Creating opportunities for adults with disabilities since 1974
JANUARY 2021 E-NEWSLETTER
A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
I spend a lot of time thinking about how much was accomplished in 2020 by Vocational Visions’ amazing team! Our team worked so hard and so well together to overcome all the challenges to providing alternative services to keep staff and participants connected and engaged even though we could not gather together, completing all of the special projects / reports that have been required by the local Regional Center and the Department of Developmental Services related to documenting the delivery of our alternative services and coping with pandemic fatigue. I’m so inspired by and proud of our team! I hope you are too! 

The continued surge of the virus means we have to delay some things once again. Our reopening date will be based on the completion of all the renovations and the status of the virus situation when that time rolls around. We are projecting that all renovations will be completed by April 1, 2021.

We have cancelled our Enchanted Evening event for 2021 and have rescheduled the gala for April 30, 2022. We are disappointed but know this is the right thing to do for all who participate in and support the event. 

I remain optimistic that we will get through this and we will use this time to determine what we want our organization to look like when this is behind us.

Cheers to 2021! Best wishes for great health and great success!
ROLAND FERNANDEZ IS LEAVING VV
After 17 years of dedicated service, we are losing an integral part of our VV family. Roland, our Senior Manager for Employment & Day Programs, is moving on to a new career adventure this month. We wish him well in his new adventure where he will be working full time with his family businesses in Residential Care for elderly and hospice agencies. 
"I have appreciated Roland’s support over my 7 and a half years at VV and he has been instrumental in so many of the organization’s successes.

Please join me in wishing him well as he starts a new chapter in his life."

Joan McKinney, ED
"Roland, it has been an honor, a life lesson and an absolute pleasure to work with and for you. Thank you for your dedication, mentorship and friendship. Wishing you peace, happiness and a great sense of fulfillment in your new venture. You will be missed!"  

Micheline Swan, SEP Manager
REID ROVA HAS A NEW JOB AT VV
If you were a regular visitor to our Pala building when we were open for in-person programming, you likely met Reid Rova at our Front Desk. Reid has served as both our Front Desk Administrator and as an HR Assistant to our HR Manager Venturis Jones.

Reid has recently transitioned to a new role which will give him an opportunity to work more directly with our participants. He is now an Instructional Assistant for our DTAC Pala program and he has jumped right into his new role helping to lead some of our Zoom activities such as bingo, trivia and math.
Congratulations Reid on your new role in our organization!
YEAR-END FUNDRAISING APPEAL UPDATE
We are excited and appreciative to report that our 2020 Year-End Appeal raised almost $19,000 from 45 donors. We are very lucky to have such generous donors.
PARTICIPANT SPOTLIGHT
ASHLEY SALAS
We'd like spotlight a new VV participant named Ashley Salas who recently joined our Supported Employment program. We're excited to share that Ashley started a new job at Ralphs grocery store in San Clemente on 12/21/2020.
Ashley has another job that is currently on hold due to the pandemic. She works at the Honda Center in Anaheim. She started working there on 10/27/2018 as an Usher and was promoted to work in one of the 300 level suites.

Her job duties include seating people, giving directions to food and restrooms, answering basic questions and stopping people while the puck is in play. 
She loves working hockey games and she knows all of the names of the Anaheim Ducks players and their stats. However, her favorite events to work, so far, were the Pink, Jonas Brothers and Elton John concerts. 

When life gets back to normal, Ashley will be excited to return to that job while keeping her job at Ralphs. Welcome to VV Ashley. Congrats on your new job!
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
WILMA VINOYA
EVA RUZOL
MARIA LORETA CABANTANGAN
Our organization is blessed to have a wonderful staff of Direct Support Professionals who provide guidance to our participants. This month, we would like to highlight three employees who work in our HRS program - Wilma, Eva and Maria. They asked to be highlighted together. Below, they are teaching an exercise class via Zoom. Let's find out some more about them.
Question: What is your favorite part about your job at VV?

Answer: Each employee had the same answer which is "interacting with the participants." It looks like they know how to make interacting fun.
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Question: What is an interesting, unique or fun fact about you?

Wilma and Maria's Answer: I'm very flexible and easily get along with others.

Eva's Answer: I easily adjust and thrive in different circumstances and situations. People say I'm funny though I think of myself as a serious person. I like to read and write in my diary.
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Question: What is your motto for life or a quote that really resonates with you?

Wilma's Answer: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." - Confucious

Eva's Answer: "If there's a will, there's a way." Also, "Be strong, but not rude; Be kind, but not weak; Be bold, but not bullyish; Be humble, but not timid; Be proud, but not arrogant."

Maria's Answer: "We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated." - Maya Angelou
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Thank you Wilma, Eva and Maria for your dedication to making our clients smile.
VV 2020 HOLIDAY MEMORIES
Even though we are closed to our in-person programming, we managed to still make a lot of great 2020 holiday memories with our participants through our virtual programming using the Zoom video conferencing tool. Check out the video below for a collection of some of our favorite moments.
JANUARY CALENDAR
Birth Defects Awareness Month
Board of Directors Meeting
Entire month
Jan 27, 2021
Enchanted Evening 2022

Saturday, April 30, 2022 (NOTE NEW DATE)
Hyatt Regency
John Wayne Airport, Newport Beach

Frances Paxson, VV employee for 23 years, would like to share this quote below that is the cornerstone of her daily actions. We hope it inspires others as we start the new year.
EARN DONATIONS FOR VV WHILE YOU SHOP
Shop smile.amazon.com & select Vocational Visions as your charity.


Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to us.
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Link your Ralphs Grocery Store shopper's card to Vocational Visions:


Then, swipe your shopper's card, or enter your associated phone number, whenever you shop at Ralphs and Ralphs will make an annual donation to us.