“To improve the living and working conditions and opportunities for persons with severe disabilities.”
EEO/AA/M/F/D/V

 
The Director’s Corner
By Phil Taylor, Executive Director
 

In this issue I want to bring people up to date on some of the things that have been happening in our organization.  We had our grand opening of our retail store at Blytheville on the 15th sponsored by the Blytheville Chamber of Commerce.  We feel we got some good coverage which helped us to get the retail store officially opened.   Thanks to the staff over there for making it a special event, but in particular, thanks to Lorene for all the hard work she and Penny have done to get it to this point.  Lorene developed a very nice flyer that was put out in various places in the community the week prior to the opening.  We really feel there is a lot of potential in that area for a retail store.

In addition, the Blytheville location is really growing.  They have more than 40 consumers in their program and their full-time staff has grown to eight with three part-time staff.  The programs include the Rehabilitation programs of Work Assessment and Work Adjustment Training, Work Activity, Adult Development and Waiver Conversion.  They hope to have the Waiver Conversion positions filled during November.  One very sad note is the loss of one of our employees of a number of years, Bruce Jamison, who has been very valuable to us in Blytheville.  We will miss him very much.
 
We have recently been the beneficiaries of a couple of really nice donations.  One was a house just outside of town that we hope to put into use early next year.  It needs some repairs, but it really will come in handy.  Also, we had a 1990 Freightliner seim-truck donated to us.  We were looking to have to get another one to help make some of our runs to some of the industries for whom we do a lot of work.  This truck is coming just at the right time for use.  We, also, got a 1975 Ford RV Conversion Van donated that doesn’t run very well, but it may make someone a good deer hunting camp.  If you know of anyone interested in buying something like it cheap, have them go to our Apple Hills location and take a look at it.

Our largest contract is what we do for Anchor in Paragould.  We sticker and glue absorbent pads into plastic meat packing trays by the truck load.  We have had a very heavy schedule with them for the last three months.  We have had to hire a lot of temps to help us get out all of the work.  That makes it a little stressful by having so many new people in the production area, but it really helps us to set up a realistic work setting with an integrated work force.  Early in the October we hosted a special meeting with the President of Anchor and some officials from Glad in California.  They were here to talk with us and inspect our facilities regarding the possibility of doing some special packaging of the Glad Jumbo-Packs that goes to Sam’s Clubs.  Anchor currently produces the product for them and it is packaged somewhere else.  This would be a significant amount of work in addition to what we already do for Anchor.  This would help us to provide more work to be shared with our Blytheville location.

We also, have a couple of building projects going on.  One is at our Apple Hills location where we are putting on a cover over the dock area.  This will greatly help when there is inclement weather.  The other is an addition to be built in the rear area of our Union location.  This will help us with our outside storage problems and security for that area.  We hope to have them both finished in a couple of months.  There is so much else going on that I wish I had the time to share more.  I really appreciate everyone’s very hard work in all areas.  And, as always I send a very special thanks for all that you do for our consumers.  Keep up the good work.
 
 
 
 

Happy                        November
         Birthdays
 
 

Shirley Jackson     3rd
Judy Pollard      4th
Tobi Gragg      5th
LaTonya Anderson     6th
Dawn Clark      6th
Debra Rogers      7th
Charles McKinley     8th
Rita Puryear      8th
Amber Luster      18th
Fredrick Ellis      18th
Wanda Garner     19th
Chasity Pate      20th
Laurie Stadler      23rd
Carolyn Roberts     25th
Christy Wyatt      27th
James Kelii      28th
Brenda Garner     30th  AUI Pancake Breakfast

The Jonesboro Mason Lodge #129 is raising money for AU this year by sponsoring an “All You Can Eat Pancake Breakfast” on our behalf!  The breakfast is on Saturday, November 16th between 6 am - 1 pm at the lodge at 1730 Stadium Blvd.  Tickets will be a donation of $4.00 each.  If you are interested in attending or selling tickets, please contact your supervisor.

HAVE A WONDERFUL, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
 
 
 

WELCOME TO ABILITIES UNLIMITED

LaTonya Anderson  ACS Implementor
Patsy Baltz   ACS Implementor
Dawn Clark   ACS Implementor
Andrew Cline   ACS Implementor
Ashley Gardner  ACS Implementor
Leo Glover   WAC/AD Aide
Robyn Jacobs   Van Driver
Candice Kane   ACS Implementor
Faith Matos   ACS Implementor
Delores Parker   ACS Implementor
James Pigram   TWC Implementor
Sylvia Rodgers   ACS Implementor
Brian Rookey   WAC/AD Superv.
Priscilla Simmons  ACS Implementor
Laurie Stadler   Work Instructor
Twyla Veasley   ACS Implementor
Kevin Wright   ACS Implementor
Kim Young   Program Services Asst.

OCTOBER SERVICE AWARDS

Congratulations to the many employees celebrating anniversaries with us in October!!  These employees each received a plaque and pin for their respective years and each had the opportunity to have lunch with the Board of Directors at our last meeting.  The employees are: Patty Brewer, 20 Years; Brenda Porter, 10 years; and Kathrine May and Bobby Cater, 5 years.  Also, celebrating their one year of service with us were - Keith Todd and Tonya Ferguson. They both received a certificate and pin.

THRIFT STORE SHOPPING POLICY

Just a reminder of the abundant savings to employees and their immediate families...and the policies that apply to making store purchases:
1. Non-sale items are 20% off to AU employees and family members that reside in their household.
2.  Sale items are the percentage off or the reduced price only, eg. 50% off, $1.00 items off an indicated $1.00 sale rack.  You may not use your 20% employee discount on top of these sale prices.  The exception would be, if for example, the stores are offering a 10% off sale, you could still use your 20% employee discount (the larger discount of the two), but you may not use your employee discount again on top of the current sale reduction.
3. Purchases for family members outside your immediate household or for friends that will reimburse you for purchases must be bought without the use of your employee 20% off discount unless you are purchasing the items for them as a gift.
4.  Proof of employment will be verified with a current AU pay stub in order to be qualified for the employee 20% discount.