VIB Connection Newsletter CONGRESSMAN HURT RECEIVES

VIB Connection
Newsletter
VIB Connec tion
News letter
News letter
News letter
Volume 11 , Issue 2
CONGRESSMAN HURT RECEIVES
ABILITYONE CHAMPION AWARD
Congressman Hurt addresses the staff at the Virginia Industries for the Blind
Charlottesville Plant
The Virginia Industries for the Blind named Congressman Robert Hurt
an AbilityOne Champion. The honor celebrates his work to make it easier
for people with disabilities to get jobs. Congressman Hurt received the
award for his support of the organization on the House floor.
He also visited VIB's facility where employees who are blind and vision impaired make products like mattresses, mops and spices.
Hurt says organizations like this are particularly important in a time of
high unemployment.
"It's hard for people to find work and of course some people in our
society have greater challenges in finding work than others," Hurt said.
"And this is one of those things that is just a win, win, win all the way
around and I just commend the folks that work here and the great value
that they bring to the work they do."
WWW.VIBONLINE.ORG or call us 855-842-7867
VIB Connection Newsletter
Page 1/6
VISION WALK 2013
By Paula Graham
This article is reprinted
from the Tidewater Striders
June 2013 eRundown
Newsletter. The Tidewater
Striders are one of the nation’s
largest running organizations.
On Sunday April 28th, a team of Tidewater Striders participated in VisionWalk. VisionWalk is sponsored by Foundation Fighting Blindness whose mission is
to drive the research that will provide preventions, treatments, and cures for
people affected by retinitis pigmentosa (RP), macular degeneration, Usher
syndrome, and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases.
Teaming up with the Tidewater Striders was a group from Virginia Industries
for the Blind, an organization which creates job opportunities for blind and vision
impaired individuals. We gathered at 17th street on the Virginia Beach boardwalk
where the event took place and were treated to sandwiches, snacks and music
DJ’ed by our own Jon Leiding.
The weather was beautiful and the crowd of 1,400 energized as we left 17th
street for our walk down to Rudee Inlet and back. The participants were all ages
and as usual for fundraising events there were colorful team t-shirts, head pieces
and costumes.
The goal of this 2nd annual VisionWalk was to raise $75,000 and as of the
writing of this article they had surpassed that amount posting a total of $84,000.
It was a very successful event indeed. The funds raised here in Hampton Roads
will join funds from the VisionWalk events that are happening all over the county.
If you would like more information on either of the two organizations
mentioned you can find Foundation Fighting Blindness at
http://www.blindness.org and Virginia Industries for the Blind at
http://www.vibonline.org.
VIB Connection Newsletter
Page 2/6
“Life Does Not Have a Remote Control”
By: Luis Lebron
I once received a message on Facebook that read “Life does not have a
remote control. If you want to change it, you need to get up off the couch.” It was
accompanied by a cartoon of a couch potato watching TV. Many youngsters may not
have experienced this, but there was a time when you actually had to get up and
turn a dial to change the TV channels. Fortunately, there were only four networks,
CBS, NBC, ABC and PBS. You didn’t have to go far to find a channel.
The post was meant to be funny, but delivered a clear message; you can
change your life and your future if you are willing to do something about it. Many
times we are unhappy with our circumstances at work, but we are either unwilling to
do anything about it or we expect the change to be easy, like changing the channel
using the remote control. Change can require a greater effort. At work, it may mean
going back to school to further your education, taking seminars to work on skills you
need to improve, or cross training at another job within the organization.
Sometimes, it may mean pursuing a position with another company that offers more
growth opportunities.
Whatever you want your future to be, you can make strides in that direction if
you choose to make the changes needed to be qualified for that next step. You
control your future. Will you choose the remote control, or will you get up and make
that change?
Keith Pegram Selected for NIB Effective Supervision Training
Keith Pegram was recently selected by
NIB to attend three separate training
sessions along with the yearlong on-line
class study to improve his skills as a
supervisor. The on-line portion of the
program includes an 8 part program
established by the Hadley School for the
Blind. Keith states that he will be required
to spend at least 8 hours per week outside
study. Keith is currently the lead person in
the writing instruments department at VIB
Richmond.
WWW.VIBONLINE.ORG or call us 855-842-7867
VIB Connection Newsletter
Page 3/6
Pat Thomas joins JAUNT
Board of Directors
Pat Thomas, Manager of Virginia Industries for the Blind, knows
firsthand the value of public transportation; the majority of her
employees would not be able to work without it. JAUNT buses arrive
daily bringing employees from both urban and rural locations
including Fluvanna.
Although Ms. Thomas has always had a passion for public
transportation and is a strong advocate for her employees, she has a
personal reason as well- her daughter. Her daughter has a disability
and will need reliable transportation to be able to work and be
independent. “JAUNT specializes in working with our most vulnerable
populations, people with disabilities and the elderly, who historically
have not had the resources and ability to just jump in a car and go;
something that most of us take for granted” said Ms. Thomas,
“Grouping more people on the bus is environmentally friendly too!”
“We are thrilled to have Pat Thomas join the Board,” said Donna
Shaunesey, Executive Director of JAUNT, “She will be a tremendous
advocate for JAUNT and the people we serve in Fluvanna.”
JAUNT Inc. is a regional transportation system providing service
to the citizens of Charlottesville, Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa, Nelson,
and Buckingham Counties.
VIB Connection Newsletter
Page 4/6
VIB-R Receives New Equipment
VIB Richmond has received a new piece of equipment for the spice room.
This equipment is built to blend spices, thus creating an opportunity for VIB
to blend and mix custom orders. The tumbler can handle up to 500 pounds
per batch, mixing a variety of different products.
In addition to reducing our cost on some of our current products, the
blender will create an opportunity for VIB to work closely with new customers who wish to create their own specialty products. The equipment is a
DVTS 500 Tumbler, is made in the U.S., is stainless steel, and has all the
safety features and technology for use by our personnel.
VIB – R Reaches Agreement with Gojo
Virginia Industries for the Blind has reached agreement with Gojo to
sell and distribute their Gojo and Purell products in the Commonwealth and
in Washington, D.C. Gojo produces a broad line of hand sanitation products.
Mike Hughes, Production Supervisor in Richmond said “The nice thing
is that we can add lots of value to this line of products and provide it to our
customers at a great price”. Gojo has packaging and assembly involved with
most of their products. It will be a great opportunity to cross train our
employees and place additional products in our inventory.” Watch for GoJo
products, including Purell, to be a part of eVa and the VA Distribution system
soon.
VIB Connection Newsletter
Page 5/6
VIB employment opportunities
Current Job Openings
VIB is currently recruiting for multiple positions in our Contract Management
Support Division. For further information regarding these positions, or to find out if you
are eligible, please go to http://www.nib.org/careers-training/cms-training-program. Once
you have completed the enrollment process and the initial Contracting course, please
forward your signed electronic application (jobs.virginia.gov) to Megan O’Toole at fax
number (804) 786-4582.
VIB Mission
“To employ and develop Virginians who
are blind, visually impaired or deaf-blind
to achieve their desired level of employment through the manufacture and delivery of quality products and services.”
For Questions or comments or to add information to the Newsletter, please contact:
Megan E. O’Toole, MS, CRC
Phone: (804) 840-9630
E-mail: megan.otoole@dbvi.virginia.gov
VIB Connection Newsletter
Page 6/6