Road to Responsibility, Inc.

"Citizens with disabilities belong!

....supporting them is our privilege"
 

Partners Fall 2001

The weather gods must be jazz fans. That’s the best explanation for the picture perfect July day on which Road to Responsibility’s immensely popular Jazz By the Beach annual concert set a new fundraising record of more than $100,000!

With clear blue skies above and a soothing gentle breeze wafting in off Atlantic the stage was set for a very special afternoon of conviviality. Over three hundred guests attended the gala event honoring RTR’s Man of the Year for 2001, John Flatley. The Braintree based real estate investor has maintained a close business relationship with the agency since its earliest days of operation (Flatley was RTR’s very first landlord.) and over the years has been extremely generous to RTR with both his time and resources. RTR president Rick Walker is quick to point out that Flatley’s friendship and support has been instrumental in Road to Responsibility’s steady growth and success.

Months earlier when plans for the benefit concert were being formulated, Walker had set a fundraising goal of $100,000. "I really felt $100,000 was an achievable target," said Walker. "Even though we set out early on to raise that amount it was still very, very exciting to actually hit the mark."

In fact, this year’s Jazz By the Beach exceeded even Walker’s expectations thanks to the generosity of two long time supporters, James and Rhodie Stone (a former Board member), whose son participates in RTR’s work program in Plymouth. "I received a call from Mrs. Stone two days before the event," said Walker. "She told me how much she and her husband appreciate Road to Responsibility’s programs and services and wanted to show their gratitude by making a donation." That donation turned out to be over $20,000 – more than enough to put Jazz By the Beach over the top. "We were very close to our goal prior to Mrs. Stone’s phone call, said Walker, "but that certainly sealed it for us. Naturally, we are extremely grateful to the Stone family for their kindness."

This year’s other honorees included Volunteer of the Year, Kevin Glynn of Choice Printing in Brockton, and RTR Employee of the Year, Michael Horton of East Bridgewater. The Corey Kent Special Achievement Award went to Hingham resident, Tammy Ford.

Once again the superbly talented jazz singer, Donna Byrne, and her equally gifted husband, Marshall Wood (on bass,) graciously provided the guests with a truly memorable afternoon of music and relaxation. In between sets, the ever popular radio personality and Jazz By the Beach regular, Ron DellaChiesa, entertained the crowd with his good humor and interesting antidotes. A delicious buffet dinner, a clothing boutique, plus the immensely popular silent auction offering dozens of items to bid on rounded out the festivities in grand style.

Walker continues to be amazed at the outpouring of support Jazz By the Beach receives each year both from the business community and individual contributors. "Clearly this event’s consistent success demonstrates just how much people care about the folks we assist and the work we do," said Walker, who noted also that plans for Jazz By the Beach 2002 are already underway.

More than one hundred fifty hearty walkers, runners, rollerbladers, bicyclists, wheelchair participants and volunteers returned to Duxbury Beach this past May 7, raising over $7,500 at Road to Responsibility’s second annual On the Road for RTR fundraising walk.

Those taking part had their choice of either paying a nominal registration fee or collecting pledges from family members, friends, classmates, co-workers etc. While everyone received a free On the Road for RTR T-shirt, several other prizes were awarded to those raising higher amounts of money.

Dan Kostreva, RTR’s vice president of finance, teamed up with fellow development committee members, Joe Travers and Sandy Bartlett to organize the event. "We were very encouraged with the results," said Kostreva. "Not only did we double last year’s numbers in terms of participants but also in the total amount of money raised."

Three different courses of varying lengths (three miles, five miles, and ten miles) were marked out. The most popular one by far, however, was the five-mile route that began at the Duxbury Beach Park, wound through Marshfield’s Green Harbor section and looped back to its original starting point.

Rick Walker, president of Road to Responsibility, manned the registration table and marveled at the commitment and spirit of the participants. "It’s such a wonderful feeling to have so many people turn out and work together toward a common goal," said Walker.

RTR officials were perhaps most gratified by the level of community support RTR received. Youth groups from a number of local schools and churches including the Kids Care Club from Duxbury’s Bay Farm Academy, Marshfield High School student council, St Ann’s Church, and the First Congregational Church in Marshfield were there to lend a hand. Walker was particularly impressed that so many caring people took time out of their Saturday to help out.

With staff members joining us from Canada, England and beyond, Road to Responsibility’s international recruiting program has given the organization quite an international flavor. The largest contingent of human services professionals joining us from oversees, however, hails from the Czech Republic. This innovative employment initiative has proven to be enormously successful and continues to produce extremely positive results for both RTR, and more importantly, the individuals we assist.

Valerie Daniels, Road to Responsibility’s energetic assistant vice president of human resources oversees the program and has been impressed with both the quality of care and level of professionalism provided by our friends from abroad. "They are extremely conscientious, very professional and passionate about their work," says Daniels.

Transitioning into the American lifestyle is virtually seamless for the folks from Canada. But, the Czech’s, too, have had surprisingly little difficulty adapting to western ways. According to Daniels, the Czechs are quite fluent in English even before arriving here in the States and have proven to be fast learners when it comes to picking up on the subtle nuances and slang expressions that can make English so difficult to understand. "Both groups - the Czechs as well as the Canadians - are extremely eager workers and so excited to be here in the United States."

The first week of their stay is devoted to both professional and cultural orientation. This includes familiarizing themselves not just with Road to Responsibility but also the "…ABC’s of daily life in the U.S.A. – banking, shopping, drivers licenses and rules of the road, etc." A train trip into Boston and a walking tour of the city is also part of their indoctrination. What’s the biggest difference between life in America and their native land? "The pace of life," says Daniels. "Especially for the Europeans. The Canadians are more used to the fast pace, but the difference is far more pronounced for the Czechs. But here too, they adapt extremely quickly."

While the Canadian’s have little problems extending their stays indefinitely, the government of the Czech Republic issues "J-1 Visa’s" which allow their citizens to work abroad but for a period of eighteen months at which time he or she must return home.

Nearly all the international recruits are assigned to direct care positions as either case managers or program managers. Most are college graduates and some even hold Masters Degrees. This explains the high level of professionalism that has so impressed fellow RTR staffers. "The international initiative has eased the staffing crunch enormously," said Daniels. "The strong economy has impacted RTR as much as businesses in other industries in that the pool of qualified job applicants is a very, very shallow one. Going abroad to hire such highly skilled employees is proving to be an ideal solution both for RTR and the individuals enrolled in our programs."

A civic minded, multi-generational group of volunteers from Andover, MA armed with paint and brushes visited Jan’s Ocean Village Ice Cream Shoppe this past July and spent an entire day turning the store’s outdoor picnic tables into whimsical works of art.

One table carries the images of three giant melting ice cream cones while another became a "games table" with a checker board painted on it – perfect for whiling away a balmy summer day. A third table is adorned with the fanciful images of black and white cows sporting a variety of footwear. And still another is a colorful abstract masterpiece demonstrating the artist’s carefree imagination. The tables are bright and fun and very inviting for people to sit in the shade while enjoying their refreshing ice cream treats. The painting party was organized by Chris Christoforo, Dara Casey and Lynn McLaughlin, each of whom is both a mother and a talented artist. The three were looking for a project that would not only allow them to give back to the community but also give their children a wonderful experience of helping out and making a difference. "These tables area a perfect example of how someone can use his or her talents to help out and make s beautiful difference in people’s lives’" said Christoforo.

The staff at Jan’s wants to extend a very special thank-you to Becky, Jack and Margaret Christoforo; Brianna, Brennan, Cabrea, and Kagen Casey; the McLaughlin children – Annie and Lee; Emme, Annie, and Lia Arnzen; Alex McCarger; and Michael Wood, a Jan’s employee, who also lent his talents to the day-long project. Their community spirit and desire to brighten up our little corner of the universe is certainly being noticed and greatly appreciated. Thanks to all of you!

Most golfers think nothing of going out on a Saturday or Sunday morning to get in eighteen holes of golf. A few might even take the entire day and play thirty six. But fifty-four holes - in five and one-half hours? That’s crazy, right? Well, maybe not when you’re trying to raise money for a worthy cause.

"It’s fun, easy-to-manage event, and the fundraising potential is huge." So says Road to Responsibility’s vice president of finance (and chief marathon organizer,) Dan Kostreva, about the RTR/Timilty Golf Marathon, held this past May 7 at Halifax Country Club.

Named in honor of Joe Timilty, RTR’s Man of the Year for 2000, the first annual RTR/Timilty Marathon proved to be both a financial success and a thoroughly enjoyable affair for everyone involved. Several players described it as a "first class event" and have already committed to returning next year.

Thirteen golfers anxiously anticipating their 7:30 a.m. tee time were feted to an early morning buffet breakfast (a delicious turkey dinner and awards ceremony followed the golf) as Kostreva reviewed the marathon’s groundrules and handed out special mementos of the day. Just a few hours later Road to Responsibility’s coffers were bursting with almost $7,500!

"A golf marathon is different from the four or five-man team "scramble" format most charity golf events follow," said Kostreva. The idea is to have a very small but committed field of golfers who enlist both corporate sponsors and personal pledges from their families, friends and acquaintances for the player’s efforts on the golf course. Though most opt to make a "set amount" some sponsors choose to base their contribution on a "per holes played" basis. Either method of payment is perfectly acceptable and certainly appreciated.

"Every player had his or her own cart. And once their ball got to within two or three feet of the cup the players were instructed to "pick up" and move on to the next hole," said Kostreva. "Practice swings" were discouraged, not only for the sake of expediency but also to conserve energy.

Joe Travers, an assistant vice president at RTR has been playing golf since the age of ten but had never played in a marathon event prior to teeing it up at the Timility. "It’s very different from the usual "scramble" and really a lot of fun," said Travers. "Your score doesn’t matter at all and because everyone was riding in a cart playing that many holes was not as intimidating as you might think."

"We were thrilled with the results, especially since it was our first time running this event’" said Kostreva. "The feedback has been extremely positive and we’re hoping every golfer who played this year will come back next spring with one or two additional participants. If that happens the field will fill up very quickly. That would be awesome."

We all know how much as teenagers love to eat. But a crew from RTR’s Stoughton workshop proved they too have quite an appetite – for hard work! Pat Raffa, Christine Meeker and Chris Thompson along with the substitute crew members Ed King and Tom Stapleton spent the past school year working in the cafeteria at Stoughton High where they performed various duties including dish washing, cleaning tables and light food preparation.

Mrs. Mullen, the cafeteria supervisor at the school looked forward to greeting the crew each morning and was grateful to have these dedicated workers on her staff. During their last day of work the other cafeteria employees held a party for the RTR team to express their appreciation for their efforts during the year. In fact, everyone was so impressed with the workers’ industriousness that Mrs. Mullen invited them back for the new school year!

In addition to Mrs. Mullen the RTR crew would like to thank Amanda Butler and Amanda DesRoches for their superb job coaching and help in making the site so successful.

Tom Stapleton from our Stoughton workshop recently celebrated his one-year anniversary (September 13) at Taco Bell. Working two days a week at their restaurant on Route 138 in Stoughton, Tom has yet to miss a single shift in all the time he’s been employed there. How’s that for enthusiasm?

His duties vary from day to day but include food preparation, light cleaning as well as operating the fryalator. Tom’s supervisor has been so impressed with his reliability that he is now being given even more responsibility, demonstrating that hard work really does pay off!

Over the past twelve months Tom has twice been named Champion of the Week by Taco Bell in recognition of his hard work and dedication. In addition to having his photograph on display award winners have the opportunity to select a gift from a large box of special prizes.

All of us wish Tom lots of luck and another great year at Taco Bell!

There have been many inquiries about the results of our logo design contest. As we suspected the Logo Development Committee received many interesting and creative ideas and recently made their final selection. While it’s still too early to tell, our hope is the concept chosen is one that can be easily adapted to a variety of applications including RTR stationery, signage, website usage, etc. We are now working with a graphic designer to make that determination and will keep you posted. Meantime, thanks very much to everyone who submitted their idea(s).

The opening of the Ocean Village Nor’easter Function Hall has enabled Road to Responsibility to resume our very informative Family Educational Seminars similar to those conducted by RTR in the late 1980’s. Rick Walker, Road to Responsibility’s president and founder, hopes to hold three or four such discussions per year each of which covering a variety of important topic such as legal issues, long-term care, medical/Medicaid questions, government programs, etc. "I would strongly encourage anyone who has a family member with special needs to attend these sessions," says Walker. "It’s a wonderful opportunity to get some guidance and advice from experts in their respective fields and ask the questions that really need to be asked." The sessions are free and open to all parents, guardians, friends and relatives of individuals served by RTR.

If you have any thoughts about what you read in our newsletter or other things going on at RTR we would like to hear from you. Your letter should be brief (if possible, 200 words or less), and signed. Since any correspondence we receive may be published in future editions of Partners we reserve the right to edit your comments for clarity, taste and length. Here’s how to reach us:

FAX: WRITE: E-mail:

(781) 834-7513 Road to Responsibility jptravers@earthlink.net

Attn: Partners

1831 Ocean Street

Marshfield, MA 02050

This past July 1^st Hakan, Cindy and Kathy began work at the Army Reserve Center in Bristol, Rhode Island providing janitorial services for the Federal government through a new custodial cleaning contract. Aside from the great wages these individuals earn, this contract provides exciting opportunities for folks to learn important new skills such as floor care while working in a business setting demanding high quality and competitive level cleaning services.

Through NISH (formally known as the National Industries for the Severely Handicapped),

Road to Responsibility qualified to bid on this new employment opportunity through a "set aside" program called the Javits-Wagner-O’Day (JWOD) Act, an amendment to the original Wagner-O’Day act signed into law in 1938 by President Roosevelt. The original legislation required federal agencies to set aside certain contracts in order to provide occupational training and employment opportunities for individuals who were blind. The JWOD amendment expanded this progressive program to include individuals with severe developmental disabilities thus opening the door for providers such as RTR to participate in this outstanding initiative.

An exciting new partnership was forged between RTR and Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries of Boston to provide the necessary labor the government was seeking. Goodwill provides floor care services while RTR performs the daily cleaning task. "This is a beginning of a great partnership allowing both companies to leverage the skills they do best to provide the Federal government with first class cleaning services" said Paul Brown, Goodwill Industries’ director of federal and commercial contracts. "Additionally, by partnering with RTR we will be able to expand the geographic areas that we can target for new contracts."

Strategic alliances such as this new partnership with Morgan Memorial will be yet another business model that Road to Responsibility will utilize to ensure that the individuals to whom we provide employment services have a range of job opportunities including competitive placement, employment in one of our six social enterprises, supported employment in private industry, and now, employment through a contract with the federal government.

"Tis the season" at our Pembroke vocational center where we are busy inserting several thousand Christmas Memory Books into red velvet bags for the Mystic Seaport in Connecticut. Look for these festive books in your Land’s End catalog as well as the Mystic Seaport shops and catalog this holiday season. To add to the fun we will also be assembling 1,000 boxes of Holiday greeting cards for the Seaport.

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Our Pembroke program is gearing up to do another bulk mailing for Miller Golf. We will be handling several thousand golf bag tags that will be mailed to golf courses nationwide.

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Folks at our Braintree program have just finished assembling a very interesting trade show give-away item for Weston Communications of Rockland. This kit consisted of a book of quotations from Mark Twain and a set of six bookmarks, each imprinted with a different quote. We have worked with a variety of other promotional products ranging from posters to multi-tools and umbrellas!

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Binders, binders and more binders! Our folks are great as collating, so if you or anyone you know needs a manual or binder to be put in order you can call on us. Our programs have assembled over 1,000 binders this summer (some of which had more than one hundred pages.)

And, there are even more to come for two new customers in the fall.

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The Braintree and Stoughton programs recently began working together on a new project for Whitman Tool and Die Company. One of their product lines requires a zip lock bag of small components that we package for their weekly shipments.

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Egan Acrylics, a manufacturer of customized acrylic frames and other giftware products is another new customer for us. A crew from our Braintree center goes on site at Eagan to assist with the prep work before the products go through the customization process.

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We have tapped into several new industries that have led to wonderful opportunities for the individuals we serve. Currently, we have a Pembroke crew at Smartpak Equine, in internet company in the equine products industry. Our folks separate and categorize plastic containers that dispense dietary supplements for horses.

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Alliant Medical Technologies of Norwood, a cancer therapeutics company has been added to our growing list of customers serving the biotechnology field. We have collated press kits and other company literature and mailings to help them spread the word about their innovative products and services.

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VeriTest is a Fall River based company providing quality assurance and testing services to many top companies. We provide mailing services to VeriTest on a weekly basis.

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The Gummi Bears don’t last very long in Stoughton. Our folks work so fast packaging these treats that they are gone before we know it! In between gummi bear deliveries Stoughton has been very busy with WearGuard and Choice Print mailings and labeling jobs. Our Stonehill College dish room crew returns to work in the college’s dining hall on September 4^th! They have been anxiously awaiting the new school year.

Many thanks to the great staff, job coaches and production managers who work tirelessly to keep every day full of new opportunities for our industrious folks!

Guy Conrad is owner of Farsight Marketing, a highly successful marketing and business development consultancy located in Hingham, Massachusetts. The firm is involved with companies from a host of industries and has a particularly strong niche in the area of Native American economic development throughout the United States.

Previously, Guy owned several full-service marketing agencies, the last of which he merged with Arnold Worldwide. He has also worked in marketing and management capacities with the former Kenyon & Eckhardt in Boston, General Electric in New York, and San Francisco’s Bank of America.

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin and past president of its area alumni club, Guy also served as president of The Advertising Club of Greater Boston, the largest organization of its kind. His public service endeavors have included the I Have a Dream Foundation, The Red Auerbach Foundation, The Institute of Contemporary Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, The National Paraplegia Foundation and others.

With respect to his involvement with RTR, Guy says, "Road to Responsibility is very much a hands on organization – fashioned after its leader – that just goes out and does good things for its constituency. It has an exceptionally strong management team that continues to lead the organization along a carefully planned path of growth. What most impresses me is the staff’s ability to think creatively and its willingness to sink their teeth into new endeavors. It truly is a pleasure to work with such committed people who really do care about making positive things happen for those less fortunate, but still take pride – and pleasure – in their work."

The Recreation Department is expanding its event schedule and is now holding two Friday evening dances every month. Please mark your calendars as follows:

The Union Grove Hall Weymouth Air Base Function Hall

Sept. 21 Sept. 28

Oct. 19 Oct. 26

Nov. 16 Nov. 30

Dec. 14 Dec. 21

Our D.J.’s, Sindy and Al Gauthier are the best and help make these dances so much fun. Please plan to attend and dance the night away. You’ll be so glad you did!

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We are also hoping to bring you some very interesting as well as educational events but we need to hear from you about what you would like to see. We look forward to hearing some feedback so please drop us a line.

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Do you like to travel? We are now working on a Vacation Club that would conduct approximately six trips throughout the year! Look for our Vacation Club forms in the mail and use them to tell us what you can afford, where and when you would like to go.

Remember - the Recreation Department is here for YOU! And we would love to hear your thoughts, so call anytime and share your ideas.

RTR president Rick Walker is pleased to announce the winner of the drawing for the cruise for two to sunny Bermuda is Christine Lyons of Pembroke. You may recall that anyone making a donation to the 2001 Annual Appeal was automatically entered into the drawing for this exciting trip. Ms. Lyons and a guest will be traveling aboard the luxurious Norwegian Majesty for their seven-day cruise to the beautiful island paradise. Many thanks to Bob McCarthy at Marshfield Travel Advisors for his assistance in putting together this dream get-away. And to Christine we say – "Bon Voyage!"

The Plymouth Workshop had a wonderful and successful summer! Our Consumer Advisory Council (CAC) hosted a refreshing "Popsicle Break" during one of the hottest days of the summer. What timing!

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We continue to support and celebrate the outstanding work of our competitively employed individuals at T.J. Maxx, Taco Bell, Papa Gino’s, Stop and Shop, L. Knife and Sons, Bay Path, Ocean Village Motel, Burger King, Shiretown Ford, and now, Filene’s at Kingston’s Independence Mall.

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Congratulations to Craig MacDonald for transitioning so smoothly from J.C. Penney to his new responsibilities at Filene’s.

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Ronnie Mastrobatista is back and working hard at Taco Bell following a medical leave. Welcome back Ronnie! We are so glad you’re back in good health.

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Eugene Charis is the newest employee at Tuscon Taco’s in Kingston. Congratulations!

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Welcome to Plymouth’s two newest employment specialists, Florie Gottlich and Joanien Brazzo.

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Things to look forward to in Plymouth:

Everyone at Taunton – staff members as well as the individuals - work extremely hard to make this excellent program such a success both at work and at play. This cooperative spirit helped make our annual barbecue such a wonderful event.

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Staff Changes are underway. Case manager Cathy Catching is moving to the Stoughton workshop. Cathy is a great asset to any program fortunate enough to have her. We look forward to welcoming her replacement.

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Many thanks to the marketing department for the excellent work opportunity at the Bristol Armory. Staff and individuals are going the extra mile to make this assignment a success.

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Proceeds from a "chocolate fundraiser" held this past May were used to improve the décor at thw work center

Jan’s Ocean Village Ice Cream recently went on the road to cater a Build Your Own Sundae Party for our friends at South Shore Savings Bank. What a great way for the Bank to say "thanks" to their employees for their hard work.

An individual at one of our residences recently broke a very expensive custom-made helmet that she wears for protection. The time it takes to replace this specialized head gear usually runs between six and seven months (three months to obtain purchasing approval from Mass. Health; three to four months for manufacturing.) Because of the significant health risks involved it was imperative that we somehow replace the helmet as quickly as possible, and unfortunately, conventional sports helmets did not provide the necessary level of protection.

Thanks to the quick thinking of RTR residential director, Allison Mayer, and the patient cooperation Weymouth Honda’s Mark Louis, the problem was resolved in a matter of hours rather than months. With the individual in hand, Allison explained the dilemma to Mark who immediately provided various styles and sizes of helmets for trying on - and guess what. The problem was solved! The dealership was kind enough to provide the helmet at a significant savings over its normal retail cost and suggested also that we contact the equipment distributor to inquire about the possibility of receiving further assistance with the needs of the individuals we serve.

What a remarkable example of this truly outstanding member of the business community stepping up and lending a hand to someone in need. Thanks so much to RTR’s Allison Mayer for her resourcefulness. And a very special thank-you to Mark Louis and Weymouth Honda for their kind understanding and generous assistance.

There are so many wonderful success stories being written at the Pembroke work center that choosing only one – Gerry Scheele - to share with our supporters proved a very difficult task. Gerald has been competitively employed at Stop & Shop in Kingston for approximately three years, during which time he has demonstrated excellent work habits while gaining a well deserved reputation for reliability. When scheduling conflicts arise, Gerald shows consideration, initiative and a good deal of independence by alerting his employer and resolving the matter.

His busy schedule has him working off-site four days per week and attending speech therapy sessions on another. But that’s not all! This polite, ambitious young man also participates in various types of contract work and is a frequent volunteer for the Marshfield Meals on Wheels program.

With his positive attitude and super work ethic Gerald has proven to be a valued employee of RTR as well as Stop & Shop. More importantly, however, he is truly a fine young man and we congratulate him on many jobs well done!

How can a fish and a flower symbolize what Road to responsibility is about? The flower sits on my desk, the crafts project and gift to me from the men who live at our Biscayne Avenue home in Weymouth. It arrived on my desk via Gloria Ozaeta, the wonderful program manger. It wasn’t my birthday or any other special date (though little did they know August, 2001 was my 20^th anniversary doing the work I love.) The flower was a gift from friends. Simple. Surpassing all in its significance.

The fish? We are working on a project to increase recreational opportunities for people with disabilities. This led to my recently sitting on a boat in the North River trolling for Stripers with Dennis. I’d never met Dennis but we became friends quickly – conversations about the Red Sox, summer cookouts and past fishing frustrations will do that. Then his line struck, sung out and he pulled in a "keeper" – the first fish he had ever caught. I was allowed to share that experience.

Road to Responsibility is numbers, and buildings and complexities – but that is nothing but a mask: The true Road to Responsibility is friendship and sharing. Citizens with disabilities belong…supporting them is our privilege.

Regards,

Rick Walker

Hello everyone - my name is Lori DiTocco. I am, first and foremost, the proud mother of Amie DiTocco, whom many of you might know from RTR’s Open Roads program in Hingham. My most recent role, however, is that of recreation assistant to Nancy Reed in the recreation department of RTR. It has been a pleasure to work with such a dedicated and compassionate person. Her energy and enthusiasm for her work is endless.

My job as recreation assistant entails helping to create a monthly calendar of varied events and prices ranges. I also put together occasional vacation packages for our clients to places they may not get to go on their own. On outings I drive the wheelchair van so that my daughter Amie can ride along with Mom and her friends.

My initial reason for accepting the position was to provide Amie with more opportunities to socialize with her peers. But something else transpired along the way: I fell in love with my new job and my new friends that I’ve made. They are so appreciative of everything you do for them. It has been very refreshing.

I feel that as a parent of a disabled daughter I bring a very different perspective to my position – one that sees things from two very distinct vantage points; First, as a parent; and second as a staff person. I know all too well the frightening feeling of having to watch your loved one go off with a total stranger and have to trust that they will be respectful of their needs and feelings, and provide them with a fun, but most importantly, safe time.

As an employee I see the many different situations that can occur during an outing, being that each client comes with their own set of medical, physical and psychological issues. This sometimes makes it very difficult to adhere to a specific itinerary exactly as originally planned, possibly creating some schedule delays, etc. I now have a whole new respect and understanding regarding those situations.

It has been quite a revelation to me to observe the many departments that comprise RTR and how they all interact with each other. It has provided me with a whole new area to explore and learn about. I have always felt that I need to be an informed consumer, armed with knowledge so that Amie can have a rich and fulfilling life.

What I have observed at RTR so far seems to be a select group of employees that seems to possess this passion to make a difference in the lives of their clients. And I want to be a part of that positive concept.

I am grateful to Rick and Cass Walker and also to Nancy Reed for giving me this opportunity and consider myself a small part of the big picture at RTR. I hope to continue to try to enrich my clients’ lives as they have mine.

On October 4, 1999, I received a call at 6:50 a.m. from my brother Ricky. "Mom’s had a seizure!" he said. Rushing to their home, leaving my wife, Polly, to call 911, I soon realized that this day would not have a happy ending.

As the rescue team attended my mother, I discovered that Ricky had gone upstairs to dress and await the RTR van. He then sat, shaking with fear on the back of the fire truck, saying he would rather go to work than the hospital. As a result, Rick and Cass Walker had the unenviable task of telling him his mother had died.

Ricky came home that afternoon to the house in which he spent 39 of his 41 years in the selfless loving care of his devoted mother. At that point reality hit all of us.

Mother had determined that she would care for Ricky for as long as she could, and then, she wanted Ricky to move to an RTR group home. All of Ricky’s siblings supported her decision and agreed that this presented the best situation for Ricky for a number of reasons.

First, our experience with RTR started at its inception and has continued, unbroken, until the present day. Throughout that time we observed Ricky in a setting where the corporate philosophy seemed to mirror the loving care he had received at home. In addition, over those many years we came to know and appreciate so many members of the staff that we felt completely comfortable with an RTR group home placement.

Little did we know that it would take seventeen months for this to become a reality. Since we felt Ricky would benefit by remaining in his own home Polly and I lived out of make-up and shaving kits, arriving at Ricky’s house when he returned from the workshop and remained there until he left in the morning.

While he was never out of our minds we received some wonderful respite care from RTR staff persons who helped carry the load while maintaining the desired level of instruction in life skills and choices. As a result of our combined efforts Ricky lost over 80 pounds and now participates more fully in a variety of sporting and social activities.

During our daily interaction with Ricky we emphasized that he was a grown man who was becoming more independent. We also continually praised Ricky for his acceptance of the alterations in his life style brought on by his mother’s passing.

Finally, when the placement was near we knew Ricky would have to overcome the new complacency caused by living with us for over seventeen months. This required a thoughtful and sensitive discussion centered on his mother’s desire that Ricky should eventually live in an RTR home. After some initial doubts and questions he agreed to a significant change in his surroundings.

Moving day came on February 24, 2001. To make him feel more secure and comfortable, and with the assistance of three thoughtful RTR employees from the facilities department, we moved his own furniture along with most of his prized possessions to his new room.

After spending the afternoon arranging the room at the residence, it was time for us to leave. At this very difficult time for all of us, Ricky, with a stoicism we did not expect, accepted his new circumstances.

He now refers to his Scituate group home as "my blue house" and is content to live there. He does like very much to go out to dinner and family events and enjoys RTR recreation events to the fullest. But when the time comes to return to the residence he never complains and in reality, goes with a smile.

In retrospect, we believe the length of time it took to secure housing made Ricky’s transition easier – at least for him. We also believe the RTR staff provided us, in pre-move meetings, and Ricky, upon his arrival, with the personal care and concern so necessary to make this change as smooth as it has been. For this, Polly, Ricky and I extend our heartfelt appreciation.

The 2001 spring and summer seasons have been immensely successful at Jan’s. The combination of wonderful weather and delicious home made ice cream treats are a shop owner’s dream and combined for exceptionally strong and steady sales.

When you come by the store you will notice our display of special sundae recipes. These unique blends were the creations of Mrs. Galanis’ fourth graders and Mrs. Mooney’s second graders at Marshfield’s Daniel Webster School. The kids developed these special recipes as part of our first sundae recipe contest. The talented winners are Thomas Pomella (2^nd grade) for his Rocky Mountain formula, and fourth grader Geoffrey Carol for his Triple B Surprise. These young gentlemen will each receive a free Make your Own Sundae – using their own recipes of course!

Throughout the summer we have been running daily promotions including Buy one-get one free; Kids Day; Funny Flavor Day; Doggie Day (get some yummy vanilla for your favorite pooch), etc. Our home made ice cream cakes have been enormously popular, helping to keep families and friends cool at summer cookouts. For those in the mood for slightly smaller treats we offer a host of flavorful novelty items (a Jan’s tradition) from which to choose, including chocolate chip cookie or traditional ice cream sandwiches, as well as Heath on a Stick, and the new and deliciously cooool sensation, Slush!

Catering services and an ice cream shop? Absolutely! Jan’s catered Make your Own Sundae Parties are a huge hit at schools, private parties, businesses and special events. Marshfield High School, the Girl Scouts, Daniel Webster Elementary, Network Engines, and South Shore Savings Bank are just a few of the customers who have taken advantage of this immensely popular service. A special thanks to all those who have chosen Jan’s for their special ice cream parties.

By the way – did you know we now offer Sundae Parties to Go? Just call the shop

(781-837-8541) to place your order and we will package the kit for you to bring to your next social gathering. What a festive fun-filled twist to add to your next party. Your guests will love it!

I want to take this opportunity to thank some exceptional people, businesses and groups who help make Jan’s Ocean Village Ice Cream a very special part of Road to Responsibility as well as the community: First, the staff of Jan’s – Nancy Reed, Sue Ferro, Erin Mulcahy, The Gnong sisters – Andrea, Erika, and Krista, Mike Wood and Julie Lepine. These energetic folks work tirelessly making the highest quality ice cream, and always welcome our customers with a friendly smile and outstanding service.

Second, our major advertising vendors, Adelphia Media Services and WATD-FM who have been so instrumental in spreading the word about our wonderful store and products. Many thanks also, to the stars of our very first TV commercials for both Jan’s and the Ocean Village Book Stores – Maggie, Sean Alec, Lydia, Sue, Nancy, Joe, Maura and, of course, the main character of our ice cream ad, Tom.

To our friends at many of the local high schools as well as the Mass Rehab Commission - thank you for spending time with us and learning about the ice cream business while observing the good work we do at RTR

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And finally (but definitely not least) a most sincere note of appreciation to OUR CUSTOMERS. It goes without saying that your strong support makes it all happen. To show you just how grateful we are just bring this article into Jan’s and receive a FREE regular size cone (offer expires march 1, 2002.)

As the days turn cooler and the leaves on the trees perform their spectacular fall show remember that Jan’s Ocean Village Ice Cream is meant to be enjoyed all year long. So please stop by and see us. You are always welcome.

Take care.

Thus far our Working Wonders Capital Campaign has raised over $ 600,000! Thanks so much to everyone who has been kind enough to support us with a donation. The campaign remains quite active and every contribution, regardless of size, is most welcome (not to mention tax deductible.)

The funds raised through this ambitious campaign will not only provide RTR the means to build the expanded quarters we so desperately need but greatly enhance our ability to assist the individuals we assist with many new and exciting programs and initiatives.

All donations, including one-time payments, three year pledges, real estate, stocks, etc. may be mailed to: