Welcome to the Horizon Goodwill Industries company newsletter.
Our Mission is: Removing Barriers, Creating Opportunities.
October 2022 Vol. 1, Edition 4
The Times They Are A-Changin’
It feels like just a week or so ago, it was almost 90 degrees outside, and now here we are, a couple of days into fall, with temperatures hovering in the mid-60s. What a dramatic seasonal change, which, fortunately for weather forecasters, is relatively easy to predict each year. For the rest of us, I think the events of the past two years have highlighted the unpredictable nature of the world and the need to be prepared for the ever-increasing speed of change. I am reminded of these lyrics penned many years ago by Bob Dylan:
“Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
And you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’”
I think we can agree that at HGI our business has changed, our programs have changed, and the needs of our communities and employees have changed. One thing that has not changed is our commitment to delivering our mission – removing barriers and creating opportunities. Working together, we continue to be successful in anticipating and responding to the changing needs around us. I realize that we each have different styles of adjusting to change, so I would ask that as we continue to move forward, you approach changes with a growth mindset (see last month’s lesson on learning). 😊 If you don’t understand the changes we are making, please ask questions so we can explain and help you be more comfortable. Since change around us has become inevitable, we will always evaluate how we do our work and deliver our mission at Goodwill. I hope each of you approaches this challenge with an open mind and willingness to be a part of an organization that continuously strives to make sure we are always doing our best work in the best way for those we serve.
Yours in hope, Dave
HGI Youth Services is expanding!! In 2019, HGI opened the Young Adult Solution Center in Hagerstown. The Solution Center is a drop-in center for young adults aged 16-24 in Washington County that are not working or attending school. The Young Adult Solution Center has served more than 400 Washington County young adults with various needs, from housing to education and employment services. We are excited to announce that due to the hard work of our young adult services teams that our program has been chosen to receive funding to expand these services into West Virginia! We anticipate having staff on board in the next several weeks and starting services in November 2022.
The following are the Services provided through August 2022:
This month, the Business Services Department wants to highlight one of its employees. Meet Danny Shoemaker!
Danny Shoemaker started at Horizon Goodwill on January 9, 2018, and works at the Sideling Hill Rest Area. Enjoys time with his dog Ellie May, cats Norbit, Curious, Bandit, Crack Doodle, Momma, Malo, Frosty, Olly Bear, sitting on his deck, and cookouts with friends.
At age 29, Danny found himself addicted to prescription drugs. Like many in this situation, the pills that seemed to help initially eventually took over and ran his life for six years. At the age of 35, Danny knew he needed to make a change before the situation became irreversible. Danny found the strength within to quit the pills on his own with no outside help and has been clean since.
Thinking his tough times in life were over, Danny was confronted with another seemingly insurmountable challenge. His daughter was driving, and there was a severe accident in which 2 of her close friends lost their lives. His daughter was sentenced to 3 yrs. for this tragic mistake. Danny struggled every day for 2 yrs. waiting for his daughter’s sentencing. His job and his work friends at Sidling Hill help to keep his mind off the situation and gave him people to talk to about what he was going through. Their support was invaluable. It felt good to have friends to talk to about what he was dealing with. Without the sustainable, meaningful employment opportunity provided by this contract, it is hard to know if Danny would have the strength to avoid a relapse or worse.
Danny has overcome a lot in his life and is a great asset to Goodwill and the EWP program. He is a hard worker and has a caring and fun personality. With all of Danny’s struggles that he has gone through in his life, he never let it stop him from trying to improve his life. He has a lot of willpower and strength not to turn back to pills, and it is comforting to know that his employment opportunity plays an ongoing role in that success.
Meet the Waynesboro Store!
Part of the Horizon Goodwill Industries territory includes two counties in Pennsylvania, Fulton and Franklin Counties. In Franklin, we have a store in Greencastle and Waynesboro. In January 2022, the store in the Waynesboro Market Place on Buchanan Trail East moved from a small location on one side of the shopping center into part of the former Food Lion store. The new store is more than double the size of the previous store and has the height of the grocery store and the brightness of the grocery store to make shopping more open and enjoyable. Leslee Lundahl is the store manager at the Waynesboro, PA location and says, “the extra space has really provided the opportunity to serve the community in a large capacity. From a larger selection of furniture to an easier, more shoppable store and happier customers.” When the grand opening was held, the temperature was 14 degrees, but that didn’t stop almost 200 shoppers from lining up to come into the new location. The store is located at 11145 Buchanan Trail East, Waynesboro, PA.
Just another normal day at the Waynesboro Goodwill with our resident camels and rooster with his tools, joined by the skunks, horse, and Bambi getting ready for Halloween.
Pictured: Chris Heid – Assistant Mgr., Alyssa Fleagle – ADC, Summer Marcus – Processor, Emily Hebert – Shift Supervisor, Christy Seibert – Sales Clerk, Meagan Campbell – Processor
Not pictured: Leslee Lundahl – Manager (took the picture), Carol Abrecht – Processor, Jason Wade – Processor, Kendle Devlin – Processor, Cassandra Clevenger – Processor, Shane Riedmuller – Sales Clerk, Tina Bussard – Sales Clerk, Andrew Burns – Sales Clerk, Jamie Craig – Sales Clerk, Matt Davis – Sales Clerk, Jocelyn Parker – Sales Clerk, and Ashley Snyder – Sales Clerk
October = Ghosts, Ghouls, and Black Cats – oh my!
Autumn has officially arrived, and rumblings of spooky costumes are arriving in our retail locations across the territory. Human Resources doesn’t have to be scary, and we love to trick-or-treat (especially the treats)! This month we are celebrating our team members, Nicole Matherly and Kenneth Winebrenner. Kenneth is transitioning to their new role as HR Generalist in the next week. Nicole has newly joined the team from Greencastle as a Resource Coordinator. Nicole will primarily be working with HGI’s Source America contract sites and supporting employees within our business services division. Congratulations!
As a reminder, utilize “Ask Here” in Paycom ESS (Employee Self-Service) to connect you to a Resource Coordinator. Access our EAP (Employee Assistance Program) on the BHS Portal online or via the app at portal.BHSonline.com Username: Horizon Goodwill or call 800-327-2251.
September’s Living Our Values Award was presented for our “CELEBRATION” value. Employees across the HGI organization nominated individuals that they believed embodied this value day in and day out. The employees nominated take time to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of others. They believe in the value of overcoming barriers and take pride in achievements, great and small.
Winner: Mandi Waid (Unit Processor/Berkeley Springs)
We received 88 nominations for our Living Our Values – Celebration – Award. Mandi Waid was nominated multiple times, and comments included, “Mandi is willing to help anyone that asks her, she will step up if she sees someone is struggling to get the duros to move, or she will volunteer herself to do extra things to help the store! Mandi has put the effort to make her goal every day and to give a helping hand to all of us if needs to be!!”, “I am nominating Mandi Waid, because she is easily the hardest working person I have ever met. Despite having a lot going on in her personal life, Mandi still makes it a point to show up to work with a smile on her face and motivation like I’ve never seen to get as much product out as possible.” and “Mandi works hard is willing to help anyone she is just an all-around good person.”.
Other top nominees included: Frances Malone – Sales Clerk/Woodstock, Linda Smith – Sales Clerk/Stanley, and Troy Brant – WFD Instructor/UPIP
Be sure to nominate your selection for the October Living Our Values – Service – Award. This employee recognizes they have the power to make tomorrow better and looks for ways to help others succeed. They take action to make a positive difference by focusing on what can be done and committing to actions that benefit others over themselves.
Spotlight – Horizon Goodwill Makes it Convenient!
In 2021. Horizon Goodwill opened a convenience store in a Hagerstown Housing Authority (HHA) building on West Baltimore Street. The store is located in the C.W. Brooks building. The Horizon Corner Store slowly became better known to the complex, and once delivery was made available, the store has taken off. Like other quick-stop stores, the Horizon Corner store is in place to help people with barriers to reaching stores like this. Some people in the housing authority building do not have the ability to leave the building to reach other stores. Transportation issues is a common problem for people who live in the downtown area, and this helps to bridge that gap. The store has the standard wares of 7-11 or Sheetz. It offers Groceries, Milk, Eggs, Snack Foods, Soft Drinks, Toiletries, and Medicines, all at a lower price point than similar stores.
The store’s success was enough to give us the incentive to give it another try at the HHA Walnut Towers buildings on Walnut Street. As of this writing, the lease has been signed, and the remodeling of the space has begun. A January 2023 opening is planned for the next Horizon Corner Store!
Milestones & New Hires
Congratulations to the following people for reaching a great milestone, and a big ‘Welcome’ to our newest team members as they begin their journey to their milestones!
| Name | Location | Department | Name | Location | Department | Years | |
| Selena Spann | Oakland | Donated Goods Retail | Theresa Bramlett | Front Royal | Donated Goods Retail | 1 | |
| Thomas Hensley | Martinsburg | Donated Goods Retail | Bailey Hutson | Front Royal | Donated Goods Retail | 1 | |
| Karen Blood | Charles Town | Donated Goods Retail | Keoni Pannell | HGI-2 | Mission Services | 1 | |
| Margaret Locke | Charles Town | Donated Goods Retail | Brittany Bourland | Mt. Jackson | Donated Goods Retail | 1 | |
| Chelsea Matthews | LaVale | Donated Goods Retail | Terri Pratt | Martinsburg GSA | Business Services | 1 | |
| Austin Bender | Winchester | Donated Goods Retail | Chandra Hess | Corporate Center | Donated Goods Retail | 1 | |
| Sharnae Deshields | HGI-2 | Mission Services | Carder Race | Frostburg | Donated Goods Retail | 1 | |
| Douglas Field | Oakland | Business Services | Samuel Unsworth | HGI-2 | Business Services | 1 | |
| Daquan Mcgraw | Youghiogheny | Business Services | Josselyn Velasquez | Winchester | Donated Goods Retail | 1 | |
| Gail Ruby | Charles Town | Donated Goods Retail | Kenneth Trigger | Cumberland UPIP | Donated Goods Retail | 1 | |
| Faith Morrison | Woodstock | Donated Goods Retail | Gwendolyn Morton | LaVale | Donated Goods Retail | 1 | |
| Blakelyn Catlett | Woodstock | Donated Goods Retail | Daniel Harris | Corporate Center | Donated Goods Retail | 1 | |
| John Zellmer | Martinsburg | Donated Goods Retail | Matthew Walters | LaVale | Donated Goods Retail | 1 | |
| Sara Cummings | Keyser | Donated Goods Retail | Richard Stotler | Sideling Hill | Business Services | 2 | |
| Tina Webb | HGI-2 | Business Services | Connie Bruchey | Fort Detrick | Business Services | 2 | |
| Tina Laurent | Stanley | Donated Goods Retail | Janet Stine | Charles Town | Donated Goods Retail | 2 | |
| Ashley Brown | Oakland | Donated Goods Retail | Bobby Munday | Fort Detrick | Business Services | 2 | |
| Jason Wade | Waynesboro | Donated Goods Retail | Scott Ruble | Corporate Center | Administrative Services | 2 | |
| Immanuel Mellis | Corporate Center | Donated Goods Retail | Jason Middlekauff | Corporate Center | Donated Goods Retail | 2 | |
| Kayla Jenkins | Keyser | Donated Goods Retail | Glenn Frederick | South End | Donated Goods Retail | 2 | |
| Jeffery Beimdick | Mt. Jackson | Donated Goods Retail | Cody Domer | Martinsburg GSA | Business Services | 3 | |
| Shane Riedmuller | Waynesboro | Donated Goods Retail | Stephanie Barrett | Burhans Store | Donated Goods Retail | 3 | |
| Emma Hendren | Woodstock | Donated Goods Retail | 3 | ||||
| Terry Frye | Woodstock | Donated Goods Retail | 4 | ||||
| Jessica Martz | Cumberland UPIP | Mission Services | 5 | ||||
| Heather Heglar | Winchester | Donated Goods Retail | 5 | ||||
| Amy Shatzer | South End | Donated Goods Retail | 6 | ||||
| Filomena Doyle | IRS Mailroom | Business Services | 6 | ||||
| Brooke Grossman | HGI-2 | Executive | 6 | ||||
| Chris Kackley | Corporate Center | Donated Goods Retail | 6 | ||||
| Robert Dasch | Winchester | Donated Goods Retail | 6 | ||||
| Tiffany Durkin | Corporate Center | Donated Goods Retail | 6 | ||||
| Dale Meyers | Cumberland UPIP | Business Services | 6 | ||||
| Stanley Frederick | Fort Detrick | Business Services | 7 | ||||
| Wes Keller | Fort Detrick | Business Services | 7 | ||||
| Bradley Sensel | IRS Mailroom | Business Services | 7 | ||||
| Michael Kingree | HGI-2 | Administrative Services | 7 | ||||
| Karen Bane | Front Royal | Donated Goods Retail | 11 | ||||
| Crystal Lidie | Corporate Center | Donated Goods Retail | 16 | ||||
| Mary Ritter | Martinsburg | Donated Goods Retail | 24 | ||||
| Terri Foote | Cumberland UPIP | Mission Services | 30 | ||||
Upcoming Events
- 10/5: Hagerstown – Cut | Cloth | Work! event at HGI2 (9AM – 4PM)
- 10/8-9: Berkeley Springs – 47th Annual Apple Butter Festival. HGI is a Trolley Sponsor. 127 Fairfax St, Berkeley Springs, WV
- 10/8: Martinsburg – Berkeley County Recovery Resource Center, Fall Recovery Festival. (11:30AM – 3PM) War Memorial Park, Martinsburg, WV
- 10/13: Woodstock – Shenandoah County Chamber – Nonprofit Council (12PM – 1PM) 135 S Main St, Woodstock, VA
- 10/25: Flintstone -Rocky Gap State Park annual Trunk or Treat (1PM – 3PM) Rocky Gap State Park, 12500 Lake Shore Drive, Flintstone, MD 21530
- 10/28: Hagerstown – Halloween Block Party (5PM – 10PM) S Potomac St, Hagerstown, MD
- 10/29: Woodstock – Humane Society of Shenandoah County visits the Woodstock store. (XPM-XPM)
- The Adolescent Clubhouse is moving, so the Wednesday Movie night is postponed until they settle into their new location at HGI2.
Thank you for reading the Horizon Goodwill Industries newsletter. If you have any exciting news or story suggestions, please contact us at marketing@goodwill-hgi.org.