people out there that know that this kind of job or career is available," said Kim Lett, deputy director and program coordinator for the disAbility Resource Center in Fredericksburg. She is Ryan Lett's mother.

Personal attendants are also called consumer-directed assistants, since they are usually hired by the people requiring help. They are also sometimes placed through agencies or grants.

The disAbility Resource Center acts as a facilitator between those looking for attendants and those interested in being one.

Kim Lett will lead the training on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration is requested ahead of time by contacting her at 540/373-2559 or klett@cildrc .org.

Personal attendants may have a variety of duties, depending on whom they are working for. Duties could range from lifting and helping with hygiene to running errands or helping with behavior. Hours can be flexible.

For Eric Barnes, 41, being an attendant is much more than just a job.