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2022 Power of Work Awards

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67th Annual Power of Work Awards

Wednesday, May 4th, 2022

This year’s awards event is going to be a little different. Instead of a sit-down dinner in a sea of tables, we’ll invite you to experience how we are More Than Just A Store!

Each year, our Awards Program recognizes the hard work, dedication, and mission support of our clients and partners in the community. These individuals and businesses embody our mission of
removing barriers and creating opportunities for employment throughout our four-state territory. We hope that you will consider sponsoring this day of recognition. Thank you!

TITLE SPONSORSHIP $3,000.00 (SOLD!)

  • Most prominent Corporate Logo Placements on all Promotional Materials, Advertising, and highlighted
    on Social Media
  • Company banner placed outside of the building during the event and for one (1) week following the event.
  •  Recognition at the Power of Work Awards as the Title Sponsor.
  • Recognition during Award and Recipient Video Presentation during Power of Work Awards.
  • Acknowledgment as the Title sponsor in the Power of Work Awards Program.

PLATINUM SPONSORSHIP $2,000.00

  • Corporate Logo Placements on all Promotional Materials, Advertising, and highlighted on Social Media.
  • Your company banner will be placed outside the building during the event.
  • Recognition at the Power of Work Awards as a Platinum sponsor.
  • Recognition during Award and Recipient Video Presentation during Power of Work Awards.
  • Acknowledgment as a Platinum sponsor in the Power of Work Awards Program.

GOLD SPONSORSHIP $1,000.00

  • Corporate Logo Placements on all Promotional Materials, Advertising, and highlighted on Social Media.
  • Your Company logo was placed on a banner outside the building during the event.
  • Recognition during Award and Recipient Video Presentation during Power of Work Awards.
  • Acknowledgment as a Gold sponsor in the Power of Work Awards Program.

SILVER SPONSORSHIP $500.00

  • Corporate Logo Placements on all Promotional Materials, Advertising, and highlighted on Social Media.
  • Acknowledgment as a Silver sponsor in the Power of Work Awards Program.

BRONZE SPONSORSHIP $250.00

  • Sponsorship Recognition.
  • Acknowledgment as a Bronze sponsor in the Power of Work Awards Program.

To pay by credit card, please click the button located below to reach our financial donation page. Use the ‘custom amount’ option and put your sponsorship level in the comments field.

* For more information on these sponsorship opportunities or Horizon Goodwill Industries and its Mission in the Community, don’t hesitate to contact Amanda Rossen at arossen@goodwill-hgi.org or call 301-988-0501.

 

Business Services Employee Spotlight- Diana Redmond!

Welcome back!  If you have ever driven to the Western edge of Maryland and stopped at the Youghiogheny Rest Area and Overlook, you know what a visual gem it is.

Overlook
Beautiful views in Western MD

When you enter the Welcome Center, you will find an abundance of interesting information and you will likely get a chance to be greeted by the smiling face that is the inspiration for this week’s blog entry, Diana Redmond!

Like many of the staff that are working on Goodwill contracts, Diana has a story to tell about how she has benefited from our services.  Mobility became an issue for Diana after a car crash, but not in the way that you might assume.  Rather than needing to spend long periods of time resting, for Diana it was just the opposite.  The nature of her injuries made it so that remaining stationary (sitting or standing) for long periods of time caused her pain.  She had a need to be on the move and we needed a motivated individual to cover the grounds of this expansive facility.

Happy at Work
Diana smiling on the Job!

After showing her value as a custodian, Diana was promoted to become the supervisor of this site.  In this capacity she has many duties that require her to be active and that is a perfect fit for her.  The staff she oversees requires her attention and to keep up with them, she is always on the move!

Diana says that she “likes the structure of the job and it’s close to home”.  Much of Horizon Goodwill’s territory is rural and for many, transportation is not readily available.  The logistics of simply getting to a job site can create a barrier to employment when the area you live in has limited job opportunities.  Diana is truly a perfect fit in this sparsely populated area and another example of how Horizon Goodwill’s services benefit individuals even in remote locations.

Horizon Goodwill does so much to help so many.  And there are so many more people out there for us to help!  Sometimes it just takes that first step before you are able realize your full potential.  This is why we are here.  This is what Horizon Goodwill is all about.  Removing barriers, creating opportunities.

Thanks for reading!  Please feel free to contact me with questions or comments regarding the blog or what our Business Services division can do for you!  bmarks@goodwill-hgi.org

GET ONBOARD! Job Readiness Starts Here

Are you looking for a job? Are you trying to get back into the workforce? If so, then you know getting a job is a lot of hard work and that keeping a job can be even harder.  That is why we are so excited to announce the launch of Horizon Goodwill’s new Job Readiness program, GET ONBOARD!
(Train emoji, high-five emoji, choo choo whistle emoji).

GET ONBOARD! participant and graduate Tina on Day 3 – showing off her new interview outfit: “I am ready for what’s next!”
Job ready indeed – GET ONBOARD! graduates looking good in their new interview swag donated by Valor Ministries Team and Valor’s “Draped with Confidence” clothing closet.

Goodwill’s GET ONBOARD! program is a twenty (20) hour classroom-based training that provides job readiness and soft skills needed by you and expected by your future employer.   In just one week, Goodwill’s GET ONBOARD! introduces participants to the world of work and teaches critical employability skills that will help you get AND keep your next job: Personal management, Teamwork, Conflict resolution, Financial literacy, Self-motivation, Professional attire and etiquette.

GET ONBOARD! is free to participants and will be offered at
Horizon Goodwill’s four (4) Job Connection Centers located in Hagerstown and Cumberland, MD; Martinsburg, WV; and, Winchester, VA. The twenty (20) hour training is offered in 5 sessions with certificates of completion given to participants who complete without any absences.

“One important key to success is self-confidence.  An important key to self-confidence is preparation.”
– Arthur Ashe

Since launching on February 1st, forty-five (45) job seekers have participated in and graduated from GET ONBOARD!  Goodwill’s Workforce Development Team would like to recognize all the GET ONBOARD! participants — thank you for your willingness to take your job readiness journey with us.  Participants and graduates not only embraced a new and innovative learning opportunity, but boldly began their journey of returning to the workforce and moving closer to self-sufficiency.

A special Goodwill thank you to our Washington County partners – Steve Hummel and team from Columbia Bank and Lori Wriston and the staff of Valor Ministries – for collaborating with us on this new venture.

For more information, go to horizongoodwill.org or call 301-733-7330.  Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Fall Back: A Time To Repurpose and Reuse

Fall is a great time to re-prioritize some projects going in to winter when you may have more cold indoor days to work on crafting. And when Fall rolls around, I think of planning for cold winter day projects and of what I can do to rework or repurpose some of what I have. It is also a good time to take a good look at my craft stash and closet and evaluate what I am not using that I may have meant to donate or fix or redo.

Making Plans for Fall Crafting!
Making Plans for Fall Crafting!

Here are my plans for October.  Please comment with your additions and share so we can see more ideas of great autumn clean up craft projects. I will share the results of some of these projects in upcoming posts.

Crafting to do list!

  • Go through the mending pile that has been sitting since April. Anything that I have meant to tailor or adjust, I plan to take a hard look at and if I really loved the piece that much I probably would have done something with it by now.  I’m going to fix the small rips and adjustments but anything that is still a whole garment someone else could use and I haven’t yet, is going in the donation bin.
  • Spruce up my shoes. I have couple pairs of flats that are in need of some touch ups. Some I can fix with leather polish but others I am going to check out the jewelry counter at Goodwill and see if I can find some fun pairs of earrings or a couple ribbons to make some DYI shoe decorations.
  • I so love sweater weather and I have a great collection of felted sweaters that I have saved to make a blanket. I’m almost there so I plan during October to hit the .99 Sunday Sales to pick up the other 5 or 6 I will need to complete this project and have it ready to gift or I might love it so much that I need to plan to make one for me for next year!
  • Two weeks ago we shared some fun denim ideas and I know I have a couple pairs of jeans that just aren’t right but also are too worn to donate. I think I’ll review that list and see what I can come up with for craft use for those. Again, if I need a few more materials I can hit Goodwill. I’d love to make a fun denim skirt that is jean on top and maybe part of a party or wedding dress on the bottom. I think the weekend chic potential of that combo is amazing.
DeStash those crafting supplies!
DeStash those crafting supplies!

I think these 4 things will get me started on my winter crafting spree. I know that closer to the holidays I will be on the hunt for fun containers for gift packaging or unusual clothing to take apart for fabric or buttons. I plan to keep an eye out for these as I make my rounds during regular Horizon Goodwill shopping trips or the Sunday Sales.  I do love a treasure hunt!

What fun items do you plan to craft or repurpose this season? Are you excited about the coming holiday season and making fun gifts?  What are your Fall Back to Basics plans for decluttering your craft room? What fun new pieces do you need to complete your pending projects?

Lots of fun, unusual, and vintage craft supplies can be found at your local Goodwill every day.  I love dropping off a donation of pieces I’m not using and finding new supplies to play with or inspire!  And the added bonus is I know my donations and purchases support a great organization that helps empower people through the dignity of work.

It Takes A Lot of “Work” to be a Special Olympian

Goodwill Special Olympian Wanda Webb sharing her journey to a Gold medal in Bocce.
Goodwill Special Olympian Wanda Webb sharing her journey to a Gold medal in Bocce.

Just as the U.S. Olympic Team prepares to compete in Brazil, Horizon Goodwill clients turned athletes took time to share their experience as Special Olympians.  Representing Allegany and Washington County delegations, these 8 athletes competed in 20 different events and brought home an impressive number of medals: 6 Gold, 5 Silver and 2 Bronze!

To compete in the games takes dedication.  Each athlete must develop skills and practice regularly, then compete several times a year at the state and local level.  And, in the case of these 8 clients, they were learning about the world of work with Goodwill during the day and training to compete as Special Olympians with friends during their nights and weekends.

Over 1,200 Athletes competed in this year’s Special Olympic Maryland Summer Games held at Towson University just north of Baltimore.  The annual games lasted 3 glorious days, from June 10-12.  Athletes compete in 5 major categories: Aquatics, Athletics, Bocce, Softball and Cheerleading.  The Special Olympics in Maryland is a massive event with over 400 Coaches, 225 Unified Partners, and 500 Volunteers.  Put it on your calendar for next year – it is amazing.

Impressive performance by Goodwill's Aquatics Gold Medaler Jason Whitmore.
Impressive performance by Goodwill’s Aquatics 3 time Gold Medal winner Jason Whitmore.

Special Olympians compete individually and in teams, usually grouped by skill level.  Drew Nesbitt represented Allegany County in Athletics (Track & Field) competing in 3 events, winning Gold for his speed in the 50M Run.  Jason Whitmore represented Washington County in Aquatics.  He competed in 4 swimming events, including 1 relay, taking home an impressive 3 Gold medals and 1 Silver!

Six Goodwill clients competed in Singles and Doubles Bocce.  If you are wondering, Bocce (bäCHē) is an Italian game similar to lawn bowling but played on a shorter, narrower green.

No stranger to awards, our 2015 Graduate of the Year, Katie Acton placed 3rd and 4th in both Bocce Singles and Doubles respectively.   Goodwill trainees Sonya Carter and Stephanie Pyles teamed up on Bocce Doubles bringing home a 4th place prize; while Sonya scored a silver medal in her Bocce Womens Singles.

Bryan Huff and Dustin Liller teamed up as well, bringing home a Silver medal for Bocce Mens Doubles.  In the Bocce Singles, Bryan earned a Silver medal and Dustin scored Gold!

And, then there is Bocce-Wonder, Wanda Webb!  Bringing home Gold in her Bocce Womens Singles.  When I asked Wanda what it takes to win, she said, “Hard work!  It’s not just a game, it takes a lot, a lot, A LOT of practice.  I trained all year with my friends to get good.”

Like Goodwill, the Special Olympics is giving people with cognitive and developmental challenges the opportunity to succeed and grow.  The inscription on Wanda Webb’s gold medal says, “With skill, courage, sharing, and joy”.  These are the core principles of the Special Olympics shared by all of us at Horizon Goodwill.

So as you cheer the U.S. athletes in Rio, remember the skill, courage, sharing and joy of our very Special Olympians right here at home.image_Cathys iPhone - Special Olympics logo

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