Volume 1 . Issue 9                                        OCTOBER 2018  
WHAT A YEAR!
by Patrick Guerin III, 
President and CEO

I cannot believe that it's already been a year! As I look back at these 12 months, I cannot help but smile and be excited about the growth of our participants and of the organization. 

In my first few days, I reminded everyone what the sign in the front of our property states, "not apart from but partners with our community."  We took that saying as our goal for this past year. 

Loveland was going to have a positive impact on our community and we did just that! There was the increased community presence in our ADT program, the explosion of the recreation department, the development of the LION Initiative (Volunteer program), and the strengthening of supported employment services. Loveland has given back to the community and forged multiple new partnerships throughout Sarasota County. 

I want to thank all of our Loveland volunteers for the hundreds of hours of service that you provided to ensure success of the participants in our programs.  

To our staff, you are AMAZING! You continue to rise to the challenge that we can always raise the bar a little more. Thank you-without your efforts, our participants would not be able to excel and live their lives to the fullest. 

As we go into this next year I am excited about the opportunity we have to spread the Loveland community to our neighbors in North Port.
  EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT











Jim Horton has recently celebrated 5 years with Loveland Center. Jim has been an integral support in our Self-Contained Classroom in Building E.

Originally from  Bedford, Ohio, Jim moved to Venice, Florida, over sixty years ago. He served four years in the U.S. Army, both stateside and in Germany.

After returning to Venice, he worked in the floor covering industry while raising his family. He was active in a number of civic and service organizations throughout the Venice area, which introduced him to Loveland in 2013. 

For Jim, "Equality Through Opportunity" means:  the need for similar respect and treatment toward all people to achieve their highest potential, unhampered by barriers, prejudices, or preferences. 
  PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT
by Heather Lesperance, Instructor

Unless you have a reason to come over to Building E, many do not know about all the exciting and empowering work happening in this active self-contained classroom. 

You may see a small group of us heading over to the kitchen to prepare lunch on Tuesday or on a morning walk around campus. 

Not only does this diverse group of participants work on a wide range of activities to  enhance both academic and fine motor skills, we are active in the community  going on monthly bowling trips, mall walking, going grocery shopping, or some days, we might even skip out for a bit to get ice cream. 

One of the largest projects we have done to date is a wall puzzle art piece. Every participant and staff had a hand in this project!  After uncovering  large pressed board puzzle pieces in storage, participants and staff brainstormed what to do with it. We decided to paint
 puzzle pieces and celebrate each person's individuality! We  began working on, what ended up being, a month long project.  

After all was said and done, we have a beautiful  large art piece on the wall that  showcases our differences and how we all joined together to make a bright and beautiful picture. 
OCTOBER IS....
NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH


For over 70 years, the United States has been celebrating individuals with disabilities in the workforce. According to the Office of Disability Employment Policy, each October is observed as a "nationwide campaign that celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities throughout American history, and emphasizes the importance of ensuring that all Americans have access to the services and supports to enable them to work."

This year's #NDEAM theme is " America's Workforce: Empowering All."  This fits right in with the philosophy at Loveland Center that all individuals, regardless of their abilities, deserve to be seen and treated as equals in their community.  All of us at Loveland Center applaud each individual who is working towards a goal or building a career. 

Loveland Center's Supported Employment program  aims to give each person the tools necessary to be employable.  Our individualized approach allows us to customize services to meet the needs and goals of both the individual and the employer. 

Jonathan, a Loveland Supported Employment participant, embodies this year's theme of empowering all! He was happily worked at Brew Burgers on the Island for the last 3 years. He has been an integral front of house team member and loves his job.

To learn more about Loveland's Supported Employment program, contact our COO, Sean McLaughlin.
UPCOMING EVENTS

45th ANNUAL VENICE WOMEN'S SERTOMA SUN FIESTA
Friday, October 19 - Sunday, October 21
Venice Airport Festival Grounds
Please sign up to volunteer at the Loveland Table  here.

10th ANNUAL LOVELAND BBQ
Wednesday, December 5, 2018 from 6-9 p.m.
Venice Community Center
SPONSORSHIPS NOW AVAILABLE! Contact the Office of Development at (941) 218 - 2984.