Spotlight Literally on Imagine! Consumer

The spotlight is literally on Imagine! consumer John Halcomb, a member of the Jesters Dinner Theatre and School for the Performing Arts in Longmont. John loves the theater and has been singing, dancing, and acting since he was in his early teens. His most recent performance was with Jesters in Scrooge, where he was cast as one of the sock sellers. Director Scott Moore stated, “John does a great job. He has no fear on stage.” The camaraderie of the Jesters cast members is evident in the supportive, friendly way they interact with John off-stage.

Congratulations go to John for his dedication to acting, for maintaining his job at Applebee’s Restaurant, and for being an active, contributing member of his community. Thanks are in order to the Jesters Dinner Theatre and School for the Performing Arts for supporting John as he pursues a career as an actor.

John Halcomb on the set of Scrooge

Imagine! Consumer Repairs and
Donates Bicycle

Imagine! consumer Jim Engler is a real handyman with tools, and his recent donation of a bicycle he fixed himself is evidence of his skills. One of Jim's neighbors had a bicycle that had been in storage for a few years and she offered it to Jim. He already has a bike, but, as he put it, “I knew there was someone at Imagine! who wanted a bike but couldn't afford it, so I fixed it up. All it needed was the handlebars tightened, a different saddle (seat), a bit of oil, and the tires filled with air. I have all the star wrenches and sockets in my tool kit so it wasn't any problem fixing the bike.”

Jim's kind gesture is certain to make another Imagine! consumer happy, and Imagine! is proud to be affiliated with him.

Overcoming Shyness Was First Step for Active Consumer

When Karen Kleinke began receiving services from Imagine! more than 40 years ago, conversations with her rarely went beyond a polite, shy smile and a softly spoken “hello.” Now, on the second Sunday of each month, Karen and her Imagine! case manager enthusiastically volunteer as greeters at the First Presbyterian Church in Boulder. Recently retired from the workforce, Karen maintains an active lifestyle. She belongs to a self-advocacy group, participates in a cooking class and attends a weekly Bible study with eleven other Imagine! consumers.

Karen Kleinke and her case manager Jane Laughlin greet visitors at First Presbyterian Church in Boulder

Imagine! Consumers Tutor Second Graders at Lafayette Elementary

This past school year, several Imagine! consumers took part in a service learning project where they studied the life of Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi. The project culminated with the consumers meeting Ms. Ebadi at a conference held in Denver this past May.

As part of the project, participating consumers worked with students in a second grade class at Lafayette Elementary once a week for 20-30 minutes, tutoring the students in their reading skills by listening to them read and assisting them as needed.

During these reading sessions, information on the life of Ms. Ebadi was provided, along with lessons on tolerance, acceptance and kindness. The sessions proved valuable to all. “The second graders weren’t the only ones who learned from our time together,” said Jessica Ratner, an Imagine! consumer who took part in the project. “I learned a lot, too.”

At the end of the school year, the students wrote thank you letters to all the consumers who participated. A letter written to Imagine! consumer Dawn Diffenbaugh by a student named Ava summed up why the project was such a success for all involved. “Dear Dawn,” the letter began. “Thank you for reading with me. You’re the best. I love being your friend.”

New Program Offers Hope
For Calmer Lives

Imagine!’s Family Services department, in cooperation with the Autism Society of Boulder County, is pioneering the first program in Colorado that provides funding to young people with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The program is self-directed, allowing families to target a specific need that the family member with ASD has based on his or her diagnosis and to purchase services that directly address that need. The program is designed to provide short-term, focused intervention services that can significantly reduce the costs of lifelong care for people with ASD.

According to Theresa Wrangham, her daughter Rachel now converses more fluently and in more appropriate ways with her peers because of services purchased through Imagine!’s ASD program. “Rachel is really practicing listening to others and taking turns in conversations. She self-advocated with classmates at school by telling them that they were talking too fast, then explained autism to them.”

Because of a new program created by Family Services, Rachel Wrangham has more tools to use when communicating with her peers

Class Taught By Imagine! Consumers Provides New Perspectives On Communicating

The first day an ad announcing the “Bridges to Boulder” sign language class (offered by Imagine!’s Innovations department) appeared in the newspaper, the class was filled to capacity. The class is taught partly by Imagine! consumers who communicate with sign language. A collaborative effort sponsored by Imagine!, the Boulder Public Library, and the Colorado Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, “Bridges to Boulder” links Imagine! consumers with individuals from the larger Boulder community. In an atmosphere of mutual awareness and learning, the program provides new perspectives on communication for everyone who is involved.

Meet Donna Fairchild,
Imagine!'s 2005 Consumer of the year

Donna Fairchild, Imagine!’s 2005 Consumer of the Year, is a wonderfully unique woman. She enjoys having a good time while challenging herself physically and mentally. Her motivation and determination are admirably demonstrated when she overachieves at her physical therapy routine, then laughs and glows with a sense of accomplishment.

For Donna work can be a challenge due to physical limitations. However, through her dedication and fortitude, she worked with Output Services Inc. for 18 years. In addition to serving as a member of the Imagine! Board of Directors, Donna volunteers at the Boulder History Museum and the local Humane Society.

Donna sings in her church choir and has successfully completed a difficult ropes course. She is humble and seems most comfortable discussing the achievements of her friends. When pressed to talk about herself, she admits to being proud to have lost 60 pounds through exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy diet, although she modestly says that what helped her to lose weight was, “Some of us are lucky to have a better metabolism than others.”

Donna counts numerous friends among “The many good people from Imagine! who have done a tremendous job for me as caregivers, finding me a wonderful place to live, and helping me to find a job and volunteer work.” Some of her interests include writing poems and short stories, painting, sit skiing and shooting basketballs.

Donna is kind, generous and encouraging to others. She will often sit with friends to offer encouragement, to listen or to just offer to hold their hand. Donna possesses a great sense of humor and a contagiously positive attitude. Her relationship with her boyfriend Gerald provides additional purpose and joy to her life.

Donna Fairchild, Imagine!'s 2005 Consumer of the year

Longmont School Assists as Imagine! Consumer Works to Nail Test

When Imagine! Supported Living Counselor Ana Rojas began contacting local cosmetology schools to help enroll Imagine! consumer Crystal Enriquez, Longs Peak Academy in Longmont responded with open arms. The academy's Director, Cece Mason, met with Ana and Crystal to determine what type of supports the academy could provide Crystal in her quest to become certified in Nail Technology. Crystal began attending the academy in the spring of 2005. Imagine! provided funding for the first semester of classes, although that required Crystal to make hard choices regarding the services she received. She gave up some of her recreational activities at Imagine! and learned how to take the bus to the academy. During that first semester, Crystal met every month with her tutor, Cece and Ana to discuss her progress towards earning her state certification.

To receive a state certification for Nail Technology, students must complete 600 hours of classes and pass a difficult test that is one-half written and one-half practical. Classes cover a variety of topics, including chemistry, anatomy, recognizing diseases and having a general understanding of the salon business, including customer relations. "Crystal relates well with the customers, there isn't an issue there. You need that to be successful in this business," says Cece.

In spite of impressive efforts by all involved, at the end of the semester Crystal didn’t pass the state test. At that point Cece contacted the owners of Longs Peak Academy, John and Myrian Nowosad, and they quickly decided that they would pay for Crystal’s next semester of school and keep her enrolled. As Cece stated, “Crystal’s success is our success. Doesn’t everybody need to feel valued and employable?”

When Crystal didn’t pass the state test at the end of her second semester, Cece again contacted the academy’s owners, who offered Crystal another free semester of school.

You can see the determination in Cece’s eyes as she says, “I want to see Crystal come in here and show me her license. When you’ve come this far you have to see it through.”

Longs Peak Academy is helping Imagine! consumer Crystal Enriquez become certified in Nail Technology

Consumer Learns Life Is About Being
Comfortable With Yourself

“I used to be a taker, now I like to give,” says Imagine! consumer Wes Ingle, as he describes one of many changes he has made in his life the past few years. Three years ago, Wes was homeless and admits that, “I drank too much, lied a lot, and complained regularly when I didn’t get my way immediately. It was all about me back then.” Wes smiles as he calmly says, “I was a pain in the neck for a long time.”

In 2003, Wes began receiving services from Imagine!, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. At his host home he was demanding and not accustomed to sharing household responsibilities and compromising with his housemates. It wasn’t long before Wes was back at the homeless shelter or looking for friends to put him up for the night. His self-confidence and sense of worth were all but gone. Wes says he seriously considered ending his life.

He still had a case manager at Imagine!, who found him a studio apartment. The Case Manager and his Supported Living Counselor, Sam Parks, provided him with as much support as time allowed. While Wes lived in his studio, Sam worked on Wes’s reluctance to keep his apartment clean. It reached the point where Sam would no longer meet him at his apartment because it was too dirty.

Wes says that, “One day something just clicked and I decided to make some changes. I was in such pain from drinking too much that I was convinced that my bed was causing the pain. I stopped drinking alcohol and haven’t had a drink in two years.” With guidance from Sam he began cleaning his residence and eventually moved from his studio to a one-bedroom apartment. Though making progress, Wes continued to live in crisis mode every day. He constantly demanded Sam’s time, and when Sam was unable to respond immediately, Wes became frustrated and angry. Wes nods in agreement and both laugh as Sam recalls, “Wes ‘fired’ me a number of times but I kept seeing him. We worked together on having a good day, then a good week, then a good month, and now Wes has had a great year.”

I learned to wait and have found that often something better will come up.” Wes has found the strength to look for the good in situations. “If you look back at a relationship you think was bad, you might find that the person taught you some things and helped you. You have to be happy with that.

Wes credits Sam with helping him learn that life is about being comfortable with yourself. Wes finds that the more comfortable he is with himself, the more confidence he has and the more successful he is. “I used to get angry when someone couldn’t give me a ride to where I wanted to go. Now I find another way to get there. I’m learning to be more disciplined with my money, and pay my bills on my own. I still ask for help if I need it, and found that when you ask nicely, people come running to you to help.”

Wes writes in a journal every day. He keeps track of what he did, how he felt, and what he learned. He finds comfort in attending church regularly. “I’ve learned how to earn people’s respect, and I like it.” Wes takes a deep breath, and his face lights up as he looks Sam in the eye and speaks with confidence, “And we’re not done yet.”

Imagine! Consumer Wes Ingle (right) and his Supported Living Counselor Sam Parks

Playtime Activities Encourage Development

An important part of Imagine!’s Dayspring department’s philosophy is to provide opportunities for children to become engaged in play in the community, in addition to individual therapies provided in a child’s home. Play has a vital role in development, and much of children’s learning occurs as they touch, manipulate, experiment and talk about things. Just ask John and Kris Rose.

When John and Kris’ son Adam was 5 ½ weeks old, he began receiving physical therapy from Dayspring. Later, the Dayspring team also added speech and language therapy and began encouraging Adam and his parents to take part in community events centered on play. When Adam first began attending the events, he would often become upset and would want to go home. With time and support from the Dayspring team, Adam began to feel comfortable and now enjoys participating in many activities.

Thanks to Dayspring, John and Kris feel that they are better educated about Adam’s development in all areas due to the services they have received. “Dayspring has been a huge support,” said John. “It is obvious that the therapists really care about kids.”

Adam Rose loves playing in his "kitchen."

Imagine! Consumers Contribute
To Community Through
Volunteering, Running Own Business

Imagine! consumers Jeff and Jon Mansfield were among the 350 people from Boulder’s Cornerstone Church who volunteered their skills to help clean, paint and landscape Boulder High School on the weekend of June 10-12. In all, more than 2,000 volunteers from seven local faith congregations participated in an “Extreme School Makeover” of seven public school buildings in Boulder County and Erie.

Jeff and Jon each found jobs that suited their skills. Jeff helped with the washing of windows and pulling the used masking tape off the protected surfaces after the paint had dried. Jon filled his wagon with water bottles and a basket of candy and gum to distribute to other volunteers.

Volunteering for Jeff and Jon is a very special activity since both young men work each weekday at their business in Boulder. Jeff and Jon are not only brothers, but have been business partners in a bulk mailing company called Three J’s Mailing since 1991. Jeff and Jon usually ride RTD buses to work with their dad, Robert R. Davies. Other times they catch a ride in the car with their mom, Janet Davies, whose Faith in Action project shares office space with their business.

Through their work, the brothers have learned a variety of skills such as using a folding machine, an electric stapler and a sealing machine, stuffing envelopes, stamping, applying postage, zip coding, collating and all the other steps that go into preparing mailings for bulk mail. Their job coaches assist them with the level of help that each one needs in their progress towards independent work. Jeff, Jon, and their parents work out of the same office

and mom and dad handle some of the other tasks that need to be done for bulk mailing such as accounting and transportation of the mail to the post office. In all, this is a family business, with everyone participating to get the jobs done.

Jeff Mansfield helps clean windows
at Boulder High School

Imagine!'s 2006 Consumer of the Year

At the sixth annual Imagine! Celebration Dinner and Auction, held January 26, Michael Quang was honored as the 2006 Imagine! Consumer of the Year. When you learn a little about this amazing young man, it is easy to see why.

Michael is a legend in the Colorado medical community. He has been receiving dialysis treatments longer than anyone in the state, and receives three treatments every week. In spite of constant medical appointments, tests, procedures and a plethora of medical setbacks, Michael remains amazingly cheerful.

During one stay in the hospital when it was not known if he would survive, a technician asked him, "How are you doing?” Michael pointed out the window and replied, "Isn't that the most beautiful sky you've ever seen?" The technician said it changed his life.

With the support of Employment Link, an Imagine! service provider, Michael worked as a teacher’s assistant at the CU Family Daycare Center from 1990 until 2006 when his health prevented him from continuing. Michael’s case manager stated that in addition to Michael’s positive attitude, the level of care he receives from his group home provider Carol Powell is crucial to his endurance.

Imagine!'s 2006 Consumer of the Year

View a movie about Michael here

Making Healthy Choices and Transitions

When Carl French began coming to Imagine!'s Out & About department's activities, it was not easy for him to have changes made to his routine. Last year, his only activity with the program was attending their afternoon bowling program. In that class, it became necessary to make the transition of changing locations from the Coal Creek Sports Center to two weeks per month at Centennial Lanes, Longmont, and two weeks per month at the Brunswick Zone, Westminster.

Staff worked with Carl to assist him as he adjusted to this huge change in his routine. Over the next four to six months, Carl was becoming more receptive to the change in locations and was also able to express his appreciation for the specific qualities of each new bowling alley. Both Centennial Lanes and the Brunswick Zone staff are very friendly, supportive, and accommodating to the Out & About bowling group. They provide free shoe rentals and discounted bowling to the participants. Carl likes the videos and music that are on the televisions above the lanes at the Brunswick Zone. The Brunswick Zone also has automated bumpers (that prevent the bowling ball from going in the gutters), so participants on the same lane who have different abilities can choose whether or not to use them. Centennial Lanes is a smaller bowling alley which has allowed the opportunity for their staff to get to know the participants on a very personal level, including knowing the participants by name.

In addition to Carl's improvement regarding his reactions to change and transitions, he has also become independent in making healthy food choices at Out & About events as well as in his personal life. In the past, Carl's first stop at the bowling alley (even before putting his belongings at his seat) was the snack bar to order a large soda, a hamburger and fries, or a large pizza. Staff worked with Carl to educate him that a healthy choice didn't mean giving all that up, but rather making small steps to decrease his sugar and fat intake. Carl chose to begin ordering a small soda instead of a large one. Then he decided he didn't need to drink soda at all and only ordered a snack while drinking water. He made the choice to order a hot dog instead of a hamburger and excluded the fries. Finally, he stopped ordering snacks altogether and now he only drinks water while bowling.

Carl French proudly displays his water bottle while with the Out & About bowling group at the Brunswick Zone in Westminster

Carl has also become more social in his interactions with other participants. He used to keep to himself, rarely speaking to staff, but now he addresses staff and participants by their names and offers high fives and handshakes when he compliments their bowling. He recently gave support and advice to a friend in the bowling class about the pros and cons of living independently, as his friend was moving into his own apartment for the first time.

When asked what he likes best about bowling with the Out & About group, Carl smiled and stated, "I love all these guys." Carl has also begun attending two or three other Out & About events each month, in addition to bowling.

Congratulations are in order for Carl's successful effort to lead a healthy, happy life, and for Out & About's role in helping Carl to be successful.

Jared Polis Foundation's Computer Donation
Put to Good Use

Part of Michael Langer's success serves as a testimony to the benefits of the more than 100 computers donated to Imagine! by the Jared Polis Foundation. Michael uses his computer on a daily basis. He uses it primarily for email and finding information on websites related to his hobbies, which include woodworking and collecting dye cast cars and farm equipment.

Michael enjoys looking for new websites for tool manufacturers and often prints off pages of useful information about tools. He has a variety of wooden display cases and racks that he, his mom, and his Imagine! counselor Michael Benz made. One wall display has approximately 80 pieces of his dye cast collection, and another holds 48 medals and various ribbons Michael won from participating in Special Olympics. Most of the medals are for lifting weights.

Michael is a fairly independent person. He lives by himself and most of the support he receives from Imagine! is through our Innovations department. He spends time with Michael Benz three to five days a week, mostly for working on independent living skills. One recent project of theirs was making a DVD of Michael cooking, which he can watch and listen to via a screen hung from his kitchen cabinets. They have also created a food menu (with refrigerator magnets) that allows Michael to make up a weekly menu of preferred, nutritious foods. The combination of these useful tools helps Michael to be learning to eat and cook more independently.

Michael takes a computer class, a reading class, and a photography class at C.O.R.E. Innovations Day Program. Using information he learned at the photography class, Michael offered valuable suggestions as to what background should be used for the photo of him that is shown with this article. Michael also maintains close contact with some former housemates and Imagine! counselors. One former counselor, Cassy LeRoy, is now with a different area of Imagine! but still maintains contact with Michael. They do this through emails and at a cooking class Cassy volunteers to teach and Michael attends at the Association for Community Living (ACL). Michael is on the ACL's email list, which helps him to be more independent by keeping up with and attending social activities they offer.

Michael also works at Lowe's Home Improvement store in Louisville. He has worked there for almost four years, and receives supported employment services from Employment Link. His job includes providing customer service, helping customers locate items, bringing in carts from the parking lot, and stocking shelves.

Michael's mother, Jane, recently sent a letter to Imagine! sharing, "The positive experiences this computer has added to my son's life. It's very remarkable that someone with limited reading skills can have proficiency on a computer. He spends time on the computer every day and I think with the addition of new skills, that usage will grow and grow. Thank you so much. Please share our appreciation with anyone involved with this computer gift."

Congratulations Michael Langer, and thanks to all the people who help him to continue to learn and be more successful.

Jeff Hodges Stays Busy at Work and Play

Jeff Hodges is an active, industrious man. Through Employment Link, one of Imagine!'s Service Provider Organizations, Jeff has a variety of jobs. Some of his favorite jobs include recycling at various businesses and taking recycled materials to Eco-Cycle at both the Longmont and Boulder sites, cleaning toys for Lafayette's World of Wonder Museum Christmas gift program, helping to maintain the baseball park in Longmont, cleaning buses for the University of Colorado, and helping to deliver meals for Meals On Wheels.

Now while this might sounds like Jeff's life is "all work and no play," he is regularly involved with many recreational activities. Jeff finds the energy and time to walk three times a day, and he's lost 20 pounds in the last year. He is proud to have modified his diet and is eating healthy foods, but says walking has been the main contributor to his weight loss. Jeff was also featured in a story this summer in Longmont's newspaper, the Daily Times-Call, for his success in a tae kwon do martial arts class. Other recreational activities Jeff enjoys are bowling, swimming, floor hockey, and soon he'll begin riding horses.

Congratulations to Jeremy Wilke
for 15 Years with Hunter Douglas

Jeremy Wilke loves his job. According to Ed Weeks, one of his supervisors, Jeremy needs to be prodded to use his vacation time because he enjoys coming to work so much. Charly Vang, another supervisor of Jeremy's, stated that Jeremy is a very hard worker who helps to make the work environment more fun for his coworkers. "It's good to have him here," stated Charly.

Jeremy recently celebrated his 15th anniversary with Hunter Douglas. He is a material handler for the Broomfield company that specializes in producing window shadings and coverings: including shades, blinds, and shutters.

When asked what he likes best about his job, Jeremy replied, "We have good benefits, and it's a great place to hire on people." Jeremy's mom, Cheryl, noted that Jeremy's family is very proud of him. She added that outside of work, Jeremy enjoys music and loves to dance. He's also a talented impersonator, imitating Elvis Presley particularly well.

Jeremy lives by himself with Imagine! providing assistance with his independent living skills. He receives loving guidance and direction from his mom too, just like most of us do. Jeremy does not have a job coach, however, with anything work related being taken care of by Jeremy and his supervisors at Hunter Douglas.

Congratulations are in order to Jeremy for his 15 years of gainful employment. Also, on behalf of all of us associated with Imagine!, thank you to Hunter Douglas for providing Jeremy with an opportunity to be a successful, contributing member of our community.

Marius Suffian Has Never Had a Bad Day at Work

Marius Suffian is serious when he says, "I haven't ever had a bad day at work." Marius has been working at Whole Foods in Boulder for seven years. Some of his tasks include bagging groceries, acting as a customer service representative and loading pallets. "I like to think that part of my job is also to help keep my coworkers happy," Marius continued. "I always do my best to have a positive attitude."

Marius is a busy man and he has experienced his share of success. When he graduated from Fairview High School in 1998, he was chosen to give a graduation speech. He has had jobs at the Gap in Crossroads Mall and at the Lazy Dog Restaurant. Marius likes bowling, skiing, playing basketball and soccer, and when it comes to movies, "I don't miss much," he says. Marius currently lives with his mom and he enjoys the time he spends with his provider and mentor, Carol Hill. His case manager is Steve Conley, who according to Marius, "Makes sure I'm staying out of trouble, and I am!"

Marius has one passion above all: gymnastics. He has been performing gymnastics for more than 20 years. He's proud to have represented Colorado at the 2006 Special Olympics National games, which were held in Ames, Iowa, and he beams when he displays the medals he won: three silver, two bronze, one gold and one ribbon. The gymnastic events Marius performed included: floor, vault, rings, parallel bars, high bars and the pommel horse. Marius trains throughout the year at the North Boulder Recreation Center.

The trip to Iowa for the 2006 Special Olympics National games was memorable in many ways for Marius. He got to fly on a private, chartered flight, and when the plane landed there were cheerleaders lining the sides of the runway welcoming the athletes. It was orchestrated beautifully, with planes from around the country landing one after the other to an encouraging crowd. The city had even sprayed the runway area for mosquitoes for the comfort of the cheerleaders and athletes.

Once on the ground, the athletes took a bus to Iowa State University where they stayed in the dorms for free, and all the food was provided to them the entire eight days they were there. The band Hootie and the Blowfish performed at the opening ceremony, and there were four dances during the week for the athletes.

Marius had a lot of support from his family at the games. His mother, step-father, brother, sister, and brother-in-law were on hand to cheer him on, and from the looks of all the medals Marius won, they had plenty to cheer about.

"Ames was an incredible journey," Marius said. "I made lots of friends with the other athletes and the spectators." When asked how long he thought he could continue performing in gymnastics, Marius didn't hesitate for a second before replying, "Forever, or whenever I get tired of carrying these medals around. That gold medal is going around my neck again!" Well Marius, all of us with Imagine! sure wish you continued success in all that you do. Thanks for sharing your story with us.

Teri Leiker Is a Proud Home Owner

Teri has worked at King Soopers on Table Mesa in Boulder for almost 20 years! She bags groceries and is responsible for bringing in shopping carts from the parking lot. Teri is prompt and dependable, and very well- liked by her coworkers and customers, according to her Imagine! Case Manager, Dana Plemon.

When Teri was asked what she thinks about owning her own home, she replied, "I'm just proud of myself. It feels great!" Well Teri, we're proud of you too and hope you enjoy your new home.

Congratulations to Teri and all those who helped make her dream a reality! Imagine! consumer Teri Leiker recently had a dream come true when she purchased her own home. Teri is a happy, proud owner of a condominium in Boulder. She was able to purchase her home with assistance from Section 8 Housing. Section 8 is a type of federal assistance provided by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) dedicated to sponsoring subsidized housing for low-income families and individuals.

Teri has lived on her own since 1995, and receives support for independent living skills through Imagine!'s Community Partnerships department. She also enjoys participating in Therapeutic Recreation activities with Imagine!'s Out & About department.

Imagine!'s 2007 Consumer of the Year

At the age of 45, Gerald Stopa is learning to read. The enthusiastic and ambitious effort which he cheerfully puts into this challenging task provides some insight as to why Gerald has been honored as Imagine!'s 2007 Consumer of the Year. Gerald has improved his ability to express his needs throughout the years, but now that he has the supports in place to assist with his communication, his confidence and independence are blossoming. Gerald uses a Dynavox speech-generating device that has allowed him to progress from communicating with short two or three word statements to full thoughts and ideas.

With the help of his Dynavox, Gerald said, "All my life I have had to rely on people around me to help me accomplish things I needed done. My choices were completely reliant on the timing and the ability and understanding of my staff. Over the past few months I've been able to control my own lights, TV, movies, music, and make calls over the Internet."

Gerald has experienced an explosion of growth since he began residing at Imagine!'s Tech PCA. Jen Chiappa, the Program Coordinator for Tech PCA, has seen a lot of positive changes in Gerald's life in the three years that she has known him. She recalls that he used to have a manual wheelchair that required staff assistance for going anywhere. Now Gerald has a motorized chair that he operates with a head switch. He is able to take walks around his neighborhood without staff assistance and can get around his house on his own. Jen said that she thinks that Gerald was chosen as Imagine!'s Consumer of the Year, "Because he brings a smile to everyone's face that he sees." Jen added, "Gerald is starting to write emails to friends and family without our help. He is speaking for himself and using his own words."

Jeremy Averitt, with C.O.R.E. Innovations, told us, "Gerald deserves to be the Consumer of the Year because of his enthusiasm to try new things. He has been presented with a lot of new options, has taken to them really well, and worked them into his own life. The services we provide with C.O.R.E. and Imagine! seem to achieve Imagine!'s goal within Gerald's life by increasing the quality of his life. He basically can make decisions by himself, and that's been accelerated by the technology and services provided. He knows what he wants and he can get it."

Imagine!'s 2007 Consumer of the Year

Gerald received his award at the Imagine! Celebration Dinner and Auction on January 25, with nearly 370 people in attendance. All of us with Imagine! congratulate Gerald for his desire to continue to learn, succeed, and become more independent, and we thank the dedicated staff who work with Gerald for providing the supports that help him to reach his full potential.

AFT Employees Recognized for Developing
Labor Source Partnership

In its nearly 20 years of being an employment service, Labor Source has had its share of successful partnerships with employers. This February, Labor Source began a partnership with Advanced Forming Technology (AFT), located north of Firestone, Colorado, that is especially newsworthy. AFT is a world leader in metal injection molding. Employees of AFT who initiated the partnership with Labor Source were nominated for the “Best of the Best” divisional suggestion of the quarter for developing a creative way to cost effectively outsource non-standard work. This suggestion supports AFT's future growth while at the same time allowing them to be a good community neighbor.

Mim Duffy, the Human Resources Manager for AFT, said that the work is challenging and value added. Mim stated, "The consumers add a lot of value to our company . The work they do helps add to our bottom line. The crew helps us to get sales out the door and to meet our corporate commitments."

The crew consists of three Labor Source consumers, Nick Baker, Roy Melick, and Leah Walter. They work three days a week and they enjoy their jobs. They are actively involved with other employees throughout the day. Mim is pleased that the crew members get the opportunity to interact with everyone on the floor while staying focused on their work. The crew brought food donations for the Weld County Corporate Food Challenge, and participated in a recent company potluck. The partnership has been so successful that AFT’s leadership team is supporting the hiring of another Labor Source crew.

Linda Rogers, an Employment Specialist with Labor Source, is thrilled with the partnership between Labor Source and AFT. She stated, “AFT has been super with support to ensure the successful employment of our consumers. They make us feel welcome and included in all aspects of the workplace. I wish we had more business partners like AFT. It is a real pleasure to see the enthusiastic work attitude of the consumers who work at AFT. They frequently comment on how much they love their jobs. One day an AFT engineer came to the crew and commented to Leah that she seems to have a passion for her work. Now Leah enjoys telling other people that she has a passion for work.”

Roy Melick is also proud of the work he does. According to Roy, “The job is really fun and it’s a good job. We're busy and there are a lot of friendly people there. I make more money at this job than I've made in my life, and I like to spend some of that money on arts and crafts supplies to make things to sell, and that becomes even more money!"

All of us associated with Imagine! want to commend the employees of AFT for coming up with this great suggestion, and we also want to congratulate the consumers and Labor Source staff for working hard to make this a win-win situation.