The beacon, Vol. 5, no. 1 (Spring/Summer 2006)

Spring/Summer 2000 rr

:C L

!SLET1

THE G E O R G I A D E P A R T M E

B O R " vc

The Problem: High School Dropouts
The Solution: Jobsfor Georgia Graduates

ARAYWHPPE

One of the nwst diffb
cult chaltengs fdrg

I

h tbs low percentage of ztu-

j dmm wtm complete K i h schoal g d o a -

I 'tborr requirements, The scomrrnic and

mcid 6:- w c k t e d with X t N vexing

problem of high b l dropoua r h m -

ens to restrict e~mwmicgrowth and

$ti& m k r pmdmivity

However, one Georgia D e p m t of
- L & r Initiative - jabs far Georgia
Graduates has demonstmted remarkable success in i w m ' n g the graduation
mtes of parciupgtingSerbs.

Bs detail4 in the accwnpanyings t q , in

2005,89 percent d jffis I,077 seniors

earned a high skbool diploma-+ rate

that was

percent hiher than the

mew* a v q e of 69 percent!

A h average $&mion rates f a r JGC students duringthe last fwe yew5 satgpt
*at one-$=GeorgIds~ost- persistent educational ,problems: ,'hay pot be as
i n t d as previMisly belieled. Wore tmpamntty, so-called at-risk scudems with histories of law wxderitic pwfw-
m a n e have thrived in the suppomve mvimment provided by the j6G
m&l.

IsJGGxhepanaceathat can mlpaculously solve dl all the compk iswe$that carp
crib to the high schmt drqmut problem?Of rourse it is not. But JGGs
mnfimrstht pubkc sector Initia-
I tbcr baed on innovative l o 4 pamw ships between bushes and durationd leaders, parents and students can
succed where others ham failed.
I

is not the m i a l e solution to Georgia's tow high school praduation rates. However, 1 m convinced that JGG is a ray of h p e for Georgians StMq tp imprwe the quality of sducgtim m m ~ r
We.

S I D E , ON -.-:---a4+ ,

The Georgia Department of Labor's Jobsfor Georgia Graduates UGG) program has demonstmted remarkable success in improving the hlgh school graduation rates of participatingstudents. According to recently released statistics, the 2005 JGG graduating class compiledan 89 percentgraduation rate.This is 20 percent higher than the shtewide graduation rate of 69 percent.
These JGG graduation statistics are even more significant because Georgia has maintained one of the lowest high school graduation rates in the nation. Georgia Kids Count 2006 ranked Georgia 48th in the nation. According to JGG Program Director Nedra Wakefield, "Our number one goal is to assist our students in the
I process of meeting all of the requirements for their high school
diploma."

What is Jobsfor Georgia Graduates?
JGG is =filiabd with Jobs for America's Graduates, In=., the largest school-to-work -sition s-m that presently

I
Inw "e''UU'L

Mrl arrjlLna

Thurmond with the

I'eF)a Presenm ~ Leader of the

~

~

~

serves more than 70,000 youth in 27 states.Students with academic duringIAG's Narional TrainingSeminar held in Atlanta.

and personal barriers are often recruited for enrollment in JGG.

Barriers may include low GPA, high absenteeism, first generation graduates and students on the verge of dropping out of high school.

u.L

The Georgia program provides high school students with pre-employmenttraining, work skIls, motivationalactivities and job

development. JGGstuden& are encouragedto complete high school, get a liberalarts or technical college education, pursue a mil-

i w career and eventually become contributing members of the labor force. Graduating seniors receive follow-up services to

encourage successful tmnsition from high school to advanced education, training and work opportunities.

EstablishedinG e o r g i a i n B J ,h p c o g m m - w a s w m d p ~ ~ & d . hG ym g i a 4 u ~ h u t i c w .hsampered hy a lack ofcon:

sistent funding. in 1999, state budget writers recommended elimination of the Initiative but: newly elected Labor Commissioner

MichaelThurmond reinvigoratedthe JGG program by providing much needed funding and a new direction.

In 2000, Commissioner Thurmond recognized the need for early vocational assistance and guidance and expanded the tradi-

tional senior model only curriculum to a fwe-year program beginning In the ninth grade. Currently, there are 22 senior model pro-

gmms and I 2 rnuki-year programs operating in 27 local school systems.

In recognition of Commissioner Thurmond's leadership in the workforce development and his long-term support and com-

mitment to Jobsfor America's Graduates, Inc., the organization's President, Ken Smith honored Thurmond with the Government

Leader of the Year Award at i& National Training Seminar in Atlanta on July 20-22, 2006.

JGG continued on page 7

Operation Welcome Home
By Matia Storey Edwords

On April 10, 2006, the Georgia Department of Labor hosbed its Second

Annual Statewide Veterans' Workforce Conference in Norcross. The conference

theme was,"Lightingthe Way Home,"and includedtopics on apprenticeship pro-

grams and on-the-job training for veterans. The conference encouraged special

attention to veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, and was also the

prelude to Commissioner Michael Thurrnond's vision - Operation Welcome

Home.

This initiative was specifically designed to assist veterans with job retraining

and transitkning back into civllian life. "The Labor Department will be a guide to

the men and women who serve our country," Commissioner Thurmond said.

"We are proud of them and want nothing less than for them to return to Georgia

welcomed by family, friends and career opportunities."

Approximately 4,000 soldiers face the prospect of searchingfor previousand
new careers. For some veterans, finding employment may seem challenging since L-..,-.. -,- ,,, Carrollton Career Center, was

the unemployment rate for vets in Georgia is expected to reach 15 percent. instrumental in helping Spec. 4th class. Michael

That's higher than the 4.5 percent unemployment rate for the general population Lumbert obtain employment.

of the state. Despite these estimates,

the GDOL will "light the way" for vet-

Georgia Department of Labor

erans' the 48th

lam is Oneb of ert He served a year in Iraq with
Brigade and returned to the

148Andrew Young International Atlanta, Georgia30303-1 75 1

Bhd.,

N.E.

1 PRSRT STD POSTAGE 8. FEE6 PAID GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

states in April. After visiting the

Carrollton Career Center he was hired

as a Mayfield Dairy route driver

trainee.

Veterans are encouraged t o

contact a local Career Center for tran-

sition and employment assistance.

Georgia employers can support this

effort by listing jobs with the

Department by dialing 1 -866.699.3540.

Taking Our Children to Work

Editor. The k c o n

or layoffs occur before they improve their qualifications, update their

By Quentin Miller

Lifelong Learning

skills or retrain for a new line of
work. Tbe lifelong learning concept
promotes preparedness and contin-
uous self-development.

On Mday April 28, the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) celebrated itr 2006 Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day (TODSWD). TODSWD is a national event des~gndto give kids a realistic view of the day-to-day lives of adults to show them that getting an education is key to excelling in society.

I recently read an article about Josephine Belasco who graduated from Galileo High School in San Francisco on June 14 of this year. What's so special about this, you may ask? Thousands of teenagers graduate from high school every year. Well, Belasco was no average student and she was no teenager. She is 98 years old and received her high school diploma 80 years after dropping out of school.

What new knowledge have you obtained lately? What new skills have you acquired this year? I encourage you to take on the lifelong learning concept. Learn a new skill. Take a class on a subject that interests you. For those who believe in continuous economic growth, lifelong learning is a necessity, not a luxury, for all of us.

Studentr ages nine through 16 participated in the went at the GDOL. F i b m o studentr were present for the activities scheduld for the day. The activities that the students participated in were designed to give them a realistic view of actual day-to-day decisions made by the adults in their Fives, such as budgeting and paying bills, effectively interacting and communicating with peers or co-workers, and functioning as a productive and responsible member of one's family and society.
The students were all brought back together at the end of the day and prizes were given to students who paid the most attention during the day of events. Students had the opportunity to ask questions and make comments during this session. The enthusiasm among the students was great and each one stated they learned a great deal from the activities. Most children expressed strong interests in returningyear after year for the Labor Department'sannual TODSWD.

Beiasco is a living example that it's nwer too soon or too late for learn-

Thank you to allthe p a r a and studenrswho participatedand the facilfrtatorswho assisted in the event We look forward to U n gyou again next year.

ing. Lifelonglearningis attitudinal-it

means that one can and should be

open to new ideas, decisions, skills

O r behaviors. It throws the axiom "you teach an dog new

The Beacon, a quorterfy publication, will consider for publscation articles reluting to

tricks" out the door and encourages or dealing with the Georgia Department of

citizens of all ages to continue learn- Labor. Articles must be double-spoced end

ing, not just through formal channels such as schools and colleges but

typewritten. Please include name. address
- -- . and a daytime phone number with article.
- tr~hrnirsin.n-rrnrrrt nr.r.i.v.* hd]a-r."* t.,h.-e I '+C."t h f"i]f

thmugh other' forms oftminingsuch as workshops, correspondence

each month to be considered for the next issue. Articles rnoy be emoiled to

I

cour.se..s o.r recreational activities.

janice.reoves@dobstate.go.us or foxed to

(404) 656-2683. Editor reservesthe right to

In a recent speech, Alan G-nspan, former Federal Reserve chairman, warned that U.S. workers must be better educated if they are to find

edit 011 artjcles of submission.

-. -

. - . - ..

I he Beacon ss ovui!ubfein Braille and other

alternate formats.

jobs in a rapidly changing economy.
He said we nlust pravide "rigorous

~~~l articles Georgia Department of Labor

-
tr

-
ft

y

-

t

w

o

chr.r,oren

porr"r-c"lporl'

~ ind the 2006 Take Our Daughters

ond Sons to Work Do;

education andl ongoing training to all Suite 600

ot the GDOL.Pictured are the nine to 14 year old age group. The E5-16 yeor old stu

members of society." CXten individ-
uab wait until companies downsize

148 Andrew Young International Blvd.. N.E. Atlanta. GA 30363- 1751

I

- dents were out working on Q video assignment with GOOL s t 6members Paul Cornwa
and Robert miner.

High SchoolIHigh Tech Goes West
By Carolyn Kowutski

Seven Georgia High SchooWigh T i h (HSIMTj students recently returned

from a whirlwind trip to Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, WA, where they

presentedthe projectsthat garnered them recognition as winners of the Microsoft

Accessible Computer Sofhrvare DevelopmentCompetition.The statewide contest

resulted from an agreement between Microsofr and the Georgia Committee on

Employment of People with Disabilities, Inc., a nonprofit organization committed

to Georgia High SchooIlHigh Tech, an initiative of the Georgia Department of

bborlVocational Rehabilitation program designed to get students with disabilities

interested in high tech careers.

Georgia's students were pairedwith speciallytrained mentors and given overall

technical assistance by two professionals with expertise in accessible program

design. Each team planned, designed and developed a fully functional bug-free

windows based application.

The Dougherty County HSlHTteam based its project on Logo-Links, a school

store housed at Westover High School in Albany that markets and sells specialized

items imprinted with the school's mascot and colors. The team developed a MS

Access database usingVisual Basics 2005 to make the buying process more acces-

sible. The Logo-Links store items haw a picture, description, and price of any

selected itemavailable in formats that accommodatethose with readingdisabilities

(vision or learningdisabled). The program allows the user to access information on

the products available in alternateformats, add an item to a shopping cart, and ulti-

mately send an email of the list of items to the store director for processing.

The Red Eagle Fenv team from

Tama Trihl Town in Whigham, GA,

which is the first and only Native

American HSEHT program in the

countr): adapted Lower Muskogee

Janice Reaves, Editor John Ard, Stufwriter Matia Storey Edwards. Stoffwriter Annie Hughley. Stufwrrter Carolyn Kowalski. Staffwriter

Creek Indian myths and legends from printed to electronic format, essentially creating an e-book. And since a key goal of the Muskogee Creek program is to connect its young people

Quentin Miller. Stof writer

to tribal elders through cultural aware-

Nicote Mangharn, Ldyout Designer.

ness, the project focus was perfect.

Graphrc Artist

Official N,
srgia Del

of the
of Labor

The efectronic format is written to
- a database and stored on a CD along
with the application, which accesses

the storiesand modifiesthem usingthe accessibility features built into the Microsoft Windows XP operatingsystem. The program allows the user to adiust font size and colors, as well as background colors. There is also a text-to-speech option that can be selected.
In addition to touring Microsoft's Home of the Future and Center for Information Workplace, the group visited the Seattle Space Needle, a Boeing aircraft plantthat is the largest factory in the world: 78 acres under one roof, and the University of Washington 190-station computer lab. where hey learned about adaptive technology and accommodations.
Throughout the competition and on the trip itself, stden& applied critical thinking ski1Is, learned useful computer programming concepts and techniques, deepened their understanding of accessibility and gained self-confidence. All will serve them well as they finish high school and move to post-secondaveducation and wark.
I
'She Red Eogie Teom: Bobby Murphy, Marion McCormick. Cornelfus Butier (President,
Butler New Medio LSCJ. Dovid McCormick. Troy Mallory, Lee Mrller (CEO,GR
Committee on Employment o f PeopEe with Disabilities. Inc.); The Dougherty County Team:Morris Roiney, NkengeMajor, JFm Edwards. Ronnie McMilSan.Jonathan Taunton. Brandon Worthy, Antwon Trice

Albany
The Albany Career Center conducted its first
Saturday Academy in May 2006 with 32 students participating. The purpose of the academy is to
provide job readiness training sessions for young job seekers. Employers asked for this training and the Career Center responded. The Saturday Academy preceded Albany's first Youth Summer Job Fair.
Athens Emily Moore, DOL services specialist in the Athens Career Center,has been promoted to unit
supervisor in the Elberton Career Center.
fl Blue Ridge
Members of the North Georgia Employer
Committee (NGEC)were treated t o a special
presentation entitled "Business Sewices Through the Workforce Investment Board," presented by Glenn ksco, Lisa Adkisson, Scott Jackson, Andy
Smith, Candy Day and ButchJones of the NGEC.
Butch Jones also announced that the Northwest Georgia Workforce Investment Board V I E ) received the Spirit of Collaboration Award at the 2005 Workforce Conference for outstanding service in partner communication, customer sewice, job training resources and the cosr-effective operation of the One Stop System.

The Mitchell-Baker Employer Committee, the Parent Mentor Program, the Program for Exceptional Children. the Camilla Career Center, and Vocational Rehabilitation Services collaborated with local colleges, technical schools and businesses in Mitchell and 'Baker counties to hold a job fair for high school students tmsitioning from high school to college or work. The job fair was a great success with approximately 70 students from the high school special education program in attendance.
Columbus
The Columbus Career Center recognizes Veda Causey and Dan Harmon for 100 percent
Benefits Timeliness Quality reviews - claims that
have no corrections t o be made.
Actured is Don Harmon (LJ and Veda Cause (Rlwrth Career Center manager, Mike//Fryer.

David Clinard with Elizabeth Barnett
M Monroe
Pat Boiley, career center manager. presents employment marketing representative Susan Yearwood {L) with o 20 year Faithful Service Award at the Monroe Coreer Center.

fl Dublin
DubIin Career Center employees GjW%KnZ Hodges and Nancy Welch were presented with service awards at a recent staff meeting. Hodges (L) holds her five year Faithful Service Award and Welch shows her 20 year Faithful Service Award.

L-R, Glenn Rasco, NGEC vice chairperson, Loraine Green, NGEC secretary-treasurer and Butch ]ones, NGEC member ond WIB chairperson.

Camilla Kudos to Angelia Adarns, DOL services spe-
cialist, Bill Palmer, employment marketing repre-
sentative, and Torn Brock, DOL services specialist,
who all worked to place three GoodWorks! clients.

Macon David Clinard, Career Center manager, presents Linda R. Rhodes, DOL services specialfd
claims examiner, with a 30 year Faithful Service Award. Clinard also presented Elizabeth Barnett with a five year Faithful Service Award. Congratulations t o both!

I

I

L-R. Bjil Palmer, employment marketfng representotive Angelia Adams, DOL services specialist, and Tom Brock, DOL services specialist, who all worked t o help GoodWorks!clients obtain therr independence.

Month!

1

David ~ l i n o z t Lhinda R. Rhodes

The Gwinnett, Covrngton and Monroe Career Centers partnered m sponsoring the Yeterans'Job Foir at the American Legion in Loganville an March 8. Shown
(L-R): Susan Yearwood, employment marketing representdive, Monroe; Naomr Glenn, district director IV North; and Rickey Coleman, veteran's representative, Monroe. The job fair was we// attended.
M Savannah
Pictured are participants at the job fair held at she Savannah Electric Corporate office in March. The plant is scheduled to close this summer. The Georgia Department of labor's Rapid Response team and the Sovannoh Career Center hme been working to oid those who will be afected by the closure.
Thomasville The Thomasville Career Center celebrated
National Disability Employment Awareness Month with a proclamation from Thomasville Mayor, Rick Singletary. The theme was "Workers with Disabilities, Ready for Tomorrow's JobsToday!"

Pictured (L-R): C ~ n d y Wooten, Lisa Griffin and
Marilyn Mason of the Thomasville Career Center accept the proclomotEon from Thomasville Mayor,
Rick Singletory
The Tfmmanille staff were also mined on the
myths and fa- r e l d to people with disabilities.
The training was conducted by Georgiann Johnson and Laura Kennedyof kchibold Memorial Hospital.
Llsa Grifin and Cindy Wooten present a thank you gift to guest speaker, Georgionn johnson during the Disability Awareness Month program.
The Thomasville k r Center celebrated the grand opening of its main conference mom which was renamed in honor of the Fate Curtis
Taylor Thomas, Sr., a former GDOL employee
known for his dedication to helpingothers, and his job performance which went above and beyond the call of duty. Piaured with Commissioner Phurmond is Mrs. Curtis Taylor Thomas, Thornasville Mayor Rick Singletary, various members of the Thomas family and others who attended the dedication ceremony.

F Tifton
E More than 290 job seekers attended a job fair hosted by the Tifton Career Center and Tift Area Emptoyer Committee. Four large manufacturing companies, Exopack. Orgill, Shaw, and Tifton Aluminum were on-site to interview potential employees. The event was timed to assist former Burlen employees who were recently laid-off.
True to his commitment t o Operation Welcome Home, Commissioner Thurmond attended a veterans' job fair in Tifton and gave a brief presentation on the advantages of hiringveterans. The job fair was attended by 45 employers, 100 veterans and approximately 150 job seekers from the general public. LVER Michael Burgess and DVOP Greg Morris were also in attendance.
The Career Center and Employer Committee also collaborated with ~ i f hi e a Technical College and Moultrie Technical College for the Second Annual Community
Career Fair. Thirty-nine employers and more than 240 job seekers attended. DOL services specialist Michael Burgess was on hand to assist area veterans in their job searches.

A Valdosta
The Valdosta Career Center welcomes Kellie Mays as unit supervisor. Mays has been with the GDOC for seven years as a DOL services specrollisr.
Congratufotions!
- The Voldosto Career Center welcomes G r e F~errell as
the new Disabled Veterans Outreach Program representative. Welcome aboard!
Now this is true customer service - doing
whatever it takes to help the customer. Pictured is
- Ruthie Howard. DOL services s~ecialisth. oldinga
sleeping baby girl while her m&er is at the cornputer searchingfor a job. Thanks Ruthiefor all you do?

Two hundred forty job seekers and 35 employers and organizations participated in the first Fitzgerald Business ExpoIJab Fair on June 15, which was sponsored by the Tift area Employer Committee and other local businesses.

N d r a Wakefield, project director, lobs for Georgia Graduates, was awarded the Nutional Associatfon for
Equal Employment in Higher Education Distinguished
Alumni Award. This annual award is given to an alumni of a historically or predominantly black college or university who has distinguished him or herself in a profession, a community, our nation, in exceIlence andlor altruism. Congratulations Nedra!

Mikell Fryer, manager of the Columbus Career Center,
has another title to add to his name - Minority Small
Business Champian of the Year for Georgia and the Southeast region. Mikell received the honor from the U.S. Small Business Administration. This award is the most recent addition to a long list of accomplishments, including being named Supervisor of the Year in 2002 by the International Association of Workforce Personnel, and Monager of the Yeor fir Veteran Services in 2005.

-- Employment Opportunities for All
THECLASSICCENTER* ATHENSG, EORGIA Pre-eonfmmce workshops will be held October 30-31

Rehabilitation Services

If You Can Believe It, You Can Achieve It
By Annie Hughley

Frank Levine has operated a Braille repair business for four and one-half years. He independently repairs Braille equipment from all over the United States. So far, Levine has repaired more than 450 machines, using parts smalEer than the screws used to hold eyeglasses together. The most unique aspect of this is Levine is deaf and blind.
Levine started out as an automobile mechanic. Although he was hearing impaired, he was able to make a living doing something he loved - repairing machines. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with Usher Syndrome, a disease that eventually took his sight as well as his hearing.
But Levine did not just decide t o become a Braille repairman avernight. He decided that he
Frank Levine with one of the machines he repairs.

wanted to work, and started searching for jobs he could do. He became a lawn mower repairman, but had to give that job up because employers were afraid that not being able to see would pose a danger for him. So he attended the Georgia Sensory Resource Center (GSRC) t o get help because he wanted to work. At GSRC, Levine was introduced t o Braille machines that did not work. He asked why the machines were sitting around and was told that no one was able to repair the machines. That" when the idea t o become a Braille repairman was born.
Levine became friends with Dr. Bob Krause of GSRC
who told the former mechanic, "If you can repair a carburetor, then you can repair a Braille machine."
Levine was evaluated by Diane Connelly with the Vocational Rehabilitation (MI) Assistive Technology Program, Jack Gilson, supervisor with VR, Susan Lascek, a representative with the Helen Keller National Center, and an interpreter. The interview took a full day and instructions on machine repair were translated from English to Braille for him. Levine then attended the Helen Keller National Center where he refined his skills.
Returning from the center, Levine was able t o set up shop and began repairing BraiFle machines. At first, he had trouble diagnosing the problems the machines had. He would take the machine apart, attempt a repair, and put it back together only to discover that it still did not work. He is now able to repair all types of machine, both manuatandzlectrir.
Levine has added an additional component t o his job. He is a technology instructor for individualswho are deaf and blind like himself. His goal is to help as many people become independent. He receives

Frank Levrne (RJ with Dr. Bob Krause (L) and Rebecca Sdls, Coordinator - Deaf; Hard of Hearing and Deaf-
Blind.
referrals from the Blind and Nojtow Vision Center as
well as from VR. Levine strongly believes that "you have t o have a
talent and a passion for the work you choose, which will help you get your ideas going." He credits the Georgia Department of Labor's VR Division and the Helen Keller National Center as being instrumental in his success and helping him identify his passion.
Levine is a living example that nothing is impossible forthse who have thedesire-to achieve, and. he is proof that the GeorgiaDepartment of Labor is succeeding in its mission of building a world class workforce.

Tools for Life - An Apt Name
By Carolyn Kowalski

For a person without a disability, technology

ings were designed to bring participants together to

makes things easier; for a person with a disability,

strategize about increasing access to AT, and to

technology makes things possibte.

provide a faciIitated forum where local citizens can

That simple truth fuels virtually every activity of

discuss and recommend the kinds of AT resources

Tools for Life (TFL), a federally-funded initiative of

that are needed in their communities so that people

the Georgia Department of Labor" Vocational

with disabilities can live independent, productive,

Rehabilitation program. TFL focuses on providing

and inclusive lives. Participants typically include

assistive technology (AT) training, demonstrations

people with disabilities, family members, advocates,

and lending library access, information and referral

employers, and service providers.

services, and computer reutilization projects to all

In each location, TFL and the ATRCs serving the

Georgians with disabilities. And that is a significant

area explain the spectrum of local and statewide ser-

number. According ro the 2000 U. S. Census, nearly 1.5 million Georgians age five and older have a dis-

A tyPicol T F L town hall meeting.

vices available, such as G-Trade, an on-line AT exchange effort, and Credit-Able, a new program

ability, and there is no accurate estimate of how

that fosters affordable ways to finance AT.

many infants and children younger than fivecould be

Interestingly enough, these two programs were

added to that total.
TFCs operating ethic is also simple: to give "options for greater freedom... to

implemented from suggestions at TFCs first foray into town hall meetings in the early 1990s, as was ReBoot, the computer recycling

all Georgians with disabilities s o they can independently live, learn, work, and play project. The small group discussions this year emphasized three major needs: more

independently in communities of their choice." A toddler who needs an adaptive toy AT resource centers throughout the state; increasedawareness of available AT ser-

with oversized push butrons, a college freshman who is blind and wants to test N O

vices utilizing local health departments. school systems and social service agencies;

different voice activated computer programs before buying One, and an older and developmentof an AT co-op, a sort of Sam's Club for technology, so that cost-

worker who needs help researching some mobility accommodations for home and efficient group purchases can be explored.

office - each of these Georgians can contact TFL staff for help.

Another trend reflects the growth of the older worker and about-to-be senior

And getting help couldn't be easier. There is no age, income or other eligibility citizen population. Whether the individualsin this demographic have a disability or

requirement people need t o meet in order to utilize TFCs expertise, resources and believe rhey might acquire one as they grow older, rhey see the need for an AT

services. An individualsimply c o n ~ c t seither the TFL central office or one of the four strategy that will help them plan an answer to the question, "How do I

? "

Assistive Technology Resource Centers (ATRCs) responsible for providingAT infor- The blank ranges from "make it easier for my mother to move around her home,

mation and referral services t o the community that it helps fund. After a basic and especially in the kitchen and bathroom," t o "use the accessibility features on my

informal intake procedure, a TFL coordinator puts the wheels in motion to recom- refurbished computer," t o "find reliable transportation so that I can go back to

mend the most appropriateway to fulfill the caller's request, whether it is to locate work after my stroke."

a used computer or to apply for a low-interest loan to purchase an adapted vehicle.

If past experience is any indicator, TFCs town hall meetings will prove t o be a

In an effort to increase awareness of its various services as well as garner vital good investment, one that reinforces the foundation for providing multifaceted

input from local communities, TFL recently launched a series of town hat1meetings future services for all Georgians. For more information about TFL, please call

across Georgia - the first in Rome in January,the last in July in Atlanta. The meet- 404.638.0390 ar email info@eatfl.or~.

I - Page 8 Vol. Five/lssue 1

I The BEACON - Georgia Department of Labor

Partnership: GDOL and State Charitable

Contributions Program

By Annie Hughley

Chances are If you we s&t impaired hPGeutgb,ymhwwhweheardof h t - a Turnesr.She is a M i a produc-
tion specialist with the Georgia Department of b b r ' s Vocational
Rehabitit& (VR) m.She m & m
rnat&al irrta Wth so cliants with rmvision or tow vision wn r d it,

When you first meet burn, k is c l l M t totdl th&*wQmm m ~ h warm smile a d d m % e p has m, vision at dt. Shekst hervision w h she w;ws 22 dw to a condition known as optic m&. .Not d p o p k who h e tk

and d-I

still don't know what

caused her loss ofsight.

The partnership between the GDOL and the Stare Charitable Contributions Program (SCCP) has proven a positive one for all involved. GDOL employees have found that they can support their favorite charities and their communities through payroll deductions and one time contributions. And the charities benefit from receiving d l of the deductions together, saving on administrative costs. This makes a win-win situation for all.
GDOL donations for the 2005 - 2006 year tohled $84,287.65 and show that Labor employeesare still committed to giving
back. GDOL employees not only contributedto SCCR they contributed t o other organizationst o help those affected by dis-
aster, and they gave of themselves as well - helpingt o feed the hungry, donatingfood and clothing to those in need, givingtoys
to make a child's holiday bright and a host of other activities that helped t o enhance the lives of others. While all of our divisions and individuals deserve recognitionfor their contributions to SCCR the Marketingand Community
Relations Division awards honors in two otegories -the division with the most innovative and creative fundraiser is given the Pelican Award, while the ParagonAward goes t o the division that submitted the largest fundraising contribution. This year, the PelicanAward went t o Information Technology (IT) for its innovative balloon dart toss, and the ParagonAward was presented to Financial Services for the highest fundraising contribution. Please offer your congratulationst o these two divisions that will hold the awards until the next SCCP campaign.
I

WMM&wed bt-cur- popEti# ir

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Paragon Winner: FinancialServices; (L-R) First Row: SCCP coordinator, Quentin Miller, Gwen Smith, Sabrina kterson, SCCP coor-
dinator.Mutia Storey Edwards; Second Row: Deaodralones, Linda Reid, Deborah Bland; Third Raw: Greg Beauvais, Gil McCorrnick

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Pelican Winnec Information Technology: (L-R) SCCP coordinator Quentin Miller, Linda Russell, Desiyonti Clark, Geneva Goodwyn. SCCP coordinator Matia Storey Wwards

How well do you know your country? The fillowing are common nicknames of U.S. states. Can you name them?

I. The Btuegrass State

2. The Volunteer State

3. The Empire State of the South

4. The Aloha State

5. The First State

6. The Sunshine Shte

7. The Heart of Dixie State

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8. The Constitution State

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9. The Great Lakes Shte

10. The Cornhusker State

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I. The Evergreen State 12. The Equality State

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Answers to lost edition's p u d e

13. The Mount Rushrnore State

14. The Keystone State

15. The Sooner State

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16. The Empire State

1 7. The Pine Tree State

18. The Pelican State

1 9. The Last Frontier State

20. The Golden State