In observance of National Disability Employment Awareness month Richland Newhope Industries (RNI) held it’s annual Employer Recognition Breakfast to honor local employers and employees for their achievements; 133 area employers were recognized. The invitation-only breakfast was held Thursday morning at the Holiday Inn on Park Avenue in Mansfield.
This year’s theme was “Because we are Equal to the Task.” For the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2013, a total of 316 individuals earned paychecks with wages totaling nearly $430,000. Community Services provided employment services to more than 165 individuals who were interested in obtaining employment in the community.
These services include job placement, Project SEARCH, job tryouts and assessments, driver’s permit training, employability classes, and the Summer Training Employment Program (STEP). STEP is a five-week paid summer work program for youth who are transitioning into the world of employment. This past summer 24 students and nine employers participated in the program.
Presented at the breakfast were awards which recognized the Employer of-the-Year along with the facility-based and community-based Employees of-the-Year.
Spectrum Behavioral Solutions was the recipient of the 2013 Community Employer of the Year award. Spectrum Behavioral Solutions is an educational institution for individuals on the autism spectrum. Recognized for their support in hiring employees with different abilities. They currently employ two RNI individuals and support potential employees who show an interest in learning more about working within the community by opening their doors for job tours, as well as meeting with potential employees to share information about the different skills and requirements needed to be successful on the job.
Tasco Thompson and Sons Company were recognized as the 2013 industry-based Employer of the Year. The twenty-year partnership between RNI and Tasco has provided meaningful employment to 36 individuals in their West Longview Avenue woodshop.
Board of Directors (RNI) president Joanne Mudra said,”You, as employers and partners, are essential and we would like to thank you.”
As Mudra addressed the audience, she shared her belief in the importance and benefits for a community to support individuals with disabilities and to provide them the tools to successfully integrate into the community.
“Schools must teach those marketable skills to individuals so that they may be prepared and successful. The focus should always be on abilities,”said Mudra.
Abbey Sargent of Lexington was recognized as the community-based 2013 Employee of the Year. Sargent has been employed at Richland County Job and Family Services for six years. Sargent was recognized for her contributions in providing administrative support to caseworkers and becoming a key player in helping the caseworkers to efficiently complete their job responsibilities.
The two recipients of the RNI facility-based 2013 Employees of the Year were Arthur Allen of Mansfield and Sade Smith of Mansfield. Allen previously worked at the woodshop at 985 West Longview Avenue before joining the new “Employment Connection Program”, created to assist individuals in preparing for successful and long-term employment within their community. Smith is employed in the subcontracting area on East Fourth Street completing work for MTD and Skybox. In addition to her employment, Smith is a member of the RNI Dance Troupe.
Sharon Murray, Employment Specialist for RNI along with Robert Forbes, 2012 Community Employee of the Year recipient and State Senator Mark Romunchuk presented the awards.
Before the presentation of awards the RNI Dance Troupe performed a ten minute routine displaying multiple dance styles. Choreographer Aurelio Diaz led the 10 member group as they shared snip-its of what is normally a 20 minute routine ranging from HipHop to modern dance. The group also preforms at local schools.
The guest speaker at the event that drew more than 300 people was former head football coach at Notre Dame and the University of Akron Gerry Faust. A native of Akron, Faust served 18 years as head coach at Moeller High School in Cincinnati prior to his career at Notre Dame. In the last seven years at Moeller, Faust led his team through 72 victories.
In his retirement coach Faust has become a motivational speaker, at the conclusion of his speech, though humorous at times, he summed up his belief in community support of all individuals.
In conclusion he said,”The assistant coach was loyal to the head coach, we are all assistant coaches and we have to be loyal to the head coach, which is God. We have to be loyal to Richland Newhope and we have to be loyal to the community.”
