Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, 2017 March

Rooted in the Field
Shaping the organization's new direction
March 2017

Table of Contents
Page 1 -- Executive Director Sean T. Casey Reflects on His First 120 Days Page 2 -- A Special Anniversary at the Cave Spring Center Page 3 -- Get to Know Senator Butch Miller Page 4 -- Friends Helping Friends Travels to the State Capitol Pages 5 and 6 -- A Student at the Cave Spring Center Gains Confidence One Trim at a Time Page 7 -- E3 Will Soon Unveil New Promotional Videos Pages 8 and 9 -- Several Much-Deserved Promotions in VR Page 10 -- Listening to the Field at a Recent Management Training Page 11 -- Your Latest Legislative Update Page 12 -- Calendar of Events Page 13 -- How to Order New Business Cards Page 14 -- Open Houses at Our Post-Secondary Partners and a Remembrance Page 15 -- Employee of the Month at DAS and BEP Happenings Page 16 -- On Change

On the First 120 Days

Executive Director Sean T. Casey Breaks Down His Tenure

As we prepare to head into spring, I wanted take an opportunity to thank you for your hard work and support on new adventures over roughly my first hundred and twenty days with Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA). The past four months have brought accomplishments, challenges and transitions, but through it all, you have remained steadfast in your commitment to what matters most--the clients. Thank you for keeping the mission in focus.
As of February 14, we have 1,390 coworkers at GVRA, and we are making positive strides to ensure open positions are filled quickly with talented people who have the right experience. In December, the hiring freeze I requested prior to arriving was lifted for field positions, and many of those have been filled with qualified individuals with years of vocational rehabilitation experience. We have just announced a new Director of Blind and Deaf Services. We crafted that post after hearing from staff and external partners in the sensory community. We still have much work to do in serving clients who are deaf, blind, deaf/blind, have low vision and are hard of hearing, but I believe the new director will help guide us as we make more positive progress.
Legislative session will also wrap up at the end of this month, with the final day falling on Thursday, March 30th. Having presented our Amended Fiscal Year 2017 budget and Fiscal Year 2018 budget on the House side, we most recently had the opportunity to present before the Senate Appropriations Human Development Subcommittee February 22nd. The budget version pending Senate approval includes an additional $1 million dollar allocation for client services.
December's graduating class at Roosevelt Warm Springs (RWS) set a record for job placement. When fifty-eight students crossed the stage, 51 percent were already employed. In addition, we want to congratulate RWS for re-certification through the Commission of Accreditation of

Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for a threeyear period ending in 2019. The two categories for which RWS received this significant distinction are Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation Services and Employee Development Services. As we've noted in previous editions of this newsletter, Georgia Industries for the Blind (GIB) was honored by National Industries for the Blind (NIB), the nation's largest employment resource for people who are blind. The 2016 Employment Growth Award recognizes GIB's efforts to increase employment retention, growth and upward mobility. Congratulations to the team in Bainbridge!

Thanks to the Facilities team and all involved for efforts to help find a much-needed new location for our VR staff in Waycross. A new site is pending proper approvals from the State Properties Commission. Needs of our coworkers in Cleveland and Perry are also on the radar. We want every VR office to be a safe, pleasant and welcoming place for our clients and local teams.

Finally, I'm proud of those of you who have worked hard while remembering to enjoy one another as colleagues and friends. The 5th floor at 200 Piedmont routinely does a wonderful job of honoring coworker birthdays and most recently, celebrating Valentine's Day with a lunch and team pictures. I also want to recognize Human Resources for organizing Hawks Night April 11th as an opportunity to bring staff together. If you still haven't purchased an employee ticket, contact Michelle Raines at Michelle.Raines@gvs.ga.gov by March 15.

Know that I am here to support and assist you.

Thank you to the 16 offices and other program

locations for a heartfelt welcome during our

November and December visits. I look forward

to getting back out on the road at the end of the

legislative session. Your contributions to the

mission do not go unnoticed nor

unappreciated.

1

The Cave Spring Center celebrated the five-year anniversary of its remodeled campus in mid-February. Here are some pictures of staff and CSC students at the event.

Meet A Legislator

This Month, We Feature Senator Butch Miller

Senator Butch Miller was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2010 to represent the 49th Senate District, which is comprised of the majority of Hall County.
Sen. Miller serves as a member of the following Senate Committees: Banking and Financial Institutions, Appropriations, Ethics, Regulated Industries and Utilities and Rules. He is also a member of the joint Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Overview Committee (MARTOC) and the Chairman of Georgia World Congress Center Authority Oversight Committee.

for Children, Northeast Georgia Medical Center Foundation, United Way, and he is a school council board member and partner in education with numerous schools.
Sen. Miller has been honored with several awards and recognitions, including Georgia Automobile Dealers Association Distinguished Director, Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce Silver Shovel Award, Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year, Georgia Rotary Four-Way Test Award, Georgia Rotary Student Program Will Watt Fellow and the North Georgia College and State University Young Alumnus Award.
"GVRA plays an integral role in the lives of many Georgians. It's creating jobs and a great workforce while giving individuals a sense of pride and worth."

He notably carried the bill in 2012 that established GVRA as its own agency.
Sen. Miller brings leadership experience to his Senate seat. He is a former chairman of the Georgia Automobile Dealers Association's board of directors and of the National Automobile Dealers Association 20 Group.
He is also past chair of the North Georgia Honda Dealers' board of directors and the Georgia Baptist Children's Home board of directors and a former president of the North Georgia Honda Dealers. Sen. Miller has served on the American Honda Motor Company National Dealers advisory board, as well as on the boards of Challenged Child and Friends, Hall County Parks and Leisure, Field of Dreams, and the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce.
He is an active participant in the community, including the Gainesville Rotary, Meals on Wheels, Relay for Life, Eagle Ranch, Hall County YMCA, Edmondson-Telford Center

A Buford native, Sen. Miller joined the team of veteran auto dealer Milton Martin in 1993. In 1997, Sen. Miller and Jim Foote acquired the dealer's Honda franchise. Under their leadership, Milton Martin Honda has become one of the leading dealerships in Georgia.
Sen. Miller is married to the former Teresa Carey, daughter of Jack and Joyce Carey. She is a graduate of Gainesville High School and the University of Georgia. The Millers were blessed with three sons: Cole, Carey and Charlie. Cole, who suffered from Cerebral Palsy, passed away in 2001. Carey is a graduate of the University of Georgia and UGA Law School. He is married to the former Jessica Young. Charlie is in his final year at Kennesaw State University.
Sen. Miller is the son of Mrs. Mac Miller and the late Dr. Cecil L. Miller, who practiced family medicine in Buford for half a century. The Millers attend Lakewood Baptist Church, where Sen. Miller has served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher.

Friends Helping Friends at the Capitol

A Special Trip for a Special Group of Young People

On February 23, several Friends Helping Friends Club senior officers were honored guests of State Representative Tom McCall (District 33) and Jane McCall at the State Capitol.
During the visit, the officers had the opportunity to meet with Craig Camuso, CSX Regional Vice President of State Government and Community Affairs. Mr. Camuso spoke with the group expressing his admiration for the work that the club does for students and also committed his continued support.

Administrative Assistant Leigh Goff with a FHF gift bag full of items donated from Elberton businesses.
The group enjoyed lunch across the street at the Twin Towers food court where they visited with GVRA Executive Director Sean Casey, GVRA Deputy Director Kevin Harris and GVRA Chief External Affairs Officer Katie Womick before treating the Elbert County Middle and High schools group to a performance of the Phantom of the Opera at the Fabulous Fox Theatre.

The officers expressed sincere appreciation for the hospitality shown to them at the Capitol as they presented Rep. McCall's

These young people do so much to help their peers with disabilities, and the day at the Capitol was a special thank you.

Pictured from left are Rep. McCall, Jane McCall, Morgan Evans, Bella Fernandez, Mallory Smith, Governor Nathan Deal, Brianna Vaughn, Cassidy Childs, Lauren Brown, Elbert Co. Schools FHF Faculty Sponsor Chrystal Thomas, Friends Helping Friends Club, Inc. President Sandy Adams and CSX Regional Vice President of State Government and Community Affairs Craig Camuso.

"When I first got to Cave Spring, I didn't have a positive attitude, but now I feel more confident in what I can do."

One Haircut at a Time

How One Man Learned to be More Positive

Keyvis Russell was born deaf, and because of that, when he's working at Visio Hair Salon in Rome he can't hear the bell on the door announcing a new customer. He can't hear the buzz of the clippers when they're in his hand, and he can't talk to his supervisor because his supervisor doesn't speak American Sign Language.
No problem though. There's always a workaround.
For Keyvis, that involves texting. Need to clarify what kind of a haircut a customer wants? He texts his boss. Need to figure out how tips work? He texts his boss.
It's a relatively simple solution to the problem, but it's not the first easy fix Keyvis has discovered since he started at the Cave Spring Center in July of last year.
"I learned a lot about following the rules," Keyvis said. "I learned how to dress appropriately for a job. I learned the importance of social skills, how to practice those skills and pick up more skills. I learned how not to be lazy and push things to the side but to think about my future and work towards my future."
Cutting hair wasn't always Keyvis' plan. He initially planned on working in a warehouse, but staff at CSC noticed something about how he was spending his free time.
"He was cutting everybody's hair and doing these cool designs, and we thought `there's a skill he has," said Gola Burton, special education teacher at the center. "We had someone who had a relationship with Rodney [the owner of Visio], and here we are."

His position at Visio isn't a long-term job, but rather, it's made possible through a program called Community Work Adjustment Training (CWAT). CWAT allows clients to get work experience and learn the ins and outs of the working world in a training setting.
Once they graduate from the program at Cave Spring, they use this training to move back to their home community and find a job there. At that point, once they work for 90 days, their case is closed.
In Keyvis' case, CSC staff are still waiting to get him new hearing aids. In the meantime, he texts when he has a question, and he's quick to find innovative ways to get to where he needs to be, Gola said.
"He's a hard worker and quite smart," she said. "I think he'll be able to accomplish anything he sets his mind to."
While he's learned a lot in the last six months, Keyvis said the biggest thing he's learned is how always to be optimistic about whatever comes next.
"When I first got to Cave Spring, I didn't have a positive attitude, but now I feel more confident in what I can do," he said. "Cave Spring has really given me that."
Keyvis specifically wanted to thank the staff of the Cave Spring Center for all the help they've given him. He also wanted to thank his counselor in Griffin, Tasha Singleton.
"Everybody has been very supportive and helpful," he said. "And without all that help, I don't know what I would have done.

When Keyvis started at the salon, he had a job coach who was there to help out where needed, but within a week, it was clear Keyvis could handle it all on his own.

Ready For Their Close Up
New Videos Will Highlight the E3 Transition Program

This month, filming began in Troup County on promotional videos for E3: Explore, Engage and Employ. Students, parents and educators were interviewed for the first of many videos that will help to educate students as they learn more about how the program can provide them with fulfilling career pathways in their communities.
These interviews will provide Georgians with a unique opportunity to view vocational rehabilitation services from several different perspectives.
Among the topics discussed were: the importance of community supports, job

Written by Social Media Technologist Tanya Wise
readiness skills and the role VR plays in regards to student success.
Parents and educators within the district were also eager to talk about the strong partnership that has been created between Troup County schools and GVRA. Building off of this enthusiasm, filming will take place at the other six E3 pilot sites to provide a comprehensive view of the program and its impact.
These interviews will be used as part of a larger video series that will provide greater access to information and resources while highlighting GVRA and E3 success stories across the state.

Staff Promotions

These Coworkers Have a Combined 61 Years of VR Experience

Four current Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA) employees, all with extensive Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) backgrounds and work experience as Certified Rehabilitation Counselors (CRCs) have been promoted to new roles that will help advance GVRA's client-focused mission of serving career-minded Georgians with disabilities.

She has also maintained active membership with the Georgia Rehabilitation Association (GRA) and recently served as a Board Member at Large.
She resides in Columbus with her spouse of 17 years, Eric. They have three children named Jeffrey, Madison and Ben.

Between the four, they boast roughly 61 cumulative years with the organization. They are:
Lauren Knox, Director of Field Services
Lauren obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Community Counseling from Columbus State University.
She also holds active Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) designations. She began her career with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) as a technician under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) contract, where she served as an administrative assistant/billing technician. During her almost four years working under the contract, she was promoted several times and eventually obtained the position of JTPA counselor.
By the time the contract ended, she knew that she wanted to make a career with Vocational Rehabilitation. Since there were no vacant positions within VR at the time, she worked at the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) while attending graduate school. Upon completion of her degree, she was hired into a Counselor position with VR.
During her almost 27-years tenure, she has served in the roles of CRC, Account Representative, Rehabilitation Unit Manager (RUM) and Assistant Director of Field Services.

Mary Ellen Mendiratta, Director of Provider Management
Mary Ellen is a passionate rehabilitation leader and advocate. Shortly after moving to Georgia in 1999, she joined the Tommy Nobis Center and served in many roles, culminating in a stint as Rehabilitation Unit Manager (RUM). In 2006, Mary Ellen formed a partnership with a colleague called Community Works, Inc., which serviced vocational rehabilitation clients, Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) clients and supported the DeKalb County & the Atlanta Public School systems.
In 2009, she founded In Focus Rehab to provide high quality service offerings to individuals with disabilities. She started working as RUM in the Gainesville unit in 2015 and most recently served in this capacity at the Cumming VR Unit.
In addition to her business activities, Mary Ellen held roles on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Rehabilitation Association (GRA) as the Past-Vice President and on the membership committee of the National Rehabilitation Association (NRA). She is also a founder of Project L.I.F.E. (Learning Independence for Future Employment). Mary Ellen earned her B. S. in Human Services from the University of Tennessee, a M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling from San Diego State University, a certificate from Georgia State University in Rehabilitation Leadership and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). She has won numerous awards, including the GRA Service to

Rehabilitation Award, Galaxy of Stars Luminary Award for Professional Advocacy and the Joyce W. Slaughter Staff Member of the Year Award.
She lives in Alpharetta with her husband of 18 years, Suneel.
Julie O'Connor, Assistant Director of Field Services - East
Julie received a Bachelor's degree in Communications from Augusta College and a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Auburn University. She began her career with the state of Georgia as a Family Independence Case Manager at Richmond County Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS).
Previously, she was the Community Director of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation and the Development Coordinator for Easter Seals East Georgia.
Julie began working with GVRA as an Account Representative in July 1999. During the past 18 years, she has worked in the positions of Rehabilitation Counselor Associate, Rehabilitation Counselor, and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). She was also a Manager for ten years.
She developed statewide rehabilitation experience by serving as a Policy & Appeals Advisor for six years, where she provided technical assistance and guidance to ensure policy compliance and due process.
Most recently, Julie was the Customer Care Manager, where she assisted internal and external customers in resolving issues and concerns.
During her career with GVRA, Julie has served on numerous statewide committees whose purposes were to improve the quality of services, develop new programs and ensure staff development.
She lives in Appling, GA, with her spouse of 19 years, and has two sons.

Denine Woodson, Director of Blind and Deaf Services
Denine came to Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) as a VRCT in LaGrange in 2004. She was promoted to a Rehabilitation Unit Manager (RUM) and then a Regional Director in 2008. She has served on numerous boards and completed VR service projects, and she has consistently led her team to meet or exceed their performance standards. She has also served in the capacity of Director of Operations and Director of Field Services.
As part of her most recent position as Director of Outreach and Intake, she has worked closely with the Specialty Team to develop unique avenues to assist our sensory population with entry into GVRA services.
Denine has served with the organization for more than 13 years and has more than ten years of VR experience in both Ohio and New York. She currently holds an active Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) certification.
She is a graduate of the University of Akron, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, where she earned her Master's in Social Administration.
She has also completed post graduate studies in Ohio and New York. She and her husband of 23 years currently reside in Newnan, GA, with their two sons (20 and 18 years) and their 14 year-old-daughter.
Denine's vision for the Blind/ Visually Impaired and Deaf/Hard of Hearing is to redesign and build a process that will allow our staff and providers to understand the needs of the clients and community and institute innovative services to meet those needs from intake through successful closure.

Listening to the Field
Recent VR Manager Training Reflects Co-Worker Input

Speaking at a recent training event in Atlanta for Vocational Rehabilitation SAMs and Team Leads, Deputy Executive Director Kevin Harris made it clear that GVRA management was already implementing suggestions given by field staff.
"It was important for us to travel to local offices," Kevin said. "We've listened to you guys, and we've made changes."
This sentiment kicked off the three-day training session that covered nearly the entirety of administrative functions and how they exist to support the field staff.
This included presentations from marketing and branding, facilities, legal, application

management, IT, specialty populations, transition and more.
In addition to ensuring field staff is familiar with the administrative processes that are in place to help them succeed, the event also gave staff the opportunity to connect with one another and discuss best practices.
It marked the unofficial implementation of the SAM/Team Lead positions, as those individuals assumed their new roles on March 1.
"I hope staff felt that they got a lot out of the event," said Training and Development Manager Tania Scott. "We want to give everyone the tools they need to succeed."

Legislative Update
By Chief External Affairs Officer Katie Womick

February was a busy month for the General Assembly as legislators worked to get their bills passed out of their respective houses before Crossover Day on Legislative Day 28, which was on March 3. Crossover Day was the last day a bill could pass from the legislative chamber in which it was introduced to the other legislative chamber for consideration. All legislation that did not "cross-over" by midnight last Friday will not become law this session.
Disability advocates across the state are praising the House's passage of HB343 by Representative Scott Hilton (R-Peachtree Corners), which removes the terms "mental retardation" and "mentally retarded" from Georgia's criminal procedure and replaces it with "intellectual disability". On February 28, the bill was read in the Senate and assigned to its Judiciary Committee.
Several other high profile bills beat the deadline-- including Representative Kevin Tanner's (R-Dawsonville) HB338, aimed at addressing the issue of Georgia's low performing schools. If passed by the Senate, it would authorize the State Board of Education to enter into a contract with the local school system in which a low performing school is located to develop and implement improvement plans.
It would also establish a State Chief Turnaround Officer. This officer would be required to have at least 15 years as a public school teacher, have been a principal or higher in a public school system, and have specific experience turning around low performing schools.
The officers would assist schools in creating improvement plans and targeting areas of weakness. In addition, this bill provides a mechanism by which low performing schools can request additional funding to help address improvement areas.

Representative Allen Peake's (R-Macon) HB65, "Low THC Oil Patient Registry", also passed out of the House on March 1. The version of the bill passed expands the list of conditions eligible for use of medical cannabis oil from 8 to 16. The newly added conditions include Tourette's Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Epidermolysis Bullosa, Alzheimer's Disease, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, Autoimmune Disease, and Peripheral Neuropathy.
Earlier in February, the Senate passed its own medical cannabis oil legislation, Sen. Ben Watson's (R-Savannah) SB16, which expanded the list of eligible conditions to include autism, but reduced the maximum level of THC from 5% to 3%. Moving forward, members of both chambers will have to compromise if they wish to see medical cannabis legislation become law.
Representative Bill Hitchen's (R-Rincon) HB322 was passed unanimously out of the House. If passed by the Senate, this bill would change the definition of "war veteran" to include those who served through August 1, 1990 at the end of Desert Storm and allow the state veteran's program to serve a larger population. Currently the term "war veteran" per Georgia law applies only to those who served before the end of the Vietnam War on May 7, 1975.
March marks the end of session, with the last day of session, Legislative Day 40, held on March 30th.
Look out for legislative updates as we work to represent GVRA at the Capitol. Please reach out to Katie Womick, Chief External Affairs Officer, (katie.womick@gvs.ga.gov) with any legislative questions.

The 2016 Georgia Hall Society Ball
The 2016 Georgia Hall Society Ball was a tremendous fundraising success. This year's gala honored former Foundation Chair Dr. Ken Dobbs (pictured below). The silent auction raised roughly $20,000, and while the total raised is still being calculated, it is much more than that, marking the event as a great success.

Calendar of Events
Don't miss out on these upcoming opportunities!
March
Heart of Georgia Transition Alliance March 8 1100 SE 2nd Street Cochran, GA 31014
Roosevelt Warm Springs Transition Fair March 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. 6135 Roosevelt Highway Warm Springs, GA 31830
Georgia Industries for the Blind Open House March 9 from 10 a.m. to Noon 700 Faceville Highway Bainbridge, GA 39819
Career Fair March 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 2211 Beaver Ruin Road Norcross, GA 30071
Mercer Graduation for Certification Class March 10 from 10 a.m. to Noon 1501 Mercer University Dr. Macon, GA 31207
Atlanta Public Schools Parent Expo March 16 1550 Hosea Williams Drive Atlanta, GA 30317

Branding Updates

The Guidelines for Ordering New Business Cards

The GVRA Office of Communications and Marketing has continued rolling out new branding guidelines. With any rebranding effort, uniformity is key. For this reason, everyone will be receiving business cards mirroring the same template.
Below are the guidelines for business card orders.
Team members who work out of local VR offices, including AWT and Provider Relations staff, have received separate but similar instructions.
Format The new cards feature the GVRA logo you selected via the staff voting process as well as the state seal. The letters GVRA are watermarked behind your information. You may include your name, title, program or office (ex. Business Enterprise Program, Disability Adjudication Services, Vocational Rehabilitation, Office of Procurement etc.), email, up to two phone numbers or a phone number and a fax (please specify if opting to use a fax instead of a second phone number), and a physical address.

Technical Issues Should you have any technical difficulty completing the forms, please contact Don King in Roosevelt Warm Springs Print Shop at Don.King@ablegeorgia.ga.gov.
Accommodations The Office of Communications and Marketing would also be glad to assist anyone who would like to request an accommodation in completing the forms. Please contact John Boan (John.Boan@gvs.ga.gov) or Robin Folsom (Robin.Folsom@gvs.ga.gov).
Thank you very much in advance for following the procedure, which will help the Print Shop deliver your cards in a timely fashion and ensure accuracy.

The back of the new cards will feature your name, up to two phone numbers (or a phone number and a fax), TeleRelay and your email in large print for added accessibility.

Process Each team member requesting new business cards will fill out the Business card E-form that has been provided to them. Local offices should designate one person to collect those forms and complete the Business Card Departmental E Form. One Business Card Departmental E-Form should be turned in to Robin Folsom (Robin.Folsom@gvs.ga.gov).

There is no need to send all the individual forms. You may keep these internally.

Note: The pictures above are to give you an idea of what the cards look like. The colors will appear slightly different.

Open Houses at Our Post Secondary Partners

We Hope You can Join us at One of Our Spring Open Houses

Inclusive post-secondary education makes higher education accessible for students with cognitive disabilities and leads to improved employment outcomes. Many of you have noticed that the number of IPSE programs and our clients' interest in these programs are growing rapidly. To support you and our clients, we have created the attached one-page overview of IPSE programs in the state of Georgia with information about how we partner with the programs and how we can support clients to access these programs. Additionally, all of the IPSE programs are holding spring open houses and GVRA staff are cordially invited! Please review the list below and RSVP as directed for any open houses that you'd like to attend.
IDEAL at Georgia State: open houses/tours arranged on individual basis. Call program coordinator Mackenzie Suttles at 404-9194470 or email IDEAL@gsu.edu.
Academy at Kennesaw State: 2:30, March 3rd; 2:30 March 31st & 2:30 April 21st. Prillaman Hall, 520 Parliament Garden Way NW, Kennesaw 30144. To RSVP or for more information, contact Academy staff at http:// wellstarcollege.kennesaw.edu/academy/ contact-us.php.

Destination Dawgs at UGA: 12:00 1:30, March 7th. Room G-62 850 College Station Road, Athens 30605. Bring a brown bag lunch! To RSVP or for more information, email destinationdawgs@uga.edu.
LEAP at Albany Tech: 9:00 2:00, March 15th. Kirkland Conference Center at Albany Technical College. Lunch included. RSVP by March 6th to Regina Watts, 229-430-2854 GOALS at Columbus State: 10:00 12:30, March 30th & 10:00-12:30, April 7th. Frank D. Brown Hall, 1127 Broadway Avenue, Columbus 31901. RSVP to Lykesia Truss, 706565-1415.
Excel at Georgia Tech: 12:30 2:30, March 31st & 12:30-2:30, April 14th. Both in Room 224 at Scheller College of Business, 800 West Peachtree NW, Atlanta 30308. RSVP at https://www.scheller.gatech.edu/centersinitiatives/ile/excel/index.html.
CHOICE at East Georgia State arranged on individual basis. Contact program director Theresa Davis or GVRA teacher Lora Raines at 478-289-2191 or email trdavis@ega.edu or Lora.Raines@ablegeorgia.ga.gov.

In Remembrance of Sharon Stone-McGlade

GVRA sends its well wishes to the family of Sharon Stone-McGlade. Sharon was a beloved team member in the Athens DAS office, and she will be missed.

Cards of sympathy/condolences can be mailed to:

Christopher and Chancellor McGlade 1153 Sandalwood Drive Lawrenceville, GA 30043

DAS Employee of the Month

Nomination Written by Niki Skrine

I am pleased to nominate Charlie Butts, an Adjudicative Officer in the Athens office for the Employee of the Month Award.
From the first day he walked into this office, his outstanding eagerness to succeed was evident. He has shown both skills as an adjudicator and an adjudicative officer.
Mr. Butts consistently provides assistance to co-workers while delivering excellent customer service. He always goes above and beyond to help in every aspect of his job.

Mr. Butts completes closing duties of the office almost every working day.
He exhibits extraordinary teamwork consistently. For example, he volunteered to assist a recently-transferred staff member from another agency. Mr. Butts held a lab session to familiarize the employee with Georgia business practices.
He always volunteers to work late for employees who need his help, and he'll stay late when we have early release on holidays.

He assists and shares his knowledge in multiple areas of the job including but not limited to case processing, software updates and computer issues.

These are just a few of many examples in Mr. Butts' repertoire. He does this automatically, and does not expect a "pat on the back." But he sure does deserve one!

Happenings at the BEP

The Business Enterprise Program is proud to announce that BEP licensed vendor and Contract Manager Jim Howard (who manages the facility at the Warner Robins military dining facility) has been nominated for the 2017 Air Force Hennessy Awards for Excellence in Air Force Food Service. The annual award is presented to Air Force installations with the best Food Service Program in the Air Force, and is competitive world-wide. The selection criteria encompasses the installations, 1) display and execution of excellence in Management Effectiveness, 2) Force Readiness Support, 3) Food Quality, 4) Employee and Customer Relations and 5) Training and Safety awareness. The agency and BEP wish Mr. Howard good luck in the competition.

been renovated to offer visitors to the State of a nice new improved facility.

In coordination with D.O.T., the BEP will be assisting our Blind Vendor Manager, Robert "Bob" Walls with the mid-March re-opening of the newly renovated Savannah Welcome Center. The Savannah Welcome Center has

Pictured above are Jim Howard and the staff of the cafeteria at the Warner Robins military dining facility.

"Nothing endures but change."

At Least One Thing is Constant

Written by Communications Manager John Peyton Boan

I don't know about you guys, but throughout my life, I've always struggled with the prospect of change. That's why the quote above really strikes a chord with me. Change means doing things differently, and it's easy to get complacent in the status quo. It's what you know! It's comfortable!
But that's not where growth comes from, and anyone who has washed a cashmere sweater on high heat and then proceeded to DRY that same sweater on high heat knows that sometimes, doing things differently is the only way to keep all your sweaters from shrinking down to doll size.
I kid, but the message is still the same. One thing that makes humans so special is their ability to recognize when they make a mistake

and do things differently the next time around. Simply put, it's in our DNA to adapt, and those who don't simply don't become their best selves.
That's why I work every day to see not what I can do that I did yesterday but rather, what I can do differently. It's certainly not a panacea. There are a lot of things that factor into the successes or failures of a given day, but beyond anything else, just thinking about it is progress in and of itself.
As always, remember that everyone in the Office of Communications and Marketing works so that the field staff have what they need to successfully serve clients. If you ever need anything, feel free to email me at John.Boan@gvs.ga.gov.

www.gvs.ga.gov Twitter.com/gavocrehab Facebook.com/gavocrehab

Printed at Roosevelt Warm Springs