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Highlighted People of Friendship Community
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| Each Year Friendship Community takes time to
recognize a few of the important
people who make our community what it is. These awards include
outstanding
volunteers, churches, staff members and individuals served by Friendship
Community. Meet some of the Breaking Barriers
of
Friendship Community. |
 2007
Gochnaeur AwardeesMary Ann Ober received the 2007 Gochnaeur Award. This represents recognition of a staff member who represents the best practice of Friendship Community's vision and is chosen by fellow employees. Mary Ann is part of the Willow Acres Home team. |
 2007
Eshelman AwardeesHarold and Kathleen Wheeler, house parents of the Shalom home, were given the Eshelman Award which honors employees who are advocates for persons with disabilities beyond their scope of employment at Friendship. Also pictured left: Anne Wilson, representing Family Support Group. The family members nominate for this award. |
| 2007 Year
of Service Awardees- is Friendship a great
place to work? Just ask one of our staff members who have worked here
more than 5 years...
24 Years
23 Years
22 Years
20 Years
19 Years
18 Years
17 Years
16 Years
15 Years
14 Years
12 Years
11 Years
10 years
9 years
8 Years
7 Year
6 Year
5
Year
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2007 Haverstick Awardees The Haverstick Award is given annually to individuals who have overcome obstacles, given back to the community and exceeded the expectations of others. The award was presented at the 2007 Anniversary Banquets to J Glenn Eberly and William (Bill) Becker. |
J. Glenn Eberly overcame
an obstacle this year, by going swimming for the first time in his life.
However, each day he faces challenges straight on with his determined
spirit. He rides the bus to his three jobs: Oregon Dairy, TGIF
Friday's and EARS. He has enthusiastically been involved with
Special Olympics volleyball, bowling and softball teams. He plays
guitar and sings, including active involvement in the Friendship
Community Singers and Creative Movement Teams. He loves to bike,
and this year went 70 miles with his brother over a weekend trip.
Glenn blesses his household by knowing when to pitch in and encourage
others to help around the house. He has been a leader at his home
and supports his staff in many ways. |
 William (Bill) Becker lost his father this year. They were very close and he has coped very well with the changes this brought into his life. This past year he learned to bowl from his wheelchair and bowls with Special Olympics. He walked with his staff in the MS Walk For Life to help others. He has been accepted to take classes at Harrisburg Area Community College and the age of 52 learned to ride a horse for the first time. |
Volunteer and Church of the Year AwardeesThe Volunteer of the Year and Church of the Year Awards are presented at the Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner held in April. |
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Traci Beal 2008 Traci came to us several years ago and has given many hours as a volunteer for Friendship Community. Her volunteers
hours during the last two years have totaled over 204!
She moved back to
Traci has volunteered in the following ways:
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Driver for our
individuals – medical appointments and swimming
o
She has been a part of
the one-on-one befriending program
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Has helped with our
chicken BBQ and Fest
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Creative Movement team
leader
o
Traci has been a
disability missionary in our area; serving many in our community via Bible
studies and visitation
o
WORDD (Worship
Opportunities Reaching the Developmentally Disabled) camp volunteer
Traci is dearly loved and cherished by others with
whom she comes in contact.
Kindness, gentleness, patience, and simplicity
are words that describe Traci and her spirit and in the way that she relates
to her world.
She truly has a heart that is giving towards
others, and it is full of faith & hope.
She came into
our lives as a volunteer and has left a friend. We
have been blessed to have shared in a part of her journey. Thank you, Traci, for honoring us
with your heart and your dedication to people with disabilities.
ARC Awards |
St. Stephen's United Church of Christ 2008 Church of the Year Representing the church: Peggy Leonard, Betty Hillard, Rod Stauffer, George Stoltzfus (FC CEO) and Pastor Jeff Frantz. Saint Stephen’s United Church of Christ has been known
as a historical leader among Their involvement with disability ministry began at a
time when many churches were not considering what it meant to include people
with mental disabilities within the life of a congregation. In 1980, with the leadership of Rod & Dottie Stauffer and others, St. Stephen’s UCC began a Sunday School class designed to meet the needs of people with mental disabilities. Over the years, this class included members from St. Stephens as well as other churches whose parents often dropped their children off before going to their own churches. Special activities such as a hand bell choir helped to
offer outreach into the community Friendship Community related to St. Stephen’s as a result of this class, however our relationship deepened in the mid 90’s when the church offered its former parsonage for use as a Friendship Community group home. Currently, the individuals served at Friendship’s St. Stephens home as well as others from other FC homes attend the class and are involved in other ways. Over the years, special relationships have been established with members of the congregation and Friendship individuals. Some years ago, a special confirmation service was held so that the members of the Sunday School class were also recognized as members of the church. There have also been many volunteers who have helped Friendship in many ways – building crews, Fest volunteers, office work, etc. We are very grateful for this relationship and for the ministry of the St. Stephen’s United Church of Christ. |
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Employer of the Year Oregon Dairy was named employer of the year. Oregon Dairy has consistently
supported individuals with disabilities by providing employment
opportunities and by working with organizations such as
Employee of the Year Mary Ann Ober, a staff member at Friendship Community’s Willow Acres home, earns employee of the year. Mary Ann exemplifies the commitment and caring that we look for in our staff. She is dependable and has a never ending amount of patience. A parent comments that Mary Ann “just works and works…..She makes life fun for the residents. She is untiring and full of energy and in constant motion.” May Ann gives great encouragement and praise to all the individuals and always treats them as adults. She encourages each individual to try different things and she helps them to succeed to their fullest potential.
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J. Lloyd Stauffer Award Bill Becker was given the J. Lloyd Stauffer award by ARC of Lancaster County. Since the passing of his father in 2006, Bill has coped well with the changes to his life. In the past year, Bill has learned to bowl from his wheelchair and now bowls with Special Olympics. He has walked with staff assistance in the MS Walk for Life. Bill has been accepted to take classes at the Lancaster Campus of HACC. He has, at the age of 52 and for the first time in his life, ridden a horse and has been taking horseback riding lessons. |
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The Barrier Breakers |
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Meet
Ted
(pictured),
Dolores,
Curtis,
Cindy,
Glenn,
Karen ,
Glen,
Peter, Carl ,
Melani,
Fred,
Bill,
Donald,
Sandy,
Ed,
Marian,
Vince and
Dee Dee by
clicking onto their name. They are some of the BARRIER BREAKERS served by Friendship Community. You will need Acrobat Reader to view these files. To download free software visit http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
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30 Years
Friendship
Community is a Christian ministry supporting people with developmental
disabilities.