September 2019 Newsletter

Leadership Message

Hello Everyone,

First and foremost, let me say thank you to all who sponsored, attended, and/or volunteered at ACHIEVE’s 10 ^th Annual Savor the Summer event on August 22 ^nd . A very special thanks to the 40 restaurants, breweries and wineries in attendance who delighted guests with their cuisine and beverages. I am so pleased to share that ACHIEVE raised more than $46,000 to support its underfunded programs. What a privilege it is to experience such a high level of regard and active participation from our community of supporters!

The fourth of ACHIEVE’s signature events will be held in Norwich, NY on September 28 ^th . Look for details regarding our 1 ^st Annual overACHIEVEr's Half-K Classic later in this newsletter.

You, our readers, are vital stakeholders for the agency, and I encourage you to complete the Stakeholder Survey below created by ACHIEVE’s Council on Quality and Leadership Accreditation Work Plan. Your valued feedback will assist our Council in making imperative decisions for our organization.

As always, I thank you for your ongoing commitment to the individuals we support at ACHIEVE.

Amy Howard

Chief Executive Officer

Stakeholder Survey

As part of our ongoing Council on Quality and Leadership Accreditation Work plan, ACHIEVE is seeking your feedback! Whether you are a parent/family member of a person who receives services, a business in the community who contracts with the agency, another human services organization or a member of our community, we are looking for your input on the quality with which ACHIEVE does business. Please tell us your thoughts and ideas. Your voice is important and we look forward to hearing from you!

Please click on the link below to complete the survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9Q85DRJ

Thank you to everyone that supported our 2019 Savor the Summer event, presented by M&T Bank! We had over 400 guests in attendance for this night of gourmet fare, live music by Friday at Freddy’s, auction, and fireworks! With the support of our community, sponsors, vendors, and guests, ACHIEVE was able to raise $46,000 for our programs that support persons with intellectual, developmental and other disabilities!

September 28th - Norwich East Park, Broad Street, Norwich

Registration at 9:00 a.m.

Race starts at 10:00 a.m.

This unique event includes a Half-K fun run ending at the Northeast Classic Car Museum in Norwich, New York. Bring the entire family to walk, run, or ride your way to the museum! Enjoy free admission to the Northeast Classic Car Museum, an opportunity to ride in a classic car or limo, lunch reception, finish line photo, commemorative t-shirt, prizes, and more!

Prizes awarded for Mens/Womens 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place
Prizes awarded for Kids (under 12) 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place
Costume Contest

Who We Are

Submitted By: Christina Ellerson

As consumers, we have a tendency to gather our items at the store and quickly check out, very unaware of the detailed process that item has gone through to reach our hand. Most of the processes done at CWS are the final packaging before the item goes to market.

Bausch & Lomb has a been a customer of CWS for well over 15 years. CWS has done multiple jobs for them, including magnifying glasses, magna-cards, lens wipes and repair kits. Currently we are packaging lens cases that come in either a single or triple pack.

All of the different components used to create the final package are purchased by CWS. This means that the customer provides all of the specifications that are required for the overall look and design of their product and then CWS is responsible to find vendors to create those parts. All final decisions need to be approved by the customer and once that is established, no changes can be made.

The machinery used for this job is the Alloyd 14 Blister Sealer. This is a carousel blister sealer that has 14 plates with at least 5 cavities in each. One person stands at the beginning of the carousel, and places the blister into the cavity. There are three other people positioned around the carousel that will place the lens cases into the blister. At the end of the carousel the plate moves into the machine, where an automatic card feeder will place a card on top of each blister. The card is colored and has an adhesive on one side. A heater plate will come down over the card, using heat and pressure to activate the adhesive and create a seal to the blister. Suction cups will then lift the sealed cards out of the machine and release them onto a ramp, which they use to slide out onto a table.

At this point, two people will inspect the blister carded unit and then pack them out into display trays. They are placed into a master carton, labeled and palletized. This line takes 5-7 people to run and many of our individuals have contributed on the line. A purchase order for lens cases comes in with quantities of 39,000 - 98,000 pieces and the account will bring approximately $182,000 worth of sales revenue this year alone.

We are glad we could share this with you and hope that you will be able to use this information to connect CWS with the product and the process with the individuals that we serve.

New Website

Submitted By: Preston Evans

Did you know that ACHIEVE has a manufacturing operation that provides employment opportunities to individuals with disabilities?

For over 50 years, CWS Contract Packaging Services in Norwich has been providing packaging, kitting and assembly solutions to a wide range of markets nationally, and we're excited to announce the launch of their sleek, new website and Facebook page!

Visit CWS Packaging's Website

Team Building Exercise

Submitted By: Eric Moore

CWS (Staff and Temporary Workers) took part in a team building exercise in August. It is CWS’s intent to hold these events quarterly, as its goal is to increase the team’s cohesiveness, productivity, and efficiency by coming up with activities that require members to work together. This process relies on a range of aspects to guarantee its success, including communication, goal setting, leadership, and accountability.

Never Give Up

Submitted By: Lisa Whitney

Have you ever thought of a career change? Ever wondered what might happen if you followed your dreams, but have not quite been brave enough to take the leap of faith? Meet Julia, one of the individuals we serve in our Supported Employment Department. After several years of employment in the clerical field she found herself without a job. At first her plan was to do what she’d always done – and she and her Employment Services Professional worked together on applications and she submitted more than 20 applications for various clerical positions around the community. After few interviews, Julia decided it’s never too late to change career paths! Meet the newest member of the Endicott McDonald’s Team! That’s right – Julia decided to follow her heart and pursue her interest in the culinary industry and she couldn’t be happier with her decision!

Chat-A-Whyle Success Story

Submitted By: Lisa Whitney

You might have seen this smiling face at our recent Savor the Summer event. Meet James – a faithful employee of Chat-A-Whyle restaurant located in Apalachin, NY. James receives Supported Employment Services through ACHIEVE and has successfully been employed at Chat-A-Whyle for many years as a dishwasher. James also has the responsibility of training new hires on how to run the dishwashing station at the restaurant. James is a valued member of the Chat-A-Whyle family and was happy to join them serving their tasting at our event this year.

Niagara Falls

Submitted By: Leann Griffin

For the first time in three years, the staff and residents at the Hamilton Drive IRA took a trip to Niagara Falls, NY for an unforgettable experience. We got up close to the falls during our ride on the Maid of the Mist, and after enjoyed seeing penguins, sea lions, and much more when visiting the aquarium. They went out to lunch/dinner and enjoyed their time away from home with each other as a group. After getting back home, all of the residents were so thankful and expressed how much fun they had. It was an amazing trip and there is already talk about going again next year. It really is the little things in life that can make all the difference!

Todd Reunion 2019

Submitted By: Rosella Todd Valentine

On Saturday, July 20th, the 40th Annual Todd Family Reunion was held at the Diamond Sportsmen’s Club Lodge in South Colton, NY.

Timmy Todd, a resident of the Broad Street House in Endicott, was there with so many family members: sisters and brothers and their families, as well as plenty of cousins. The reunion was a very full day of good food, good conversation, a fun and very noisy auction, and lots of family memories.

Timmy comes from a large family; he was, in fact, one of 11 children. There are 10 surviving siblings (and all but one of his sisters and brothers were present at this year’s reunion). Timmy is pictured (above) seated in the front row, 3rd person from the left. Also pictured is one of his sisters, Janette Todd Swindell, (seated front row, 6th from left), past President and Board Member of ACHIEVE.

Camping Lessons

Submitted By: Caitlin Ropp

Tioga Day Program ended the month of August with a camping theme! They learned all about camping, hiking, nature, and tents/campers! The team then set up their own camp in the side yard, and even took a tour of different RV's at Jim's RV in Tioga!

Fun in the Sun

Submitted By: Shawnta Smith

We've had quite a few beautiful days here at Cutler Pond in Broome, and we try to take advantage of every moment! On the Pond ~ At Cutler took a day and did some sidewalk chalk outside, and even played some water balloon tossing games!

Paint and Sip

Submitted By: Caitlin Ropp

Team Tioga had their very first Paint and Sip! They drank tea and lemonade, had fresh cookies and brownies, and listened to some relaxing music while painting these beautiful butterflies! The team decided this was going to be a seasonal activity since everyone had so much fun finding their inner artist.

Tie Dying Fun

Submitted By: Shawnta Smith

August's Spirit Day was Disco Inferno - and what better way to dress up in 70's gear than by wearing tie dye! Participants from ACHIEVE's On the Pond ~ At Cutler program had the chance to decorate their very own tie dye shirt, and sported them on Spirit Day!

Puppy Break

Submitted By: Theresa Melnyk and Shawnta Smith

ACHIEVE had a lot of visits from some furry creatures this past month, including introducing a brand new puppy to come participants, and Maggie helping out the Maintenance Crew with Savor the Summer tear-down!

Camping Trip

Submitted By: Shawna Chesebro

The individuals at Fowlston House in Norwich went on their first weekend camping trip as a house in August! They had an absolute blast fishing, swinging, hiking, relaxing by the lake, and much more. Even with the chilly breeze, they made the best of their trip to Oquaga Creek. Staff even taught them how to clean, cut, and cook the fish they caught on the fire! They look forward to more camping trips in the future, and hope to spend more than just one weekend camping next summer.

Dairy Farm

Submitted By: Caitlin Ropp

Summer Months at Tioga are dedicated to learning about animals. August, we focused on farms and farm animals! Team Tioga was lucky enough to receive a tour from Strong Haven Dairy Farm. The farmers truly love their cows, and they even gave us some homemade ice cream!

Corn Fest

Submitted By: Theresa Melnyk

Summer may be coming to an end, but that just means Fall is fast approaching! Participants are already getting in the Fall spirit by attending the Corn Festival in Windsor. It was even perfect, cool weather for the event.

Southern Tier Tuesday Recipient

Thank you to everyone who not only nominated ACHIEVE for August's Southern Tier Tuesdays grant, but for voting for us so that we could be the recipient of a $2,000 grant!

Southern Tier Tuesdays: ACHIEVE NY

ACHIEVE is the premiere provider of services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, providing them an enhanced quality of life through skills development, inclusion and fostering greater independence. They provide...

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Congratulations to the following employees for receiving a promotion in the month of July!

William Oglesby - Assistant Residence Manager
Veronica Hernandez - Program Manager
Theresa Melnyk - Program Manager

The Power of Alexa

Submitted By: Tori Studer

Technology has made a major impact in our world, and continues to change each and every day. Let's check in with John and Joe to see how Amazon's Alexa is making an impact at ACHIEVE!

ACHIEVE's Summer Program

ACHIEVE's Children's Summer Program had another successful year! The Summer Program is a 6-week program that offers art, music, physical activity, and education for children who have a 504 Plan or Individualized Education Plan in Broome, Chenango, and Tioga Counties.

Around the World

Submitted By: Scott Nagle

Around the World is a way for the students to learn about countries you don’t normally hear about, make food from those countries, and share it with the rest of the students. This year, we had countries like Egypt, Finland, Singapore, Bolivia, and Iceland, to name a few. Each class did a presentation with interesting facts about their country and one food that they made from that country for everyone to try. They were all delicious and educational!!

Painting Tutorial

Submitted By: Scott Nagle

The Painting Class lets the students show their creativity. They are given a canvas with a light stencil drawn on it and shown how to use the brushes to create what is in their heads. We had some awesome and unique Panda Bears painted this year!

Carnival

Submitted By: Scott Nagle

The Carnival is just a fun time to celebrate the ending of another summer at Program. They play typical carnival games where everyone gets a prize. Games like the ball throw, fishing, ring toss, pick a fish, and “Plinko” are big hits. Each of the students get to have cotton candy and popcorn as well.

ACHIEVE's Got Talent

Submitted By: Scott Nagle

The talent show is mainly for the students to show off their talents without worrying about competition. It’s just a fun time for students to enjoy and appreciate each other. They work on their presentations a little each week over the 6 week Program. It is always a big hit with them.