October 2017
National Disability Employment Awareness Month Inclusion Drives Innovation
Area businesses embrace inclusion The Arc McDonald’s in Gateway’s Pensacola, she Employment has hired several Services program people from The helps individuals Arc Gateway. John find and maintain O’Conner is her jobs in the latest hire. community. “She has been The program’s a tremendous objective is to find supporter of our a job that matches John O’Conner Employment a client’s interests, Services Program,” abilities and said Jeff Weikert, personal goals. The Arc Gateway Services include Employment creating resumes, Services Director. completing David Byram has applications, also found gainful meeting with employment through perspective The Arc Gateway. He employers, David Byram currently works at preparing for the Welcome Center interviews and all other at the YMCA. activities related to finding “David absolutely loves his a job. Once employed, the job and we are so grateful for Employment Specialist works the support from everyone with the individual to arrange at the YMCA,” Weikert said. transportation, complete “They treat David very well training, and monitor the and have really made him part individual until he or she is of the family.” proficient in all aspects of the job. John and David’s stories are a testament to the recent rise Andrea Wallace has in the hiring of individuals become quite familiar with with disabilities. According to The Arc Gateway’s clients. the 2017 Disabilities Equality As a district manager for
The Arc Gateway
Index (DEI), more companies are working to include people with disabilities and are, in fact, actively recruiting from this population. Of the 110 companies surveyed, 95 percent reported that they have recruitment efforts in place specifically aimed at hiring people with disabilities. That’s an increase of 11 percent since the DEI’s inception in 2014. This is all good news for people like John and David. Overall, 88 percent of the employers surveyed had a disability-focused resource group or organization, and 86 percent had a senior executive working to champion or sponsor the effort. Employment Services is a valuable program that allows adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to stay productive, reach their potential, and live meaningful lives. For more information on Employment Services, please contact Jeffrey Weikert, Director of Employment Services, at (850)293-7100 or jweikert@arc-gateway.org.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and The Arc Gateway encourages everyone to participate. The purpose of National Disability Employment Awareness Month is to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. Held annually, National Disability Employment Awareness Month is led by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, but its true spirit lies in the many observances held at the grassroots level across the nation every year. We all play an important part in fostering a more inclusive workforce, one where each person is recognized for his or her abilities — every day of every month. INSIDE CBE weathers the storm at the Welcome Station
October 2017
October 2017 Calendar Thursday, Oct. 5 Aktion Club Installation Dinner 5-7 p.m. Cokesbury Church 9th Ave. Campus Tuesday, Oct. 10 Hilltop Open House 3-6 p.m. 5725 Hilltop Dr. Pensacola, Fla. 32503 Thursday, Oct. 12 Membership Meeting 12 p.m. Administration Building Friday, Oct. 13 Pearl Nelson Center’s Fall Festival 9-11 a.m. Oct. 20-21 Bud Light Charity Challenge Tennis Tournament Roger Scott Tennis Center Tuesday, Oct. 24 Board of Directors Meeting 5:30 p.m. Administration Building Thursday, Oct. 26 Aktion Club 8 a.m. Pollak Training Center Friday, Oct. 27 Monster Mash Dance 6-8 p.m. at Zelica Grotto Nov. 3-5 Adult Enrichment at The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival Fri & Sat. 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. Sun 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
A message from Missy... Last week, the employees of The Arc Gateway gathered at St. Christopher’s Church to participate in our annual Employee Appreciation Day. It was a morning filled with food, fun, camaraderie, gifts, laughs and so much more. We began the morning with a wonderful breakfast prepared by Apple Market. The lovely ladies of the Membership Committee volunteered to serve us, and we could not be more appreciative of what they did for us. After some general announcements, we divided into groups to get to know each other through six basic questions. So Rogers, what did we learn? That one of Jim’s many talents include singing… Missy Chief Executive Officer That PALS MATES still appreciate One Direction regardless of the break up… That blue is our favorite color, unless you work for Pollak Training Center then it’s gotta be red… That Rich can juggle many things at the same time, but balloons aren’t one of them. Most importantly, we learned that our clients and our employees share many of the same wants, needs and life goals. Thanks to Emily for putting together a great video. We reviewed the results from our satisfaction survey, then recognized employees hitting milestone anniversaries. Congrats to all of them, including Barbara Ladd who celebrated 40 years of employment. Huge thanks to each person who participated in one of our Carnival Games. You made us proud to be your coworkers. The day would not have been complete without our famous 50/50 drawing. Congrats to Arlena for purchasing the winning ticket and going home a little bit richer. Finally, thanks to the Baskets Committee who put together more than 75 fantastic door prizes for the lucky ones whose tickets were drawn and to all the community businesses who donated items. We are so grateful. I hope that each of you enjoyed your day as much as I did.
CBE weathers the storm at the Welcome Station Through The Arc Gateway’s Community Based Employment (CBE) program, the people we serve learn job skills and earn a paycheck while providing valuable services in our community through various contracts. One such contract is for the Department of Transportation. Our mobile crews and day shift workers do the janitorial and grounds maintenance work at the Florida Welcome Station rest area and the weigh scales facilities on I-10 and US Highway 90. Work at the Welcome Station is covered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year – including holidays. Tracy Jones, a client employed through the CBE program, had quite the first day of work at the I-10 Welcome Station. Employed with The Arc Gateway since 2011, she had just transferred to the Welcome Station as Hurricane Irma sunk her teeth into Florida. As evacuees flooded the highway system throughout the state, the Welcome Station experienced two of its busiest days ever as travelers tried to make their way back east on the Tuesday and Wednesday following Irma’s arrival. Traffic was backed up for miles and the station’s parking lots were consistently packed or overflowing. Trash attendants were steadily busy throughout the two days and worked hard to keep the station clean, despite the masses of people flowing in and out. Tracy began work with Pollak Industries in 2011 and, since 2013, has expressed a desire to work in the community. She got her wish and performed admirably in the direst of circumstances. Tracy and everyone who worked the Welcome Station during Hurricane Irma deserve a big thank you.
Donations
Donations Hal Cowen Pensacola Senior Follies for Senior Adult Program Virginia Richmond Mildred Trussell for Chapman Group Home
In Memory of Barbara Brumley Charles Brumley Ira of Ira Verbois Photography donated his time and talent to provide employees of The Arc Gateway with professional head shots at this year’s Employee Appreciation. Thanks Ira!
September’s Restaurant Give Back Night a delicious success Thanks to all of the agency’s friends and supporters, The Arc Gateway’s Restaurant Give Back Night held at Red Robin on Sept. 19 was a great success, earning $276. Thank you to everyone who participated, we couldn’t have done it without you!
Shredding’s Jean White Retires after 31 years Tuesday, Sept. 26 employees, coworkers and friends gathered to celebrate Jean White’s retirement from Pollak Training Center’s Shredding Department. Jean began working with The Arc Gateway as a supervisor at the Pollak Training Center in 1986. In 1993, Jean was promoted to the Jean White Production Manager at Pollak Training Center. We have been proud to have Jean in The Arc Gateway family for the past 31 years, and she will be greatly missed by all.
ECSO donates to Supported Living Program
Thank you so much to the Escambia County Sheriff ’s Office (ECSO) for their donation of $20,000 to our Supported Living Program. We are truly blessed to have such amazing supporters in our community enabling us to provide this service so that the people we serve can continue living independently.
In Memory of Frank Cherry Bessie & Robert Grant John & Natalie Prokk In Memory of Ruth Covin for Adult Enrichment Stephanie & Paul Doughtry In Memory of Robert Marshman Peter Steenland
In Honor of Findley Jane McLoone for Pearl Nelson Center Rebuild Ellen Vinson Susan Godwin Charlotte Northup Carol Ann Chandler Sharon Gensemer Linda Doelker In Honor of the Wedding of Cameron Northup & Nick Delgado for Pearl Nelson Center Rebuild Chris Bouchillon Mary Bond Pauline Scruggs
Foundation Donations
In Memory of Dix Darby Mike and Karen Jenkins Venetia Prince Lewis B. Pollak, Sr. Carolyn Woitas Bob and Linda Bloom Robert and Betty Olliff Nathan and Myra Kahn
Individual Kim Hogan David Macy Nelda Patterson
Geoff Yrcisin Clifford and Kristi Mesker Claudine Kriss Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival Donations Wide Angle Photo Club
Memberships
Staff Heidi BadgerChrisman* Liza Banks* Anita Barnett Alyssa Brownell* Emily Clutter Donna Corey* Eleanor Cutts Sandra Fisher Elizabeth Francoeur* Taylor Gantt Andrea Hamilton* Miriam Hartley Riley Larson* Eunice Lewis Lakesha Lewis* Harold McWaine* Gayle Miller
Rufus Morris* Paula Poole* Demetrea Prater Peggy Pursell* Jolene SilerLindberg* Marilyn Ward*
Family James & Irene Blackwell Ernest & Wanda Dixon in memory of Grady E. Dixon Brenda Glasser Barbara Glover Regina Hennard Peter & Katrina Mougey Jarry, Sherri & Brett Ramsey Monroe & Sandy Watley
Supporting Mary Griffin in memory of Susan Griffin Perry, Jacquelyn & Michelle Montanye Patron Mary Bond James Bradley Dawn & Carol Cooper Joseph & Susan Endry Father Michael Garvey David & Julie Kellen Bryan Moser Jacob Shattuck*
* Denotes New Membership
Become a member and/or donate online. Visit: www.arc-gateway.org/ways-to-give/
The Arc Gateway 3932 N. Tenth Ave. Pensacola, FL 32503 www.arc-gateway.org 850.434.2638
United Way Partner Agency
A S p e c i a l T h a n k s T o O u r C o r p o r at e S p o n s o r s !
Bud Light Tennis Charity Challenge October 20-21 at Roger Scott Tennis Center
Pensacola Sports and The Arc Gateway are excited to partner with The Lewis Bear Company to present the 13th annual Bud Light Charity Challenge Tennis Tournament. Proceeds from the event benefit The Arc Gateway and Pensacola Sports. Visit www.arc-gateway.org for more info.
Chance to Win Purchase a ticket & you could win a Kamado Ceramic Charcoil Grill, a YETI Tundra & a $50 Gift Card to The Butcher Shoppe! Winner walks away with ALL THREE items! (do not have to be present to win)
1 for $20 3 for $50 8 for $100