Were you at our 61st Annual Awards Dinner on Wednesday? If you weren’t, you missed one of the most amazing evenings I have experienced in my 5 years with Horizon Goodwill Industries. If you were, I am so glad! It was a night that made me cry and laugh, sometimes at the same time. So many wonderful examples of what happens when we work together to remove barriers and create opportunities so individuals in our communities can realize and achieve their fullest potential.
Over the course of the evening, individuals, teams, community partners, board members and businesses were honored for their achievements and performance excellence in 2015. Honorees were celebrated by 150 guests who listened to moving stories about character, passion, partnership and service. Multiple standing 
ovations and rounds and rounds of applause filled the room. (Not to mention more tears.)
I was repeatedly inspired by the stories of capability and dedication from our Achiever, Graduate, Team and Spirit award winners Jesse, Katie, the ATF custodial crew and Ronnie! I was equally as proud and moved by our Horizon Goodwill award presenters – the employees and team members that nominated the winners and worked most closely with them through-out the year.
Our CEO John McCain started the night by describing what it takes for our winners and so many others to be successful in work. He said, “you need three things: 1) the knowledge necessary to do your job, both technical and soft skills; 2) you need the internal motivation to be successful, and finally, you need someone to give you a chance.”
But, Horizon Goodwill can’t do it alone! Partner Award winners Planet Fitness – Cumberland, Hampshire County Library, the Gilchrist YMCA, and SignZone, Inc. are as passionate about Horizon Goodwill’s mission as they are their own. It was clear by their acceptance speeches and letters that together we are effectively driving economies locally, regionally, and now nationally (SignZone flew all the way from Minnesota!). And, by customizing what Horizon Goodwill can do for our strategic partners, we are able to enhance educational, economic and social circumstances for the individuals we all serve.
Click here to see all the winners and learn more about the individuals, the teams and partners honored: https://www.youtube.com/user/PowerofWork.