Scoops - New England Village

A Gem of
an Idea
Scoops
The Newsletter of New England Village, Inc.
Summer/Fall 2008
In the Beginning
Unbeknownst to them at the time, the
summer of 2007 may have been a
significant turning point for the
individuals and staff who participate in
our Employment Supports Program. It
was about a year ago that Rick Moulton,
Director of Employment Supports at
New England Village Day Services
(NEVDS), saw an article in a newspaper
about a local jewelry company and
approached them about having our work
program participants assemble some of
their beaded jewelry pieces. The
company liked the idea and each week
they would send over kits containing
sample bracelets and necklaces and all
the components. The jeweler provided
training on how to do the assembly and
crimping and while the quantities were
small, the individuals assigned to this
program loved the work. Ultimately
though, because of a discrepancy
between the time it took our workers to
assemble some of the more intricate
pieces and the wages being paid, we
amicably parted ways with the jewelry
company.
The individuals who had worked on
this particular job were really
disappointed when it ended and they
were truly the impetus behind the
decision to try to develop and sell our
own line of jewelry. Tracey Daigneau,
Director of Day Services, had this to say
about the philosophy behind
establishing a jewelry business:
“Unlike private companies and for profit
organizations, our goal is not to
maximize profit, but rather to create
work. The goal of New England
Regina Diener, Robert Brown, Jennifer Porter and Aimee Remes display some of their handiwork.
Village’s jewelry program is to provide
consistent and viable work opportunities
for the individuals that we support on a
daily basis and to allow for the
development of skills that will foster
future success in a variety of
employment settings.”
A Fresh Start
There was a room in our work center
that had been used in the past to
manufacture dried soups and it became
the new “Jewelry Room.” Folks from
the work center painted, put up window
blinds and laid down carpet remnants in
anticipation of starting the new business
venture. Employment Specialist Cheryl
Bleakney was named General Manager
– Jewelry Program and given
responsibility to do the majority of the
marketing and sales for the program.
Rick Moulton provided behind the
scenes support to her in the areas of
purchasing materials, inventory and the
coordination of the internal and external
processes/requirements needed to get a
business up and running. Rick also met
with Joyce and Carl Sarney, owners of
Gemorama, a wholesale jewelry supply
company in Hanover MA, who provided
lots of training and assistance. We were
ready to roll!
Continued on page 11
Inside...
Executive Director’s
Perspective
Residential News
& Features
Program Happenings
Family Day Photos
Staff Updates
Pg. 2
Pg. 3
Pg. 5
Pg. 7
Pg. 9
Summer/Fall 2008
From the Executive Director
I recently met with a parent of a
young adult with developmental
disabilities who had last visited
New England Village about 20
years ago. She exclaimed, “I
Bryan Efron, Ph.D.
hardly recognize this place!”
Executive Director
Although I believe the original
mission articulated by our founders has remained nearly
the same, the face of New England Village has indeed
changed over the years. We have new homes, a state-ofthe-art recreation facility, a comprehensive array of day
programs, and of course, many new residents and day
program participants.
With much of the frenzied pace of development we’ve
experienced in recent years behind us, it’s now time to
pause, take a deep breadth, and take stock of where we’ve
been, where we are now and where we want to be in 3 to 5
years. We must try to understand and anticipate as best we
can the environmental, social, political and economic
factors that will inevitably impact our future. Gaining a
broad perspective by eliciting the views of all our key
stakeholders - staff, governance, families, funders and
program participants – will serve us best. We’ll want to
examine all aspects of what we do and how we do it, take
stock of our strengths and weaknesses, recognize and
applaud our successes, and assess the many challenges that
lay ahead.
This year-long process of organizational assessment and
planning for our future will not be that magic bullet that
cures every ailment we have, but it will help us build a
consensus and clarity around what our future priorities need
to be. Most importantly, by working through this process
together, we will strive to reach a shared vision of how we
go about assuring a secure and thriving future for our
beloved Village community. ■
New England Village
Board of Directors
Vincent Roberts, Dolores Rezendes and Linda Wilson stand in front
of the community board at the Halifax Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Foundation Awards
$1,000 Grant to NEV
On July 11th Wal-Mart (Halifax) Store Manager Vincent Roberts and
Good Works Coordinator Linda Wilson presented Dolores Rezendes, NEV’s
Director of Marketing & Development, with a $1,000 check from the WalMart Foundation. This is the fifth time New England Village has been the
recipient of this award and we are truly grateful to the Halifax Wal-Mart
staff and the foundation for their continued support. ■
Page 2
Mrs. Esta-Jean Cahn
Mrs. Diane Dufault
Mr. Robert Feldman, Treasurer
Mrs. Peggy Gilbert, Secretary
Mr. Steven Kaitz
Dr. Carolyn S. Lilly
Ms. Kathleen McGerigle
Mr. T. Kenwood Mullare
Mrs. Sabrina H Nicholson
Mr. Barry Sheingold
Ms. Marilyn Sollar - McCormick
Mr. Charles Volpetti, Chairman
Mr. James Zuckernik
Scoops
is published 2x a year.
Stay up to date on Village happenings by
subscribing to Village Connections our
monthly electronic newsletter.
Just send your email address to
[email protected]
and we’ll add you to our broadcast list.
www.newenglandvillage.org
Residential News & Features
College Bound
Volume 21
Jessica Simoes
This September, Watson House
resident Jessica Simoes will start an
academic program at Cape Cod
Community College in Barnstable, MA.
Jessica has been accepted into the
college’s Project Forward- a
vocationally-oriented program designed
to help students build vocational skills
for increased independent living, while
improving:
■ communication skills
■ self-awareness and self-advocacy
skills
■ self-esteem and the development of
compensatory abilities
Jessica’s residential advocate,
Michelle Wood, was instrumental in
helping her gain enrollment into this
selective program. “We are very proud
and appreciative of Jessica and
Michelle’s hard work and this
undertaking serves as an inspiration to
other staff and residents throughout the
Village,” says Residential Director Rick
Pittman.
Jessica and her family are thrilled at
this opportunity and look forward to a
wonderful experience this fall on Cape
Cod. “I can’t wait; I’m so excited, even
though I know it will be hard,”
acknowledges Jessica. ■
www.newenglandvillage.org
TV Room at 624 School Street
A House Becomes
a Home
On June 30th, three of the ladies
from Apartments 6 & 7, moved
into their new home at 624 School
Street. Lisa Heiman, Carrie Wells
and Donna Burke are the first
Lisa Heiman and Carrie Wells relax at the
residents of the beautiful house
game table in the TV Room
that NEV purchased in July 2007.
We are currently looking for an external candidate for the fourth bedroom in this
semi-independent home for women. ■
Leave a Lasting Legacy
Remember New England Village in your will or estate plan.
Your gift can help ensure that New England Village will always be a place where
people with developmental disabilities can thrive and grow.
For more information about bequests or
other planned giving opportunities, please contact:
Dolores Rezendes
Director of Development
(781) 293-5461 x107
[email protected]
Page 3
Residential News & Features
Summer/Fall 2008
Meet Hillary Semel – NEV’s Newest Resident
School in Lexington.
On June 16th, the
She loves art, bowling,
Village community
eating out, movies and
welcomed a delightful
especially reading. She
young woman into its
also attends horseback
fold – 23 year old Hillary
riding and windsurfing
Semel. Prior to living at
programs.
the Village, Hillary lived
with her mom and dad,
Her work history
Donna and Scott, and her
includes jobs at
twin sisters Sarah and
Homegoods, Eastern
Beth at the family’s
Mountain Sports and the
home in Sharon;
Cambridge Public
Hillary now calls
Hillary Semel at the NEVDS cookout Library. She also did
Apartment 6 “home.”
some volunteer pet
grooming for Buddy Dogs. Hillary now
Hillary is an alumnus of the Cotting
Life’s a Beach for the
Apartment Ladies!
In July, Residential Coordinator Marianne Watts
invited the ladies of Apartment 6 to join her for her
annual jaunt to the Marshfield shore. Barbara Esson,
Hillary Semel, Mary Anne Cooney, Lisa Heiman
and Mary Jane Devine arrived at the 4 bedroom
beach house rental (along with some air
conditioners), very excited about their week at the
Barbara Esson relaxing at the beach
beach. By all accounts, a good time was had by all.
Not to be outdone, the men from Apartments 4 & 5 will be renting their own house in
Onset, Cape Cod in mid-August. It sure is nice having easy access to such great
summer vacation destinations! ■
Patrick Murphy
participates in NEVDS’ Employment
Supports program 5 days a week.
We are all thrilled to have Hillary as
part of our community and extend to her
and her family the warmest Village
welcome. ■
The
Karate
Kid
Two times per
week, Apartment 4
resident Peter
Burbank and his
Advocate Lan
Baker suit up and
head to the
Pembroke Boys
Club for karate
lessons. Peter
took karate
prior to living
at the Village and he really
enjoyed it, so he’s pleased he has
been able to continue with his
lessons and likes having Lan
participate with him. Peter currently
has his green belt. ■
Something’s Fishy in Pembroke
Paul Beranger
On a recent outing with Residential Coordinator (and fishing enthusiast) Brian Manson to Sandy Pond in Pembroke, Patrick
Murphy and Paul Beranger got the chance to show off some of their own fishing skills. And though pleased with their catches,
both men gladly returned their fish to the pond. ■
Page 4
www.newenglandvillage.org
Program Happenings
Volume 21
Day Enrichment Program Goes Green!
Look for a lot of green this year at the
Sollar Wellness Center (SWC). The
SWC is going green with a building
initiative to recycle, re-use and educate
on the simple ways we can all work
together to make a difference. Here are a
few things the SWC is doing right now
to reduce its environmental footprint.
Recycle
■ Everyday
at the SWC, staff, day
and residential participants recycle
plastic, aluminum and paper. SWC
employee Matt Bowen collects,
sorts and bags the recyclables and
makes the weekly trip with staff to
the recycling center in Pembroke.
Re-use
■ Plastic
grocery bags are re-used for
the swim program to store wet suits,
towels and swim shoes.
■ Newspapers are recycled in the art
program for table coverings during
projects.
■ Magazines are re-used for collages
for bulletin boards and class
offerings.
■ Plastic trays from frozen dinners are
re-used for painting and storing
supplies.
Educate
■ The
Day Enrichment Program
Heidi Ward and Lisa Scales receive "Go Green" patches for their efforts towards working to recycle, reuse and reduce our environmental footprints on the earth.
began a new offering this summer
called “Go Green” co-taught by
Kim Lowman and Susannah
Locketti. The focus of the offering
is to educate participants on the
many ways they can make a
positive difference on the
environment.
■ Old cell phones are collected and
donated to Cell Phones for Soldiers,
a local program that uses the money
received from recycling the phones
SWC Top Ten
towards pre-paid calling cards for
our troops. This is an ongoing
program and cell phones may be
dropped off anytime at the SWC.
■ Earth friendly cleaning products are
used at the SWC and recipes for
chemical free cleaning supplies will
be explored.
■ Stay tuned…the SWC will devote a
month to educating and sharing
ideas on various ways to go green at
home and at work. ■
A new, less structured fitness option was recently introduced at the
Sollar Wellness Center for those individuals who can’t always meet a
specific time for a class or prefer to workout more independently and at
their own pace. The “SWC Top Ten” is 10 new circuit training stations
located along the building’s walking track These stations, which are
available anytime, promote functional fitness and flexibility by
strengthening and toning all the major muscle groups while incorporating a
cardio effect at the same time. Fitness Instructor Kim Lowman has set
aside 2 weekend slots per month to consult with individuals/staff on circuit
training or any other fitness area.
Maryanne Lyons demonstrates an upper body exercise
for Aquatic and Wellness Coordinator Susannah Locketti
www.newenglandvillage.org
Page 5
Summer/Fall 2008
Program Happenings
Health & Wellness Fair a Success!
The Sollar Wellness
Center hosted its 2nd
Annual Health &
Wellness Fair on
Saturday, April 12th,
2008 from 10am-2pm.
The theme of the event
was “Making
Connections: Health &
Wellness Options for
Participants at a T’ai Chi demonstration
People with
Developmental Disabilities.” The keynote speaker was James Gleason, MS, PT, an
instructor at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center at UMASS Medical School, who
specializes in the area of physical activity in persons with developmental disabilities.
It was no surprise that community attendance was triple that of last year’s event, given
the increase in the number of vendors (12) and demos being offered by specialists
throughout the day. Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive and their
suggestions will be used to make next year’s health fair even better. ■
Employment
Supports
Day Services
Spring workflow and revenue
increased a bit as we had more
consistent off-site and on-site vocational
opportunities, including our landscaping
crew. There has been about a 7%
increase in work being available since
March and there are several jobs that
have the promise of much work, such as
a tile job that has high expectations from
the owner, who believes there will be
enough work to keep most individuals
we support consistently busy year
round. Our shredding operation is
completing a contract for the destruction
of 30,000 lbs of legal documents.
A brochure for the employment
program is being developed that will
effectively target community businesses
for work and provide relevant program
information for referrals, family
members and funding sources. As
always, we would be interested in
Page 6
Adult Ed
Programming
New England Village has recently
made connections with Special
Education programs in local high
schools to offer adult education,
aquatics and fitness programming for
students between the ages of 18-22.
Feedback received from special
educators and families indicate there is
a growing need to engage this
population in social and wellness
opportunities similar to what they have
experienced in their school setting. As
this age group transitions out of high
school, we have found there are
limited community opportunities for
them. New England Village is excited
and fortunate to have the resources and
specialized programming to fulfill the
needs of this transitional group and
their families. ■
Roger Gagnon with his boss Starland General Manager David Sale
having a board member with business
experience and/or a community business
owner(s) with an understanding of our
population to join us at future meetings.
Competitive employment continues
to be successful and we recently placed
another individual at Starland where his
main responsibility is repairing
equipment and rides. We continue to
support 8 individuals working at Kohl’s,
Trader Joe’s, Shaw’s, Massasoit
Community College, McDonald’s and
Verc Mobil.
Facility wise in Hanson, our
landscaping crew is going to assist with
improving the grounds. We will be
replacing the signage on the building
and replacing it with an engraved
boulder to be located at the entrance to
our parking lot, similar to that at the
campus entrance and the Sollar
Wellness Center. ■
www.newenglandvillage.org
Program Happenings
Volume 21
The Village tradition of never having
rain on Family Day continued when the
sun shone brightly down on NEV
residents, day participants, family
members and staff on Sunday, June 8th.
Nearly 600 people enjoyed a western
themed bonanza of food, fun and
friends. Live music was provided by
guitarist Wayne Morrison and our own
music instructor Sean Carr ran a drum
circle. Clowns, face painters, games
and a sweepstakes with some
wonderful prizes added to the fun
atmosphere. The highlight of the day
came when Village residents and day
service participants received awards for
their outstanding achievements over
the past year. Yee-haw! ■
www.newenglandvillage.org
Page 7
Program Happenings
The NEVDS Annual
TLC Visits the
Summer Cookout
Dickinson Art
Gallery
Summer/Fall 2008
Friday, July 18 from 1pm – 3pm. There was
something for everyone: food, games, dancing
and entertainment. The Hawaiian theme
added an extra fun element to the day. ■
Dan Kneafsey and Joy Bendror
Living Center participants recently
visited the Dickinson Art Gallery in
Weymouth. Warmly greeted by the
curator, John Deloury, Dan Kneafsey,
Joe McGovern, Paige Belmonte and Joy
Bendror were treated to some beautiful
art work. The theme of the exhibit was
“Art in Bloom.” They were all very
impressed with the gallery space and the
artists varied styles of work. It was a
wonderful sunny day, which really
enhanced the experience and their ideas
of spring.
Pathways
We would like to congratulate Jim
Scott and Nicole Treantafel on their
recent promotions to Senior
Developmental Specialist. Jim has
extraordinary experience with NEV as a
whole, and Pathways in particular. He
brings a tremendous amount of
knowledge to this new position. Nicole
has been with Pathways for about a year
now, and in that time she has emerged as
one of the true leaders of the program,
always having the best interests of the
individuals we serve at heart.
Congratulations to both!
Page 8
car
Phil Sou
As of July 1st, Pathways restructured
with the hope of providing the
individuals we serve more support on a
daily basis. To accomplish this, we have
placed three staff members in each of
our rooms (at this point, Room 2 will
only contain two staff members until
we can add to our census and
perhaps add another staff
person). In addition to this,
each room each will have a
Senior Developmental
Specialist assigned to it
(right now we have filled
two of those positions with
internal promotions – Jim
Scott and Nicole Treantafel
– there are plans in place
to assess and address the
third senior position.).
As it is becoming
more commonplace in
today’s society to be
environmentally
friendly, it makes sense
that Pathways would
soon follow suit.
Thinking that it would
be important for
Pathways individuals
to learn about recycling, Nicole
Treantafel and Kristena Magoon began a
recycling program with Room 3. They
have been showing the individuals in
their room the importance of recycling
since May. The room will collect
newspapers and plastic bottles, for
example, sort the items into various bins
and then bring what they have collected
to the Pembroke Recycling Center.
Nicole and Kristena hope to keep this
project going to continue building
upon the skills the individuals have
already learned.
In June, we began the 2008 Pathways
Wellness Ride. Individual members of
the Pathways program will utilize a
recumbent bike, which is safer and
provides more support than an
upright exercise bicycle, to ride
during the course of the bikea-thon. This continues to be a
fun way for the members to
work therapeutically on gross
motor skills. This year’s
beneficiary of the Pathways
Wellness Ride is the New
England Wildlife Center, with
whom some of our
individuals volunteer on
a regular basis. If you
would like to donate to
the Wellness Ride, or sponsor a
rider, please contact Michael
Burke at (781) 447-4413, ext. 106
or by e-mail at:
[email protected] .
Please make all checks out to the New
England Wildlife Center. ■
Lori Pilachowski
www.newenglandvillage.org
Ginger Sullivan
adds “Admissions”
to her Title
Staff Updates
New Hire Spotlight: Kerry Hughes
After serving
20+ years as the
Admissions
Manager for
New England
Village, Judy
Andracchio
passed the
baton to Ginger
Sullivan in April. Judy continues in her
role as HR Manager and Administrative
Assistant to Dr. Bryan Efron.
Ginger Sullivan joined NEV in 1999
as a P/T Weekend Coordinator and in
2006 she was named Residential
Manager for Team B. She holds an
MBA from the University of Phoenix.
In April, her role was expanded to
include admissions and her title changed
to Admissions and Residential Manager.
Concurrently, Admissions was moved
under the administrative direction of the
Director of Communications, Marketing
& Development, so although Ginger
continues to directly report to Rick
Pittman, she also dotted line reports to
Dolores Rezendes for the admissions
portion of her job.
With her strong direct care
background, program management
skills and 9 years of familiarity with
NEV, Ginger made a very smooth
transition into her new role.
Congratulations and continued
success Ginger! ■
NEV Welcomes
Employment Specialists
Shannon Cobbett
Vincent DiTocco
Chris Louissaint
Andrea Ramalho
Lara Batti
House Manager
Monica West
www.newenglandvillage.org
Volume 21
Kerry Hughes was hired as
the new Residential Team B
Nurse replacing the recently
retired, Florence Seward.
She started on June 30th.
Ms. Hughes is a recent
nursing school graduate who
has nearly 8 years of
experience working with
men and women with
developmental disabilities.
In her professional career, she has
provided direct care, managed
programs, and has served as a court
appointed guardian in the greater Fall
River/New Bedford areas.
She will be working under the
supervision of Susan Fazio, Health
Services Coordinator and will be the
Happy Retirement!
primary medical contact for
the men and women who live
in the following houses:
■ House 4,
■ Fuller House,
■ Watson House
■ Apartments 4,5,6, & 7
■ 624 School Street
To meet our ever
expanding medical needs, the
Village has increased the
number of nursing hours by 33%; from
54 to 72 hours per week. Ms Hughes
will work a 40 hour work week,
including some weekend coverage.
If you see Kerry around the campus,
please take a minute to welcome her and
wish her success in her new position. ■
Registered
Nurse
Florence
Seward
(8+ years of
service to NEV)
House
Manager
House 4 Manager Denene Sellgren
gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on
May 24th. Tayla Sellgren was born at
1:49am, weighed in at 6lbs. 13oz. and
was 19inches long. Congratulations
and best wishes go out to the entire
Sellgren clan. ■
Ethel West
(8 years of
service to NEV)
Medical 1:1
Carol Kinan
Paraprofessional
Kathleen Costa
Paula Colp
Residential Coordinators
Cheryl Blake
Jennifer Cobb
Ann Coelho
Tayla Sellgren
Tracey Savage
Jennifer Sim
Kena Feci
Jessica Redfern
Wichon Stanhope
Janice Davis
Jolene Cobb
Giny Bly
Annelise Dow
Jeffrey Louissaint
Denene Copeland
Myrlene Figaro
Oladejo Olatunji
Patty O’Rourke
Swim Aide
Lauren Mulkern
Weekend
Coordinator
Jill Sharp
Page 9
Summer/Fall 2008
Staff Updates
Staff Anniversary Luncheon
● 15 Years of Service
Lisa Drennan - Wellness Center Director
Shirley Maher - Living Center Coordinator
Leigh Ann Taylor - Residential Coordinator
John Tura - Medical Driver
● 10 years of Service
Front Row (L to R): Helen Stevens, Judy Andracchio, Dolores Tura, Bryan Efron, Deb Quelle,
Lillian Lemanski; Back Row: Michael Gaffey, Ed Gallant
This past May, New England Village
held a very special luncheon at the
Crane Brook Restaurant and Tea Room
to honor those employees who were
celebrating their 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30
year employment anniversaries. After
an elegant lunch was served, one
employee from each anniversary group
reflected on his/her experiences over the
years at NEV. Employees were
presented with gifts from the Village as
a token of appreciation for their years of
service. It was a wonderful way to
honor our dedicated staff.
The honorees were:
● 30 Years of Service
Lillian Lemanski - Residential Coordinator
Deb Quelle - Residential Manager
● 25 Years of Service
Bryan Efron - Executive Director
Kevin McLevedge - Case Manager
Jane McMorrow - Residential Coordinator
Dolores Tura - 1:1 Companion
● 20 Years of Service
Judy Andracchio - Human Resources
Manager
Michael Gaffey - House Manager
Ed Gallant - House Manager
Helen Stevens - Payroll Coordinator
Ginger Comeau – Enrichment Coordinator
Jonathan Harris - Residential Coordinator
Diane Horgan - Weekend Coordinator
Pam Johnson - Residential Office Manager
Sonya Pinto - Residential Coordinator
Rhonda Vickery - Case Manager
Jewls Wright - Administrative Assistant
● 5 Years of Service
Lan Baker - Residential Coordinator
Kathy Botto - Accounting Coordinator
Ashley Bowen - Residential Coordinator
Sean Carr - Music Instructor/Swim Aide
Ardi Cochran - Accounting Manager
Tracey Daigneau - Day Services Director
Deborah D’Entremont - Residential Coordinator
Diane Dunham - Employment Specialist
Karen Dunstan - Residential Coordinator
Isabelle Louissant - Residential Coordinator
Shannon Maher - Residential Coordinator
Kristin McCray - Residential Coordinator
Ketty Philemond - Residential Coordinator
Rick Pittman - Residential Director
Lenai Reynolds - Residential Coordinator
Kristin Stoddard - House Manager
Kirsten Toomey - Residential Coordinator
Carol Vienneau - House Manager
John Walker - House Manager
Staff Referral Incentive Program
(Open to NEV employees only)
Do you know someone who would be a good New England Village Employee?
1.
2.
3.
Page 10
Make a referral and earn a fee. It’s easy as 1, 2, 3!!
Encourage someone who you feel is qualified to apply for an open position.
Complete the short Referral Form.
Collect your new staff referral incentive of $250!!!
Nineteen $250 referral bonuses were paid out to NEV employees
in fiscal year 2008 - What a Deal!
For more information contact Judy Andracchio at ext. 110
www.newenglandvillage.org
A Gem of an Idea
Volume 21
Continued from page 1
True Meaning Jewelry
It quickly became apparent that local
retailers and organizations supportive of
special needs individuals were anxious
to provide assistance and as a direct
result, some customized lines quickly
emerged. Deidra Souza, who is a
therapy aide at Bridgewater-Raynham
Regional High School, had been
bringing two individuals to the
workshop every week so that they could
experience a variety of jobs and
vocational training opportunities. She
became very interested in the jewelry
line and suggested designing something
that could be sold to the students.
Cheryl Bleakney came up with the idea
of selling graduation bracelets that used
Swarovski crystals to depict the school
colors and included the school’s initials
and graduation year. The graduation
bracelet was so successful that Cheryl
was then able to set up meetings with
PTA’s, principals and special education
teachers at Duxbury, Plymouth North,
Marshfield, and Silver Lake schools.
Our advertising approach with
Special Olympics, “Created for Special
Olympic Athletes by Special Olympic
Athletes” provided a unique competitive
advantage over other jewelry
manufacturers and prompted us to come
up with a name for our own jewelry
line: True Meaning Jewelry. The name
represents how meaningful the work is
to the individuals who create this
beautiful jewelry and the joy it gives to
the customers who purchase it.
Over 20 individuals are now able to
make the bracelets. Utilizing jewelry
trays which sequence the beads, even
some visually impaired people are able
to string them. A formal business and
marketing plan has been developed and
we hope to be able to expand the
business.
It Takes a Village
Without a doubt, credit for the
success-to-date of the jewelry business
has to go to Cheryl Bleakney and Rick
Moulton, whose creative thinking and
sheer determination made this a viable
opportunity for the individuals they
www.newenglandvillage.org
A sampling of some of our jewelry
■ Resident
John Lundgren and Robert Worden
assemble some True Meaning Jewelry
support. We would be remiss however,
if we didn’t mention some of the other
people/organizations that have played a
pivotal role in making this vision a
reality:
■ The Massachusetts Charitable
Mechanic Association who
awarded us a $16,000 grant to be
used to purchase equipment and
supplies that will help us expand
the line.
■ Francine Hundley, who helped us
in the design process and sold
hundreds of dollars of our jewelry
at senior citizen centers; her son
Kyle is a member of our Day
■ Mary Tannon, foster mother of
Employment Supports participant
Roger Gagnon, who has worked on
our behalf promoting badge holders
to nurses and flight attendants.
Jessica Simoes’ mother
Nancy, who arranged to have our
jewelry carried by Andora Beauty
Salon in Kingston and is working
to have it sold at a Nantucket
jewelry store.
■ NEV board member Sabrina
Nickerson who is volunteering her
time and business expertise to work
on the jewelry steering committee.
■ The NEV Business Office,
Marketing Department, Sollar
Wellness Center staff and numerous
employees who have supported this
program through their business
efforts and enthusiasm.
While we don’t possess a crystal ball
(only crystal beads), our hope is that the
jewelry business will evolve into our
largest single work and revenue source,
replacing some of the losses attributed
to the steady decline of manufacturing
in our area. The infrastructure
established for this business sets the
stage for establishing other similar small
businesses within the organization and
should generate additional work, such as
packaging, for those individuals whose
skills may not be a match for assembly.
We will soon have an online gift shop
where people can view a selection of
our products and place orders
electronically. We are hopeful, that
Thoreau was right when he said: “I have
learned, that if one advances confidently
in the direction of his dreams, and
endeavors to live the life he has
imagined, he will meet with a success
unexpected in common hours.” ■
Page 11
Non-profit org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit #10
New England Village, Inc.
Pembroke, MA
664 School Street, Pembroke, MA 02359
phone: 781-293-5461 • fax: 781-294-8385
email: [email protected]
www.newenglandvillage.org
If you would like to receive Scoops, please contact the Marketing Department
at 781-293-5461 x107 or email [email protected].
A BUTTERFLY POEM
Written by Day Services participant Frank Kelley
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Butterflies are so beautiful too.
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Butterflies are so cool too.
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Butterflies are wonderful
to look at too.
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Butterflies are so pretty too.
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Butterflies are so awesome
to look at too.
You talked,
we listened.
Family, staff and residents have
been expressing an interest in seeing
some regularly scheduled Sunday
hours of operation at the SWC. In an
effort to meet these requests, we are
happy to announce that starting in
September, the SWC will begin
offering additional Sunday hours
with a goal of being consistently
staffed for 3-4 hours every Sunday by
January 2009. Look for more
information on upcoming calendars.