While enjoying life each day, here's a thought
we identify with:
Enjoying life is such a simple yet profound proposition,
but many of us forget to enjoy life while we are in the fray of
daily activities and demands. But Jerry Miller never forgets to
enjoy life. Jerry is a not-so-chronologically-young man with a
disability who has a youthful spirit, He lives in Livingston,
Montana. Jerry gets up each day on the right side of the bed.
He brightens not only his own life but his family's lives and
those who have the privilege of knowing and encountering him during
his day—everyday. When Jerry smiles or winks at you, he energizes
your life. You can feel his joy and it reflects back on you.
Jerry has received services from Counterpoint,
Inc. since the agency began back in 1976. Counterpoint provides
vocational and residential services to adults with disabilities
in Livingston. Its mission is to "Nurture Personal Growth
and Support Meaningful Lives." Jerry does need "a little
more help" and Counterpoint provides the supports he needs
to live and work in the Livingston community.
Most people that know Jerry would agree that
his likes and dislikes are obvious. He has demonstrated a significant
interest in the Denver Bronco's since his niece lived in Denver
and had the privilege of meeting John Elway and his family. And
he certainly enjoys working. Over the years Jerry has worked on
janitorial and window washing contract work crews with local employers,
including folding towels. He had a job once at the local high
school on a crew folding towels and he still reminisces about
that community employment opportunity years ago. He especially
enjoys copying work and all office-type work.
This year Counterpoint has focused its attention
on developing a new community employment opportunity with and
for Jerry. Twila Marchetti, one of Counterpoint's two community
employment consultants, began putting together the pieces of Jerry's
puzzle to develop a job in Livingston that would both compliment
Jerry's interests and meet an employer's needs.
Twila used her knowledge of local employers and
Livingston's economic needs in job developing for Jerry. One evening
Twila noticed Pam Schoenen, the co-owner of Firehall Fitness Center,
at the photocopy store making hundreds of copies for her business
while her daughter waited impatiently. Twila remembered Jerry's
interest in sports and his photocopying skills and told Daryl
Wiltshire, the Vocational Coordinator at Counterpoint, about Pam's
photocopy needs. Daryl talked to Pam about hiring Jerry at the
Firehall Fitness Center to do the copying, and the possibility
that Jerry could buy the copier he would use at the job. This
employee-owned resource model of employment is similar to the
idea that mechanics who work for a company use their own tools
on the job. Pam Schoenen was interested in hiring Jerry and the
creative idea of an employee-owned copier.
Counterpoint also invited Jerry to participate
in a year-long training and technical assistance project with
the Rural Institute and invited the Rural Institute's Organization
Consultant, David Hammis, to follow-up meetings with Pam Schoenen
and Jerry's family. Jerry's joyful outlook on life has inspired
everyone to help with his community employment opportunity. Jerry
will start his new job this fall, which satisfies his preferences
for a summer vacation at home and matches Firehall's increased
workload in the Fall.
David Eaton and Daryl Wiltshire work at Counterpoint,
Inc. in Livingston, Montana. David Hammis is an Organizational
Consultant at the Rural Institute and Project Director of the
Montana Consumer Controlled Careers Project.
