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I N S I D E T H I S
I S S U E :
Clean Up Crew 2
Wellness Fair 2
Recycling Single
Stream 2
Staff
Recognition 3
Summer Picnic
4
B U S I N E S S N A M E W W W . O T C B C . O R G
Update
Volume 10, Issue 37 July, 2014
OTC Celebrates Fifty Years Assisting Individuals with
Disabilities…..50th anniversary marked with an Open House
In early June, the OTC hosted an Open House to showcase the many programs that
have served individuals with disabilities so well these past 50 years. Managers were
on hand to explain the programs and visitors included parents and guardians, OTC
board members, teachers from local schools,
elected officials, business partners and mem‐
bers of the local business community.
The Open House began in the early
afternoon and ended that evening. Part of
the event included a tour of the benchwork
area where visitors were able to see many of
the different products being assembled for
local and regional businesses. They also had the opportunity to meet some of the
individuals who work in this program, like Patrick who began his career 33 years
ago and Christian, a relative new comer who came to the OTC just 5 months ago.
But most of all, the day was a cel‐
ebration of OTC’s long history of service
to adults with disabilities. Two women
who perhaps celebrated the most, were
original board members, Kathleen
Wright and Patricia Leuliette who were
part of the founding team that helped
grow the OTC from a single room in a
school basement to the widely respected
organization that it is today. The OTC will
continue its mission of providing training
and the satisfaction of gainful employment
in the future as it has to so many thousands
of adults with disabilities throughout these
past 50 years.
Visitors left the center with a much
better understanding of the vast scope and
diversity of OTC’s many programs.
L‐Patrick 33 Years
Christian‐ 5 Months
L‐R Kathleen Wright, Patricia Leuliette, Pam Wright
P A G E 2
Clean Up Crew……….mowing and weed whacking their way across Burlington County
The OTC recently secured a contract through Burlington County for grass maintenance along county
roads. The contract runs through October 2014, is valued at $200,000 and employs a
total of 16 students and recent graduates from the Rancocas Valley Regional School
District.
These students, all over the age of 18, will be employed with the OTC over the summer,
and for those not retuning to school, until October. The contract also employs two
mower operators and 3 supervisors. For information about the complete services of
the clean up crew please call: 609‐267‐677
OTC Hosts Day Long Wellness Fair……..purpose of fair was to promote existing
wellness program and determine which components are best received
In early April, the OTC invited all employees to participate in a Wellness Fair held for a full day during
business hours to show managements commitment to the health and well‐being of its staff. A full com‐
pliment of organizations providing health/welfare services to OTC participated, including: Horizon BC/
BS, Summit Health Systems, Center for Family Services, Countrywide Prepaid Legal Services, First Call,
Colonial Life, TD Wealth, TD Bank, ABCO Federal Credit Union and
Optimal Fitness.
Employees were introduced to health/wellness resources in the
area and polled as to which
health options were of interest to
them. Although the goal was to
further educate employees
regarding their many health/
welfare options, the fair was not
simply informational; stations
were set‐up to check blood pres‐
sure, cholesterol levels and provide immunization shots. All of which was designed to motivate
employees to make lifestyle changes that will improve their health.
Construction at Robert C. Shinn Recycling Center Begins as Center
Prepares for Single Stream Recycling
Converting the existing recycling center to accommodate single
stream recycling is underway and although the full renovation will
not be completed until the end of 2014, collecting recyclables
“single stream”, (cans, bottles, newspapers and cardboard) begins
September 1st.
Foundation for new recycling sorting equipment is being prepared
in an area formerly used by the OTC benchwork assembly program.
L‐R: Lisa Totin and Sabrina Wood
not only helped organize fair but
added fun to the day
P A G E 3 V O L U M E 1 0 I S S U E 3 7
Sonia Colomban
Employee of the Year
Throughout her history with the OTC Sonia
Colomban has always been an exemplary
employee, continually expanding her
responsibilities and improving her compe‐
tencies with each passing year. While doing
so, Sonia consistently maintains a profes‐
sional, courteous and optimistic approach to
work which is appreciated by all. She is thor‐
ough, efficient, willing to chip in anywhere
and possesses many other qualities, too
numerous to mention here. Most of all,
Sonia Colomban is a person who cares about
other people and how she can make their
lives easier.
Although it is our practice to give the
Employee of the Year Award to someone for
something specific they have done during a
particular period, it is, in this situation,
being awarded to Sonia Colomban for
always doing everything so extraordinarily
well.
Special Recognition for Staff Members
Twenty‐Eight OTC staff members were recently recognized for their
Years of Service totaling 235 years while five individuals were
presented Awards for Special Recognition for year ending 2013.
YOS Recipients
30 Years: I. Manning, 25 Years: J. Taylor, T. Gilbert
20 Years: C. Foulks, 10 Years: L. Cunningham, B. Melvin, L. Frank
V. Speed, W. Sims, R. Steele, J. McGurl, Jr., M. Galownia, T. Egley
5 Years: S. Johnson, S. Colomban, L. Brumbach, A. Nickles
V. Goodly, J. Pace, B. Milke, J. Morgan R. Helton, H. Somes
D. Drafton, M. J. Bowker, A. Kenneth, A. Kettles, J. Vera‐McCall
Special Recognition Award Recipients
Flora Maxwell: Recognized for completion of I.C.E. (ISSA Certifica‐
tion Expert) as well as implementation of OTC Janitorial Training Pro‐
gram, GHS (Global Harmonized System) and her ongoing commit‐
ment to continuous quality improvement.
Debbie Gray: On a short 3 day notice, organized personnel, equip‐
ment and product to effectively and efficiently finish over 85,000
square feet of floor and detail clean over 5,000 square feet of
restrooms in Camden Public School System.
Curtis Welsh: Extraordinary job in turning around fleet operations.
Overall fleet downtime reduced from 6‐8 unscheduled breakdowns
per day to 1‐3 scheduled preventative maintenance services per
day. Additionally, managed the smooth transition of fleet mainte‐
nance operations from Southampton to the facility at 130 Hancock
Lane in one week resulting in no downtime operations.
Mark Galownia: In addition to every day responsibilities, Mark was
assigned a number of different tasks involving time, technical re‐
search and implementation at which he excelled: finding‐installing
new antivirus software, new backup solution to support virtualization
backup at faster speed and continuing help with F9 reports for Macola
and the Accounting Department.
Tammy Foster: Tammy took on a committee that was floundering
and had received multiple CARF recommendations. During her ten‐
ure as Chairperson, she instituted regular fire and emergency drills,
coordinated ongoing safety inspections at both the main and offsite
facilities, recommended OSHA training for committee members along
with guideline and procedure changes. As a result of these actions,
the committee received only a single recommendation from CARF.
OTC Executive Director Joseph Bender and Sonia Colomban
..
Occupational Training Center 2 Manhattan Drive
Burlington Township, NJ 08016
Phone: 609-267-6677
Fax: 609-265-8418
E-mail: [email protected]
Non Profit Org
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 71
Bellmawr NJ
The Mission of the Occupational Training Center of Burlington County is to assist individuals with disabilities in reaching their maximum potential.
Founded in 1964, The Occupational Training Center of Burlington County has provided vocational training and work opportunities for adults with disabilities in a safe and supportive environment for the past fifty years. Today O.T.C. provides the most diverse vocational training and work programs in South Jersey to over 500 individuals with disabilities. The training programs include a number of federal contracts which not only expand the number of jobs for adults with disabilities, they also provide very competitive wages which enable those adults who are able, to live on their own.
As a measure of how the O.T.C. is perceived as a service provider by its peers, it has received the Outstanding Program of the Year Award from ACCSES NJ three times. The OTC is the only agency to have received this prestigious award on three separate occasions.
2 Manhattan Drive
Burlington Township, NJ 08016
Phone: 609-267-6677
Fax: 609-265-8418
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.otcbc.org
“Providing vocational training and work
to adults with disabilities”
Consensus is OTC Summer Picnic was a Hit…….AGAIN
Great venue…...delicious food + good company = a wonderful time
Medal Celebration at the OTC…….Betsy and Kristin take to the medal stand
It’s not all work for Betsy (L) and Kristin as they take some time off to revel in their victory and
show off their medals from a recent Special Olympics bowling
tournament. Both have been bowling for as long as they can re‐
member, in sponsored tournaments and just for fun. Betsy said,
win or lose, she enjoys the competition; but perhaps most all,
she likes being with friends and meeting new people.
Ben
chwork A
ssem
bly Area
Not all work as birthdays are celebrated with friends
With over 130 working in the benchwork area, it seems there is
always a birthday and recently it was Shelton’s. One of those
odd days when Shelton was the only one marking a passing
year. And because he is probably one of the hardest workers in
the shop and someone who never thinks of himself, it was
great that everyone gathered to help him celebrate.
But recently, things returned to normal as four workers
in the assembly area celebrated birthdays on the same day.
Kim center celebrates with
L‐R Brittany, Diane, Debbie
and Missy
Shonta center celebrates with
L‐R Jessica, Debbie Adrian
and Jasmine
R: Jerry celebrates with his
friend Patrick
L: Patrick celebrates with his
friend Donna
A simple celebration, a gathering of friends
A true friend is hard to find….they are
rare and one of a kind
V O L U M E 1 0 I S S U E 3 6
Benchwork Area Shows Off Skilled Workforce and Diverse Job Set……….the past few
months have been very busy for the benchwork area, and as usual, they were up to the task.
There were jobs we’ve done many times like sorting yarn for craft shops
And newer projects like assembling hazmat kits for the NYPD
and coding product with an ink jet machine
The shop built truck stops
which prevented cargo from
moving inside Tractor Trailers And assembled the wiring for
junction boxes
The
assembly
area
always
seemed
to
be
busy
Each summer consumers submit
a drawing to compete for best
T‐Shirt Design
A smiling Adrienne won this year’s contest
with an Oscar Theme celebrating the 50th
Anniversary of the OTC
Fond Farewell for Diamond
Saying good‐by is never easy, especially when you are
so well liked. Diamond, an intern from Rutgers
School of Health and
Welfare spent nine
months at the OTC
preparing for her
degree.
It’s a Lu….au of a Party………………..theme suggested by consumers
Each month, staff and consumers have a meeting to talk about whether past events lived up to expecta-tions and then discuss new ideas for future parties. Someone mentioned they thought that a fun thing to do would be a Luau. A number of people said they always wanted to go to an island in the trop-
ics; they thought it would be fun to imagine being near the ocean in a place like Hawaii. What a great thing being able to relax and have fun in an entirely different setting.
The idea quickly took form. A short time later the men were wearing straw hats and the women had flowers in their hair. The center was filled with Hawaiian music and the smell of “local” food filled the room.
Michael gives the idea a n enthusiastic “Thumbs Up”
Robert savors some of the “local” cuisine
While Patty tried to keep the sun out of her eyes
Luau brings a big smile to Nicole
Community Access Cen
ter
P A G E 2 V O L U M E 1 0 I S S U E 3 6
Just Arriving at Center Brings a Smile………..individual’s upbeat communication skills bring smile
to staff
Francis has been with the Burlington Twp.
Community Access Center since 2000, longer than
any other individual. And although he is nonver‐
bal, that doesn’t hinder him at all when expressing
his feelings. It is quite easy to see that one of his
biggest joys is arriving at the center each day to
spend some time with his friends. He couldn’t be
any clearer if he shouted it, his body language says
it all. There is a big smile on his face from the time
he arrives to the quiet moments while sitting at a
table enjoying a meal with friends. And his smile
is infectious, no matter how many times someone
passes Francis ,it seems to bring a small smile to
their face.
Francis also enjoys trips outside the center to the
community and to places like the Please Touch
Museum, animal shelter, Funplex or the mall. And
in warmer weather he enjoys trips to the park to
watch kite flying or just to ride through the many
trails.
The Community Access Center has been making dog biscuits for
the animal shelter for well over a year. Making the biscuits from
scratch is not only fun for the consumers, it works on their fine
motor skills. It is something everyone looks forward to. After
the treats are cooked they are moved to the crafts group which
makes and decorates the treat bags.
The biscuits are then delivered weekly to our 4‐legged friends at
the Burlington animal shelter along with any donations the
center collects.
Baking Dog Biscuits………….good fun for everyone, especially our 4‐legged friends at animal shelter
George cracks an egg while Teresa looks on to make sure
most of it gets in the bowl
Age…….it’s all in your mind……..just ask Donald
Early this year Donald celebrated his 79th birthday on the job, and although that alone is somewhat re‐
markable, what is perhaps more extraordinary is what he does and where he does it. For the past 10 years,
Donald has worked on an OTC contract at a nearby municipal
building maintaining the recycling cages which are outside. He is
literally, a one man crew whose work is nothing short of outstand‐
ing; nothing seems to slow him down, not the weather, the work
and certainly not his age, just ask the township maintenance
crew.
“It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.” ― Gabriel Garcí‐a Márquez
Over the years, Donald and the township workers have grown very fond of each other; they cele‐
brate his birthday each year with a small party at lunch and Donald says they are one of the reasons he
enjoys coming to work each day.
Is it something in the water????
Must be something about the work in Crew Labor, Donald just
celebrated his 79th birthday and in a few months Mary will cele‐
brate her 77th. Mary began work at the OTC when she was 64,
about the time most people
are thinking of retirement. Not that Mary hasn’t thought of leav‐
ing work, she knows that day will come for her as well, but only
when she is ready. Now, she is enjoying herself too much; Mary
lives in her own apartment with some supervision and when she is
not working, the apartment staff takes her on short trips around
the state, she especially loves to travel to the shore. But most of
all, she enjoys dining out at a good restaurant.
Even at her age, Mary still does a small amount of outside work doing litter abatement but most
of her time is spent doing janitorial work on inside contracts. She loves her work and smiles just thinking
about meeting her friends to begin the day. “I’ll have to retire someday, just not soon”.
The key to successful aging is to pay as little attention to it as possible. ———Judith Regan
Crew Lab
or
V O L U M E 1 0 I S S U E 3 6
Kudos to McDonald’s Staff………..Marlton restaurant welcomes crew labor with smiles and more
Late last spring, crew labor procured a contract at a condominium complex in Marlton to cut the lawn and keep the
grounds clean. This job was normally scheduled for the morning and after completing their work the crew would go
to a local McDonalds for lunch. Very quickly, the work crew and staff at McDonalds seemed to bond; the restaurant
staff greeted them with big smiles when they arrived; they would strike up conversations and give them coupons for
free drinks.
Spring can’t come quickly enough for this work crew; the change in weather will certainly be welcome but
most of all, it will be great to check out the menu at McDonalds while they are able to meet again with their old
friends.
Anthony: I enjoy coming into work every day, I think it’s really good for me. I have a lot of new friends and I enjoy the work I do and I really like meeting new people in the community.
Albert: I like everybody I work with. I like making money and I hope I can be here to work every day.
Crew Labor…….contracted by Bur‐
lington County, local townships and
businesses
If you drive around Burlington County
you’ve probably seen OTC’s Crew Labor
litter abatement teams in action keeping
our roadways and business centers
clean, helping to maintain lawns at cor‐
porate centers and even doing janitorial
work.
Crews typically consist of five
individuals and one supervisor; over this
past year sixty consumers participated in
this program while developing their
individual work skills.
“Say It With Clay”…..fingers and hands molding a sense of accomplishment
Joyce Hunter is the supervisor of the Marlton Adult Training Center and recently a colleague of
hers attended a Resource Fair for direct services. She received information about a Therapeutic
Clay Approach, and brought a
brochure back for Joyce. After
reading the brochure, Joyce
thought that it would be a won‐
derful activity for the individuals
at the center to be involved in
during program hours. She
called Hollis Citron, the compa‐
ny CEO who described the pro‐
gram in detail. She explained
the program is designed to be
therapeutic for individuals;
working with clay is a stress
reducer, it helps to foster com‐
munication and bring people to‐
gether as a team. Typically, the groups are small, 8 people per group and groups are designed
for an individual’s particular needs.
During the work sessions, there is time for bonding with others, while building helpful skills
such as, listening, patience and follow through. The hands‐on creation from beginning to end
helps to enhance self‐morale while developing a sense of pride and accomplishment as people
take ownership of their creation.
It’s easy to see the enthusiasm on
everyone’s faces as they push their
fingers into the clay, pressing, knead‐
ing and rolling it until a plain block
of clay is transformed into their own
creation.
LR: Erin, David, Dan’l, Sharon, Katherine, Mary, Michael, woman standing, Cynthia
woman in black shirt, Say it with Clay CEO, Hollis
“I have no special talents. I am only
passionately curious.”
― Albert Einstein
Marlton ATC
V O L U M E 1 0 I S S U E 3 6
As a parent what I like most about the Marlton Adult Training Center is their sincere caring for the consumers.
My son leaves in the morning with a sense of self‐worth. When he returns, he is eager to share with me the
many activities he has done during the day. I really like the fact that he is out and about in community activi‐
ties……….I truly believe that the program at Marlton is the perfect fit for my son. —‐Mrs. Eunice Van Wright
The room offers an interactive environment
by making use of a wide range of sensory
products such as soft play equipment as well
as sounds, lighting , aromas and other tactile
objects. The room is versatile and can fit an
individuals particular needs whether they
need a quiet and calming setting or a fun and
adventurous environment.
Wayne loves the room ‐ it is his favorite
place. And although most people visit the
sensory room when they need some quiet
time, Wayne says he goes there for an energy
boost; it’s exciting to be able to change the
lighting and boost the sound as he likes. He
says it helps to bring him out of his shell.
Sensory Rooms are places where individuals with special needs can explore and develop their sensory skills
Zumba, Zumba………...dance instructor has everyone dancing to the beat
After hearing how much consumers in other centers enjoyed the Zumba dance
program, Marlton contacted the instructor and invited her for a visit to the
Marlton center. Joyce, the supervisor, knew it would provide good exercise
and help to develop coordination but she didn’t realize just how much every‐
one would truly enjoy the hour long sessions. And it begins as soon as the
instructor comes in the door; everyone is so happy their faces light up.
Michelle is the instructor, and although she also teaches at a national
fitness club she says that these sessions
are special; she thinks she enjoys them
as much and perhaps more than the
consumers, “it’s wonderful to see the
progress week to week as individuals
begin to anticipate the next step and
are able to keep in time with the
music.”
AAA ctivity Area……..ctivity Area……..ctivity Area……..Southampton ATC converts unused space to large, Southampton ATC converts unused space to large, Southampton ATC converts unused space to large,
multimultimulti‐‐‐use recreational area use recreational area use recreational area
Almost as soon as the recycling division vacated a large open area in the rear of the Almost as soon as the recycling division vacated a large open area in the rear of the Almost as soon as the recycling division vacated a large open area in the rear of the
Southampton ATC, the center supervisor began making plans to utilize the space as a Southampton ATC, the center supervisor began making plans to utilize the space as a Southampton ATC, the center supervisor began making plans to utilize the space as a
game or Activity Area. Comfortable flooring was installed to accommodate Zumba game or Activity Area. Comfortable flooring was installed to accommodate Zumba game or Activity Area. Comfortable flooring was installed to accommodate Zumba
and Yoga classes and Yoga classes and Yoga classes ———‐‐‐ping pong tables, bumper pool, air hockey and shuffleboard tables ping pong tables, bumper pool, air hockey and shuffleboard tables ping pong tables, bumper pool, air hockey and shuffleboard tables
were purchased and assembled. There is even room for a basketball court and a small were purchased and assembled. There is even room for a basketball court and a small were purchased and assembled. There is even room for a basketball court and a small
movie theater. movie theater. movie theater.
Now the big question is Now the big question is Now the big question is ———‐‐‐ When is the Swimming Pool going in?????? When is the Swimming Pool going in?????? When is the Swimming Pool going in??????
Southam
pton ATC
V O L U M E 1 0 I S S U E 3 7
Zumba, Zumba……..licensed Zumba instructor teaches hour long class
During one of the monthly client meetings, people said they were interested in exercise and dancing. After
some debate, a decision was made to hire a licensed Zumba instructor to come to the Southampton Pro‐
gram to teach a class. No one knew what to expect for the first class, but everyone was certainly willing
to give it a shot.
Fifteen minutes into the class everyone was having the time of their life. IT WAS A HUGE
SUCCESS!!! The center now has Zumba classes every two weeks and they are so popular that people
must be rotated in order to give everyone a turn.
The classes are so upbeat and fun most people
don’t know they are exercising.
The class utilizes tambourines, maracas,
drums and almost anything you can use to make a
beat—the energetic atmosphere is amazing; every‐
one is moving to the beat, dancing around, smiling,
laughing and having such a good time. Because it
is so much fun, the hour long class just flies by and is over, leaving everyone waiting for the next class.
Shopping, Cooking, Baking and Planning a Meal………….what sounds like a normal day for most
of us is a learning experience for others
Food is a basic need for all people. The degree to which people have access to food influences the quantity and
quality of food choices they can make, and thus has an impact on their quality of life, health and illness.
That is why basic classes in shopping, menu planning and cooking are so important to many of the individ‐
uals in our programs. We encourage individuals in these programs to make a meal and bake every week in
addition to developing a shopping list, cleaning and running the dishwasher.