Our Wishes for 2012

• Finding a job!
• Work better as a team
• Run Snack Attack
• Volunteer
• Work more
• Make more money

• Get on the Personal Power board

Personal Power

Congratulations to recent Personal Power achievers!

Steve - Volunteering for PADS and helping fix a flat!
Deserea - Volunteering at the library
Amy - Doing her blanket business
Dee Dee - Helped set up

Holiday Party!

Party:

Thursday, December 22nd
9:00 - 2:00
EDS room

9 -10:15 - Games and stuff
10:30 -11:30 - Grab Bag gift exchange (bring a wrapped gift $5 value to participate)
11:30 - 12:30 - Lunch
12:30 -1:00 - Games or movie or music
1:00 - DJ and Dancing, Movie in class

Happy Holidays and Have a Happy New Year!

Moving Forward Mentions

We are proud to announce the following for their recent achievements:

Amy upgraded her blanket making business with new sales forms and cards.  She contributed a blanket for raffle at the Craft Fair.

Terry got a job at Jewel!  He's been waiting for this moment for years and we are pleased to see him succeed.

EDS Year End Review

The Craft Fair and Job Fair went very well.  We had a good turnout for both. 
Steve, Hannah and Deserea won peer recognition awards for their presentations. 

We saw flight paramedic, animal rescue worker, librarian, Pizza Hut, Meijer, tattoo artist, blanket maker, dancer, event planner, lego master builder, animator, cartoonist, cleaning service and judge as career options. 

Mark your calendars!

October events:

Wednesday, October 19 +/or Thursday, October 20 - Dress for Success days

Sunday, October 23 - Melissa's birthday

Monday, October 31 - Halloween Bash (games, food and fun)

November events:

Thursday, November 3 - Fall Book Fair at the West building

Wednesday, November 16 - Adam's birthday

Monday, November 21 - Wonderland Workshop Craft Fair
                                        9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 
                                        Located in the West building
                                        Crafts, raffles, baked goods!

Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25th - Agency closed for Thanksgiving holiday

Wednesday, November 30th - EDS Corps Career/Job Fair
                                                10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
                                                 Located in the Employee Development Services classroom

Announcing the EDGE

On September 19, 2011 Employee Development Services started a new track called the EDGE business training center.  EDGE stands for Educating Determined and Gifted Entrepreneurs and will explore self employment and small business building.  Our traditional classes continue for community employment readiness.

Introducing our newest members Steve, Amy, Jason and Micki. 

We're keeping busy with several projects:  we will have a job fair on November 30th.  Everyone is responsible for presenting the career or job of their choice.  We will once again be responsible for greeting, cashiering and customer service at the annual craft fair.  Our craft ideas are in place and we are starting to make them. 

Dan and Terry will be starting the next Janitorial Training Skills program soon.  Amanda and Melissa started working with CES for job development. 

A Dress for Success day is planned on either Wednesday, October 19th or Thursday, October 20th for an updated portfolio photo opportunity. 

DD Task Force Meeting

Save the date:

The next DD Task Force Meeting is Wednesday, March 16th at 6:30 located at the SHAH Center. Please see the link below for more information. The next topic includes legal issues that effect individuals with a disability.

www.optionsandadvocacy.org/index.php/programs/dd-task-force

EDS Corps 2nd annual job fair

Mock interviews for the 2nd annual EDS Corps Job Fair are now complete. By next week all positions will be filled and posted. Thank you to all the candidates who dressed for success, came prepared and gave great answers to the questions. Good luck!

Congratulations to the Presidents

The Women's Group learned about firsts. With the office of U.S. President still not on the list, they decided to hold an election for the group.

The candidates spoke about their issues: health care, fun, fashion, gossip, fundraising for animal shelters and other great topics.

Congratulations to Claire and Heide M for your c0-presidency!

What is love?

"Maybe love is like luck, you have to go all the way to find it." - Robert Mitchum

Valentine's Day is coming. We decided to look at what love means to us. Here's the list:

Love is...romance.

Love is...unconditional.

Love is...finding your soul mate.

Love is...going on dates.

Love is...the heart.

Love is...caring about someone.

Love is...mother/father and child.

Love is...powerful.

Love is...being close.

Love is...being a family.

Love is...emotional.

Love is...a feeling.

Love is...music to my ears.

Love is...spending time together.

Love is...friends, family, boyfriend/girlfriend.

Love is...hearts, kisses, hugs.

Love is...caring about one person and no one else.

Love is...difficult.

Ch-ch-changes

Congrats to Wayne and Nick for getting into the Janitorial Skills Training Program! They start the eight week certification next week.

Good luck to Britt and Travis with your future plans! Britt, get good grades!

What we've been up to since July:

August: Our last MCC class, said goodbye to Britt

September: Tina D started as our new QSP!, EDS Corps began with a new routine, internships and rules

October: Hosted a Halloween bash with Bridges with costumes for those who dared and fantastic food. We had a lot of work doing tray and tripe treats.

November: Craft Fair with the tie dye products. We volunteered as cashiers and made some moolah! Thanks to those who bought our stuff. Dan got a job coach!

December: Holiday lunch and party. We had our usual gift exchange, recieved a Scene It Comedy edition. We've had new people join EDS. Women's group began.

January: Making over the blog. Bears went to the Playoffs. And lost.

Welcome new friends: Ashley, Heide, Matt, Dawn, Thomas and Hannah.