@TheGuild October e-news
We've had a packed October here at The Guild! Our students and residents enjoyed apple and pumpkin picking (and cider donuts!) at local farms early in the month. We also held our Guild-wide fall festival, complete with pumpkin carving, candy apples, and a hay maze. Other October highlights included celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness month, a student graduation ceremony, and our live book reading event. Read on for more news from The Guild:
The Guild welcomes fall with apple and pumpkin picking
This month, The Guild's students and adult residents took advantage of fall in New England with local apple and pumpkin picking trips! View photos of adult residents here, and view photos of students here.
Students and residents have a blast at fall festival
Students and residents danced the night away at our fall festival this past Thursday night! We turned our Concord campus into a spooky scene with a hay maze, pumpkin carving contest, Halloween candy, candy apples, DJ and goat petting zoo.
The Guild celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Disability Employment Awareness Month highlights the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities have full access to employment and community involvement. We featured two of our individuals in honor of #NDEAM. Read about Angel's work in the Coffee Shop and Revival Café here, and read about Ryan's work at Dick's Sporting Goods here.
Congratulations to Ethan R.!
Congratulations to Ethan R. on his graduation from The Guild School this month! He'll be missed by students and staff alike for his warm, giving nature. Best of luck on your next adventure, Ethan! View photos here.
The Guild presents live book reading event
On Wednesday, October 13th, authors J.M. Crawford, parent of a Guild adult resident (Choices) and Nicole Donovan (A Life Suspended) shared excerpts from their memoirs and answered questions from the community about their journeys navigating the world of autism. View the webinar recording here.
Ask the Expert: The Impact of Special Olympics Competitions

With The Guild recently launching its own Special Olympics chapter, we sat down with Geoff Garfinkle, Director of Community and Vocational Education, to discuss the impact of the organization and related research. Read the Q&A here.
Transition planning meeting 11/4

The Guild will be hosting a "Transition Planning Tips and FAQ for Families" meeting on Thursday, November 4th at 7:00 P.M. View The Guild's new IEP vision planning process and spend time networking with other families in small breakout groups led by Guild directors. RSVP here.
Adult awards ceremonies 11/4 and 11/6
The Guild will host adult award ceremonies virtually on Tuesday, November 4th and Thursday, November 6th from 6-8 PM. Parents/guardians will be sent the Zoom links for each session at least one week prior. Please reach out to Maureen Costello-Shea with any questions at [email protected].
Staff Anniversary
Congratulations to Jeff St. Surin, Residential Assistant with Dedham House, on his 5-year Guild anniversary! To celebrate this milestone, we sat down with Jeff and asked him a few questions:

What drew you to the field of human services?
I used to work with people with disabilities back in high school, so that's where my interest started.

What are the challenges of your work?
If you're new, there might be challenges but since I know each individual well there aren't many. Once you get to know them, you understand how to work with them.  

What's your favorite professional memory?
We do kayaking with the residents and I like that a lot - I like when they're happy. And they enjoy my cooking. They're always willing to eat my food! They like to cook with me, too.
The Guild for Human Services
521 Virginia Road
Concord, MA 01742
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