CLI Incorporated

P.O. Box 508

Norwalk, Ohio 44857

CLIsupports.com

419-706-5137

August 7th Update, 2023

Our "craft 2 coin" furniture rehab group was able to spend a little time helping out with projects in the basement of the "When Pigs Fly" shop in Norwalk last week (above). We love this shop and we love this nonprofit's mission

and enthusiastic staff!

You can learn more about WPF here:

The guys featured right were taking a break from the last Christmas in July "Market on Main" in Norwalk where CLI has a booth selling crafts. The proceeds of those sales are

donated to local causes.

Kristi Green is still checking on people at work around the community. Let her know if you'd like to be featured in

one of these short @work bits.

The most recent video from Sirna & Sons was under 60 seconds, so Youtube recorded it as a "short" and then our newsletter editing program (Constant Contact) wouldn't allow a video link

-- but click on the button below to see Kristi's interview with David

John's usual--

CLI's next Cornhole Tournament is Friday, August 25th. It's a good time. Let any CLI staff know if you want to participate & we'll get you on the list. It's a team of 2 players, but we can help you find a partner if you want to play but don't have a partner yet. We discount the entry fee a lot for anyone with a developmental disability-- no matter who your provider is! Please invite your friends.

Also, a reminder that Kenilee Lanes will start form bowling leagues soon. Kenilee Lanes offers partial sponsorships to any Firelands Local LLC or CLI employee that wants to participate in a league. It's a good time. If you'd like to participate this coming season, let us know. CLI is available to assist our clients with transportation and whatever other assistance they they need to participate.

Finally-- CLI has begun offering Friday evening and Saturday (day) activities & trips for you working stiffs who are busy with community day jobs during the week. We're pulling a calendar of suggestions, but these are supposed to be customized activities based on individual interests and ambitions. We want to help you do something that you find fun and also matches up with something you'd like to learn, explore, and/or improve. Don't be shy about calling us for this. We're excited about these new services!

That's all I have for now. Have a great week!

John

Shots from our final scheduled day at the Sandusky Sailing Club for adaptive sailing lessons. A big thank you to Sandusky Junior Sailors Inc. for making this possible for us!

Do you know anyone looking for a special event space for your next party-- one that's definitely not cookie-cutter

but still 100% wheelchair friendly?

CLI rents out our property at 16 West Main Street

anytime we're not using it.

Just let Holly know if you'd like to take a look!

When CLI makes money renting out our spaces like 16 West or Kenilee Lanes-- that cold, hard cash goes right back into CLI programs. Win-Win!

CLI volunteers are still working with other SFA volunteers at the Willard Senior Enrichment Center to make & send custom cards to area shut-ins.

For those of you who feel that you don't have quite enough Bears swag-- Jaimie Perry has the latest collection ready to order!

Firelands Local LLC

James Johnson james@firelandslocal.com 419-921-6400

Sandusky Concert schedule

Party at the Pier (all shows happen at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays)

• Aug. 17: Rumours, a Fleetwood Mac tribute

• Aug. 24: The Ten Band, a Pearl Jam tribute

• Aug. 31: Carlos Jones & The PLUS BAND

Are you into gaming? CLI hosts a gaming hour every afternoon at the FL Workshop at 2pm!

Announcing CLI's newest service exclusively offered to people who are community employed--

 because there's more to life than the daily grind!

We believe that lifetime learning and playing shouldn't stop after high school or after you get your

first "real" job! CLI wants to help you continue to grow and/or to enjoy the fruits of your labor!

CLI's Good Works Cafe offers a free community lunch every Friday afternoon at the Norwalk Reservoir Clubhouse.

Thanks to the generous donations (money & food), CLI is able to take care of our neighbors and also get some real life restaurant and customer service job training.

 ** Important new change! **

Due to the increased need in our community,

we will no longer take pre-orders for the free lunches.

We are open from 11:30 until meals run out. The limit per person will be 6 so we can better serve those in need. Sorry for any inconvenience.

If you'd like to learn more or would like to donate to this cause--

please contact Jen Swicker by phone at 419-706-6221 or by email at Jen@CLIsupports.com

Question of the week

Q: I saw that CLI is advertising your event space at 16 West Main Street in this newsletter now. Why does CLI have spaces like 16 West & Kenilee Lanes? It seems like CLI shouldn't have spent the money to purchase those buildings.

A: Great question! The short answer is that there are 2 reasons why CLI bought those spaces and why we promote them as businesses. The first reason is that we believe that Ohio's new laws about community integration mean that we need lots of community spaces where we can duck in to use a wheelchair accessible bathroom and/or find privacy to get help eating a pureed lunch. It's really hard to get away from the segregated setting if you have to keep coming back every 2 hours to use the bathroom, etc. The second reason we bought them is that part of CLI's mission is to expand opportunities for everyone to do more community activities with other people. We've used all of our spaces to host lots of community events which has enabled CLI to build new relationships and help our clients have new opportunities.

As for why we rent the spaces out and/or operate them as a business-- that's easy. CLI needs more money and these spaces generate more money than they cost. We estimate that loans, taxes, and labor for 16 West Main Street cost CLI approximately $18K per year, but we generated approximately $23,000 in event rentals last year. That's $5k more than we spent and $5k more than we had otherwise. Kenilee Lanes operates as working bowling alley. Those operations cover the taxes, mortgage, utilities, and contribute another $25,000 back to CLI.

CLI's finances have been very tight for the last 4 years. Operating these extra side hustles is A LOT OF WORK-- but without this extra money, CLI would not havebeen able to stay in business.

We do get lots of questions about how we can afford to buy properties and/or vehicles. The short answer is that CLI's business operations require that we use commercial debt to a significant degree. We've never been fortunate to have any significant stockpile of cash. We've always had to operate according to reliable cash flow business fundamentals. That means if we want to spend more money on clients and staff and our community-- or even just stay ahead of rising costs-- then CLI has to keep finding new ways to make more money.

100% of the money spent in a CLI-owned business goes back to CLI. And if CLI ever sells an asset, 100% of the money left after we pay back the bank goes back to CLI too.

Video(s) of the Week:

CLI's three-part mission

• increase the earnings, status & quality of life of people with developmental disabilities
• increase the earnings, status & quality of life of people who support people with developmental disabilities
• actively work to improve the communities in which we all live