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INside Bosma

February/March 2012 Internal Newsletter

Leaving a Legacy: December Employee of the Month (Clyde Brewer) 

There aren’t many, but some people truly live by “talking the talk and walking the walk.” Dedicated to serving the blind and visually impaired community, Clyde Brewer brings a unique expertise through the doors of Bosma Enterprises everyday.

Employment Services Specialist for Bosma Enterprises, Clyde has a true passion for his work – but there’s more – Clyde offers his clients who are blind or visually impaired a lifetime of genuine advice.

Clyde was given a great gift – the ability to relate with his clients on a personal level because he is visually impaired himself.

“My eyes are called Aphakia, meaning no natural lens - because my eyes can’t focus, I wear trifocals that do all the focusing for me,” says Clyde, Bosma Enterprises’ December Employee of the Month. “I also have detached retinas, causing little blind spots in my vision.”

Reflecting on the last three years, Clyde recalls a client that made all his hard work worthwhile.

“I had a client that didn’t have the self confidence that she needed or should have. She was visually impaired and had a speech impediment. I took her to Dress for Success, which is a non-profit that works to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. I dropped her off and when I came back, she had the brightest glow upon her face. She told me that she finally felt good about herself. Moments like that are what makes it all worth it. I love doing things that help people feel more confident.”

Before coming to Bosma Enterprises, Clyde worked for a car dealership. When the economy took a turn for the worse, Clyde became unemployed – just like many other Americans during that time.

What some may see as a misfortune, Clyde saw as a blessing.

“I am a true believer that everything happens for a reason,” says Clyde. “During my time of unemployment, I became the primary babysitter for my grandson and we really became close – I believe the love that we have today is because of the time we spent together.”

When asking Clyde what his plans are for the future, his first response was to leave a legacy.

“I try to do this with my grandson, through teaching him the value of money,” says Clyde. “I also hope to have a positive impact on the lives of the people who are blind or visually impaired that come through Employment Services.”

Yes, Clyde is visually impaired but that doesn’t stop him from living his life to the fullest. Clyde can still drive, carries on his passion for cars, enjoys woodworking, takes photos of his grandson, and supports his family.

Clyde and his wife, Susan, share similar passions for the blind community. Susan currently works at the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, where Clyde attended school. Clyde and Susan have been happily married for over 18 years, sharing two sons and a daughter.

Humble by nature, Clyde can’t help but wonder why he was chosen as December’s Employee of the Month. For others, it’s easy to see. Clyde has a gift. Everyday he walks through the doors of Bosma Enterprises; leaving a legacy of hope and employment opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired.

 

A Jack-of-all-trades: January Employee of the Month (Rick Brown)

A jack-of-all-trades, Rick Brown has performed nearly every job at Bosma Enterprises. Within the last 16 years Rick has worked in sales, shipping and receiving and customer service – just to name a few. For his dedication, Bosma Enterprises has named Rick as January’s Employee of the Month. Now working in the driving and maintenance department, Rick reports coming to work everyday – because of one thing – the people.

“The special interaction between staff, employees, and clients make it more like a family than a place of business,” says Rick.

When not dedicating his time to Bosma Enterprises, Rick likes to travel and cook. He has visited China, Malaysia, Mexico, the Virgin Islands, and all 48 states in the contiguous United States. He cooks all types of food, but has trouble with Chinese food and fish.

 Before coming to Bosma Enterprises, Rick lived in Wisconsin and worked as a Route Sales Manager at Blue Luster. Rick graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a B.A. in Psychology. Growing up a Green Bay Packers and University of Wisconsin fan, Rick had to bite the bullet when moving to Indianapolis in 1977.

Over the last 16 years, Rick has seen Bosma Enterprises grow exponentially.

“When I began my employment at Bosma Enterprises, there were only about 10 employees and 25 clients,” says Rick. “I’ve seen this organization truly blossom.”

People just like Rick are what keeps Bosma Enterprises’ dedicated mission and vision alive. Congratulations, Rick!

 

A Passion for Hard Work: February Employee of the Month (Rhonda Hoopingarner)

When Rhonda first learned she had Diabetic Retinopathy, she was scared, nervous and unsure of where to turn to next. So, she did the only thing she thought was practical at the time – packed up her belongings and moved to Tennessee to be close to her sister.

Missing her home back in Indiana, Rhonda began searching for other answers – that’s when she learned about Bosma Enterprises’ Center-Based Services. Rhonda worked hard to learn the skills necessary to live a normal life after her diagnosis. Finally in November 2009, Rhonda graduated from Bosma Enterprises’ Center-Based Services.

Shortly after that time, Rhonda became anxious to make a living for herself again. That’s when Rhonda went through Bosma Enterprises’ Community-Employment Services. On January 10, 2011, Rhonda was hired as a temporary worker at Bosma Enterprises.

Rhonda remained working hard and that following May, Rhonda was hired on full-time. Working in all areas of Bosma Enterprises, Rhonda takes pride in her work.

“I like it here at Bosma, actually, I love Bosma,” says Rhonda. “They would have a hard time getting rid of me here – the people is what makes it so warm – it really feels like family.

Rhonda is skilled in many different jobs here at Bosma Enterprises. She has worked in production, the food room, housekeeping, Balkamp, assembled hearing aids, and is currently helping out with the new UHS shake out project.

In her free time, Rhonda enjoys knitting, crocheting and spending time with her husband. Rhonda and her husband have been together for over 22 years and love any type of adventure.  Together they like to take road trips and just experience life. Rhonda also has three sisters, Karen, Naomi and Priscilla. Recently, Rhonda became a homeowner and is now living close to Pike.

Approaching her one-year anniversary at Bosma Enterprises in May, Rhonda’s future goals are to maintain her employment here. When you see Rhonda working hard, please join us on congratulating her for being selected as February’s Employee of the Month.  

 

Calendar of Events

March 22^nd – Our annual volunteer appreciation breakfast will take place at 8:00 a.m. in the Training Room at Bosma 1.

March 31^st – Step for STEP ends. All pledges and forms are due to Dan Briles by April 15, 2012. 

April 28^th – Presented by the Bosma Visionary Opportunities Foundation and Monarch Beverage, our 3^rd Annual Dining in the Dark will take place at they Hyatt Regency, downtown Indianapolis, from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

May 5^th – Bosma mini-marathon team races in the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in downtown Indianapolis. The mini-marathon team water station will take place this day too and volunteers are needed! Please contact Bernie Wilmer if you are interested in working the pit station.

May 8^th – Primary Election Day  

July 14^th – Bosma Enterprises 4^th Annual “Cruise-In for Vision” Charity Car Show will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Bosma 1.

 

A Closer Look at our Bosma Family

Name: James Michaels

Title: Senior Director of Rehabilitation Services

How long have you been at Bosma? Over 10 years

Where were you born and raised? Richmond, IN and moved to Indianapolis in 1986 

Do you have any kids? I have one son named Jesse who is nine years old. Jesse plays football, baseball and basketball on a travel team.

Hobbies: I like to play the guitar and am currently teaching my son Jesse to play. I am an assistant coach for beep baseball, and like to read books. I am always reading three books at one time; one that is educational, one that is fun or fictional and one with my son. 

What do you love most about Bosma? I love what we are doing here and I believe in the mission. I get paid to encourage and support people. How cool is that? 

Most memorable moment at Bosma? I would have to say the client graduations are very memorable for me. Another memorable moment for me was the Business Enterprises’ Program Graduation. It was a proud moment for all the students, their families and myself. 

 

Volunteer Breakfast

Our annual volunteer appreciation breakfast will be Thursday, March 22, 2012 at 8:00 am in the Training Room at Bosma 1. This breakfast is a way for us to say “Thank you” to our volunteers from the community and our internal volunteers. If you are an internal volunteer with Bosma and would like to attend, please check with your supervisor and R.S.V.P. to Bernie Wilmer if you will be attending this breakfast.

 

What’s New with QWE?

The EPIC Team continues to meet and discuss the National Industries for the Blind’s procedures for a Quality Working Environment. The EPIC team has been presented and assigned their first action items, task, champion and suggested outcomes. The committee is currently in the process of presenting action items to the ELT/SMT and team champions. After the items and tasks are approved, EPIC team members will begin working with their assigned champion to meet their suggested goals.

The EPIC team is also in the process of polishing a proposal that will request implementation of a communication system, which will relay weekly/daily announcements to all employees. The EPIC team hopes that this will help employees stay in the loop with what’s going on throughout the company.  In the meantime, the EPIC team is working to develop a temporary plan of action to help relieve miscommunications and delayed information sharing between employees and supervisors.

Additionally, the EPIC team is drafting ideas for a Bosma “Wall of Fame.” The “Wall of Fame” will highlight the people, history, four-legged friends and more that have made Bosma Enterprises’ milestones possible.

As always, the EPIC team is having a lot of fun and everyone enjoys working together. Bosma employees can expect more updates as progress continues.

 

Transportation Update

IndyGo has announced they will now provide funds through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to serve low-income individuals with disabilities. Funding for this program will come from the Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) and the New Freedom Transportation grant programs.

The JARC program provides funding for transportation targeted for low income individuals to access jobs or job related services. The New Freedom program provides funding for transportation alternatives targeted for persons with disabilities that extend beyond the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Bosma Enterprises will be applying for funding under this program.

For additional information visit http://www.indygo.net/pages/grants or talk with Dan Briles.   

 

Who’s New to our Bosma Crew?

Name: Denise Abrell

Job Title:  Customer Service Manager

Background:  20+ Years in Customer Service & Accounting

Hometown: Indianapolis

Do you have any family? Married with two children, four step children (Crystal not included) and three grandchildren

Hobbies:  Spending time with my family, outdoor activities, racing and volunteering with Beacon of Hope Center for Women, Inc

Favorite food?  Anything Chicken

 

Name: Joyce Spayd

Job title: Itinerant Rehabilitation Counselor

Background: I previously worked as a VR Counselor for 18 years, worked at the Welfare Department in various positions in Evansville, Shelbyville, and Indianapolis, and worked as a Social Worker at what use to be Evansville State Hospital. 

Hometown: Since my father was in the ministry, I don’t have a hometown.  However, I was raised in various towns in the northeast of Indiana. 

Do you have any family? I have a wonderful husband, two wonderful children – one a teacher-of-the-year while teaching in Westfield and one working at the new Honda plant in Greensburg – and I have two grandsons and one granddaughter, all under the age of two. 

Hobbies: I am really too busy with babysitting grandchildren to have hobbies anymore, but I do spend too much time playing computer games.  I also travel a lot with my husband’s softball team.  He now plays tournaments nationally with his new 60 & over team.  

Favorite food: I love certain pizzas at Jockamo’s and Bazbeaux’s.

 

Toastmaster’s Update

Toastmaster’s meetings will be held the 2^ND & 4^TH Thursday of each month, from 12:00-1:00 p.m. in the Training Room at Bosma 1.

Our new Officers will be:

PRESIDENT: TANISHA STEWART               

VP OF EDUCATION: ERIN MCALOON

VP OF PUBLIC RELATIONS: RAYMOND MONTGOMERY

VP OF MEMBERSHIP: EMILY KANIS- SUPPORT: MARY STEPHENS

TREASURER: DOUG PINGEL

SECRETARY: PATRICIA MARTIN- SUPPORT: CONNIE BERNARD

SERGEANT AT ARMS- CAREY MURPHY

SERGEANT AT ARMS- DEWAYNE COMBS

Bosma Toastmaster’s is working with the Toastmasters Area Governor, Jane Reisdorf, to designate Bosma Enterprises’ “lunchtime” club meeting accessible to everyone who would like to attend within the Intech business park and all other business parks in our area.  Bosma Toastmaster’s vision is to place our participants into competitions to showcase to Indianapolis what we are truly capable of, as well as gain another platform to network within our community.  

 

Step for STEP

The 3^rd Annual Step for STEP Fundraiser kicked off on March 1^st and is already shaping up to be a success. Step for STEP challenges participants to stay active throughout the month of March with the incentive of earning pledges for the Student Training and Employment Program (STEP) at Bosma Enterprises.

Every 1,000 steps a participant takes earns a pledge for the program, making this a great incentive to get out at the end of the cold winter months.

STEP provides critical soft skills training as well as valuable work experiences for Indiana high school students who are blind or visually impaired that will enable these students to find and obtain employment upon completion of high school.

Last year, Step for STEP was a huge success raising more than $10,000 in support of the STEP Program. This year both the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Tri-Auto have agreed to participate and Franciscan St. Francis Health and 4Imprint has lent their support by sponsoring the event. To make a donation, visit www.razoo.com and search for the Bosma Visionary Opportunities Foundation!

  

Farewell to our Bosma Friends

As many of you know, we have had to say farewell to a few Bosma Enterprises’ employees. Thank you for your dedication and service to Bosma Enterprises. Several months ago, Joyce Talbert retired after almost 14 dedicated years. Recently, Nell Grose announced she will be pursuing a new career endeavor and Jan Ahmed has decided to dedicate her time to becoming a full-time stay at home mom. You will all be greatly missed.

 

Basket weaving

Bosma Enterprises’ employees engage in fun basket weaving classes provided through the help of Nick Leon and Mary Stephens.

 

Classified Ad 1

Are you looking for a hot new ride? With spring around the corner and the weather warming up, picture yourself running errands in a 2009 Mazda RX-8! This could be yours! For more info visit: http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp?listingId=83852571&searchSource=SEARCH_BY_URL&stkTyp=U or see Stephanie Richardson.

Classified Ad 2

Looking for a new best friend? Good news! A healthy, young Terrier mix is looking for a new home! This puppy is less than a year old and is free to anyone that can provide it with a healthy home. Take a look: http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/laf/2893321824.html. If interested, contact Clyde Brewer at clydeb@bosma.org or by phone at 317-704-8204.

 

Wellness Committee Update

The Wellness Committee is seeking willing participants to help plan the company’s lunch and learn events as well as our annual Health Fair.   Where appropriate, we would love to have representation from each departmental area and from both buildings.   If you would like to join this fun group, please obtain supervisory approval and inform Brian Petraits of your interest.  Brian will compile the list of those interested and confirm their seat on the committee.

 

The Miracle Worker at the iRT

Bosma Enterprises’ employees are invited to The Miracle Worker’s 3 preview shows located at the Indiana Repertory Theatre at a discounted rate of only $10.00 per ticket. The shows are on April 17^th at 6:30 p.m. and on April 18^th and 19^th at 7:30 p.m. To make a reservation call 317-635-5252. The theatre is located at 140 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN.

About the show: In what Time Magazine called “…unforgettable theatre,” The Miracle Worker recreates the life and education of Helen Keller. Tragically deaf, blind and ultimately mute due to childhood illness, the wild child meets her match when Annie Sullivan, a teacher with passion, resilience and cunning wit, arrives to teach Helen her greatest lesson: the gift of communication, Extraordinarily woven by the playwright, this century old story of fortitude and friendship still stirs audiences today.

 

Bosma Gives Back

Bosma Enterprises was recently contacted by the Marion County Sherrif’s Office and asked to donate items to help tornado victims in Marysville and Henryville, IN. Bosma Enterprises’ Executive Leadership Team quickly organized and arranged to donate 20 cases of latex gloves, over 1600 bottles of hand sanitizer, and 10 cases of drink mix. Everyone at Bosma Enterprises wishes to send strength and encouragement to those families tragically affected by the storms.