LS908559.C31 Liza SASKATOONEXPRESS - March 31-April 6, 2014 - Page 1
NEW LOCATION 1702 8TH ST & LOUISE
Volume 11, Issue 12, Week of March 31, 2014
Saskatoonʼs REAL Community Newspaper
Gym Dandy
Jordan Vassell displays some of the many medals he has won (Photo by Sandy Hutchinson)
Program offers opportunity for “meaningful employment”
Tammy Robert Saskatoon Express t’s a typical morning at Saskatoon’s Motion Fitness gym. The cavernous, airy space echoes with the sound of treadmills whirring, weights clanging and the bass thumping of an upbeat tune. Upstairs, between the rows of heart-pumping cardio machines, 22-year-old Jordan Vassell doesn’t miss a beat as he strides purposefully between the elliptical trainers, busting a dance
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move to the Justin Timberlake song on the speakers. Armed with a spray bottle and a cleaning cloth, wearing protective rubber gloves and a pair of sturdy knee pads, Vassell works diligently and non-stop. His job is to ensure equipment in the gym remains spotless and sanitized. He does exactly that, taking great pride in doing an impeccable job. A hardearned paycheque goes with it. Vassell, who has an acquired brain injury
and has been diagnosed with autism, is a Motion Fitness employee. He earns a competitive wage directly from the company, and has held his job with the gym for more than three years. Vassell was introduced to his employer through the Employment, Education and Transition program of the Saskatchewan Association for Community Living (SACL). It was part of a work experience offered when he was attending Holy Cross High School.
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After benefiting from the training and proving himself invaluable to the gym’s operations, management at Motion Fitness opted to hire Vassell as a permanent employee. SACL’s mission is to ensure that citizens of Saskatchewan with intellectual disabilities are valued and supported members of an inclusive society, with opportunities and choices in all aspects of life. (Continued on page 3)
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Valid at all Saskatoon locations. Starting at $52.99 with coupon for most vehicles Plus taxes and enviro charge. Present coupon. Not valid with any other discounts. Exp. April 14, 2014