Category: WORK

Good Thing We Have Brandy in the Pantry

“I’m not sure how I got the job, actually.  I got a call that asked if I could help with the pantry and here I am, thankfully so,” said Brandy Russell. Brandy and her husband, Michael, have lived at New Danville for almost five years.

The pantry, sometimes known as The General Store, provides food (perishable and non-perishable) and household items for free to New Danville residents.  Wednesday is “shopping day,” and Brandy is involved with loading inventory into the pantry on Tuesdays, as well as overseeing the distribution of items.

“I really like the chance to meet so many people,” Brandy said. “The Wranglers’ food stamps don’t cover as much as they did before with the current inflation and they cannot be used for household items,” she said.

“We’re adding items, which is good,” she said while gesturing to a store room in the pantry that has been converted to hold toilet paper, paper towels and other household essentials.

Joining the New Danville team about two months ago, she said the work is not the same as managing one’s own pantry. “I don’t think about putting on gloves before handling the items at home, but we are very cautious with everything we handle in the pantry.”

Eva Aguirre, president and CEO, said, “We are happy that Brandy has been able to help us out. She does a great job and the clients enjoy their shopping days with her.”

Everyone at New Danville agrees…it is good to have Brandy in the pantry.

Weeds and Grass Grow All Year…Who Ya Gonna Call?

When “the crew” is not assembling pallets, many of them are helping take care of the many tasks required to maintain the 42 acres of New Danville’s campus. Armed with string trimmers, blowers, and various tools, the team, led by staff member Anthony Juneau (AJ), tackles grass and weeds, particularly near the residences and other buildings.

“Adrian does a great job with the big mowing projects on the zero-turn mower,” AJ said, “but there are a lot of things that the crew can do to help out. It is good for New Danville and good for the crew members.”

All the members agree that the additional wages are much appreciated; they all agree that good work is a good thing, too. Crew members shared that they have fun while working and the paychecks are nice; using the blower seems to be the most fun assignment. Justin reminds us that “Paying attention to your job is the most important thing.”

“We avoid the worst of the heat, but we are still able to get a lot done,” AJ said. The crew members all agree that the work is fun; in fact, there is only one thing they don’t like about the job. When questioned what that might be, all replied in unison, “The heat!”

AJ said, “This is a great crew. They work hard – whether assembling pallets or trimming the grounds or blowing the sidewalk – and they have a great attitude.  I enjoy the time with them. We work together, laugh together and grow together.”

Work, a Source of Happiness and Independence

Marlon moved to Meadowbrook, New Danville’s residential community, in 2018. While living on his own brings him a great sense of independence and satisfaction, he says that working at his job does, too. Sure, a paycheck is nice – “I bought my own iPhone 12” – but there is more to what the job provides him.

“I work hard; I like to take care of people; I follow directions very carefully,” Marlon said, listing three aspects of his work performance, which happen to be three things he likes most about work. He aspires to have a good day every day, but things don’t always work out as planned. When that happens, he likes to ride his bike around New Danville grounds to change his thoughts and attitude. “I ride the circle and it helps,” he said.

Thanks to his job, he has a DVD movie collection; he enjoys listening to music, too, in his time away from work. He works at a nearby Whataburger and has been there since 2019.

Marlon said he strives to improve himself every day. “No matter how your day is going, never give up,” he said, offering encouragement and wisdom to others.

“I feel good. I am happy,” Marlon said, and a good job plays a key role for him.

Ivan:  Work changed my life

“I am a hard-working man,” Ivan said. “Maybe because I am a Viking. My ancestors came from Norway.” As he talked about work, he said, “New Danville changed my life. Work changed my life.”

Work is not just about earning money, though Ivan admits a paycheck is pretty motivating. Work is about helping people, including yourself, he explained.

Ivan has worked at a variety of companies ranging from production, fast food, senior care and landscaping, among others. Working hard does not mean just working at a paying job, according to Ivan. He cites classes, particularly scrapbooking and woodshop, as places to work hard and to grow.

“I learned to be positive from my parents and from work,” Ivan explained. His job coach while he attended high school in Conroe taught him many things, too, he said. “She taught us to have a good attitude. Be on time. Be responsible and have good hygiene. The hardest part is showing up on time. I miss her and the school.” He graduated in 2004.

“I like to be busy,” Ivan emphasized as he described the various jobs he has held, the classes at New Danville that he loves and how he helps his family with lawn maintenance. “I am never bored at New Danville. I don’t like to be bored.”

Ivan hopes to someday be a resident in Meadowbrook, New Danville’s residential community. In the meantime, he enjoys all aspects of the rural environment and attending day program activities. Ivan says he learns by doing more so than just listening. “In work I learned a lot. I learned to help other people. I learned to help people with special needs.”

From Pallets to Pizza “Because there are bills to pay.”

About a month ago, Becky changed jobs from being a member of the pallet crew (see the article here about the Pallets to Partners program with Charbonneau Industries). Though she loved being part of the crew, the hours were inconsistent, as with many manufacturing-type jobs.  “I had bills to pay,” she said with a smile, “so I asked my parents if I could find a job in the community. My first job ever was in the community and they said to go ahead and try to find one. I started at Incredible Pizza (in Conroe) and love it.”

“I applied to work where the games are played but they asked if I was interested in working in the kitchen. I told them that I didn’t have experience there, but they said they were sure I could learn. They hired me on the spot! I think it was because I was happy and smiling.  Maybe they liked my dimples,” she said with her ever-present smile.

She was reminded about how important being a good team member is. “They don’t want anyone who is a gossiper or folks who talk about others.”

Her parents suggested she get the opinions of others who know the restaurant or who worked there so she could learn about the company, just as they would learn about her in the interview. A current Wrangler and resident, Justin, worked there in the past and had great things to say about working there, Becky said. With that information, she pursued an interview.  Right after she was hired, Spring Break hit and the restaurant was very busy. Normally there are three to five tubs of dough to roll and weigh, but during Spring Break they had nine.  “But I was able to keep up!” she said.

It was easy to get to work when she was on the pallet crew since the Charbonneau Family Building where the pallets are made is only a couple of hundred yards from her home on the New Danville campus. She has transportation worked out for her new job with New Danville and her special guy, Blake. Commuting provides opportunity.  “I like to work in the community because I can run errands and shop on the way home, too,” she said.

Meet Jazzy Junque’s new retail manager

Michelle Willie fondly remembers when Jazzy Junque, New Danville’s upscale home décor resale store in the Outlets in Conroe, first opened for business. She never expected to be working there, but is excited about the opportunity.

“I worked at Dress Barn in the Outlets in Conroe for 14 years. When they closed their stores, I figured I would retire.  A year and one-half later, I wanted to get back to the retail world. I got the itch to be back around people. I started at Jazzy Junque as a part-time cashier. In February, I became the retail manager and couldn’t be happier.”

Michelle was pleasantly surprised at the number of her former customers who are also Jazzy Junque shoppers. “It is wonderful to see old acquaintances as well as meet new people every day,” she said.

Michelle has exciting plans to continue to improve processes and the shopping experience at Jazzy Junque. She also intends to get out in the community to help share the good news about the store and all that it offers. “We always welcome shoppers and volunteers,” she said.

Anyone interested in volunteering at Jazzy Junque can fill out this form. To learn more about the store or to sign up for its newsletter, contact the store at 936-441-4500.

It’s not the work, it’s the people

Holly has held a variety of jobs since high school as well as a few volunteer roles. Her mother, Carolyn, said that jobs are part of the formula to be sure that Holly’s days are fulfilling to her by being busy in activities that make her feel useful, needed and appreciated.  While those may be the outcomes, to Holly there is one thing that matters:  people. What she likes about all the jobs she has had is the people.

Currently working as a volunteer at the Walker County Senior Center, she helps seniors with the various games and activities they offer. Her favorite is Wii bowling, a virtual version of the game that uses the body motions required for the sport. “I like to help them with bingo, too,” Holly added with her ever-ready big smile. She hopes that the volunteer role will turn into a job in the future.

When asked if she believes that her work helps make people happy, she replied, “Oh yes!”  But who is happier after working with the seniors, her or them?  She laughed while pointing at herself, “Me!”

Holly has enjoyed being around people in jobs ranging from bussing tables at various restaurants to packaging seals in plastic bags to working in a nonprofit’s thrift store. Not surprisingly, what she loved most about all the jobs was the people she worked with and the customers.

One “job” that she is particularly excited about is that of being an aunt. She is about to be an aunt again, making it the eighth time. She is thrilled.

“People are good to me,” Holly said. Perhaps that is because she reveals how much she likes them.

It takes work to tackle something new

“Effort only releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.” ~ Napoleon Hill

Whether it is climbing a mountain or learning how to tie your shoes, learning something new requires work and persistence. In a recent conversation with Debbie Rigsby, the Direct Support Professional who works with our Wrangler IIs, we learned about sharing some of the things they were proud of learning that required extra work and effort.

Wrangler IIs at New Danville have been putting the focus and attention it takes to learn new things. Nothing new can be learned without those two things, and effort, too.

Aaron can now find books at the Montgomery County Library on his own and is a big fan of Disney books. When asked if he likes going to the library, he replied with a big smile and a “Yes!” He proudly showed off his sheet of paper with words that begin with the letter “A.”

Debbie said that the class is working on a variety of things that take repetition and reinforcement, as all lessons require. “They don’t give up,” she said. “We all work on it together.”

Along with everyone learning about manners, patience, and common courtesy, there are individual success stories of proud Wranglers IIs. Patrick can find his computer on the shelf by himself and Triston can now better communicate by touching pictures on an iPad which then conveys the word for it. (For more information about the grant from the Madelyn Cooke Foundation that made the technology available to New Danville, read here.) Learning new things takes work and 2022 will reveal another year of Wrangler IIs performing work to learn new things.

Working in the Community Has Benefits

Marlon and David have worked in the community for a combined total of almost 30 years. They have gained a lot from their efforts in addition to pay checks, and they have great wisdom to share from their experiences.

Start by practicing: David began working for HEB grocery stores 18 years ago. While in high school, his teacher had students practice for jobs, and David practiced bagging groceries. He started as a bagger for HEB and is now a parking lot attendant. As the chain has expanded in the area, he has transferred to different stores, bringing him closer and closer to New Danville where he lives.

Learn and learn some more: Marlon worked for McDonald’s for eight years and has worked for Whataburger for the past two years.  He takes pride in his work – he has won awards for his service – and attributes his ability to do well to his commitment to always strive to learn something new.

It is not always easy, and that’s okay: Marlon and David agree that work can sometimes be hard. Whether it is dealing with summer heat while working in the parking lot, or having to clean up an area after the lunch rush, they both say that there are times they are tired when they get home from a full day. Neither of them mind it because of the sense of independence the job provides and because of the people they meet.

It is the people that matter: They share something else in common regarding their views about work:  It is about the people. People matter. Marlon says that what inspires him to learn on the job and to deliver award-winning service is because he likes to help people. David shares that, while he doesn’t have as much contact with customers in his current role as he did in the past, he enjoys interacting with them.  “I like meeting customers,” he said.

Never have a bad day: Marlon sums up more than work; he sums up life and attitude. With a big smile, he said, “I never have a bad day.” That is a choice he makes. “Everything is going to be okay; don’t be sad.”  Words to live by.