Happy Memorial Day from OW. Here are some letters our folks wrote in honor of our fallen soldiers. 💙💛💙🇺🇸

If I could thank a fallen soldier, this is what I would say…

Thank you so much for your bravery and your sacrifice. You’re an amazing and tremendous person. I’m truly blessed and I will honor your memory in so many ways. Our country is free and stronger with your bravery and sacrifice. For the rest of my life I would put fresh flowers on your grave on each Memorial Day because of your contribution to make this country safe for all of us.

Signed: James D.Keith

Dear Fallen Soldier,

I would like to thank you for your service and for all that you did in protecting our country from harm during the war. Your sacrifice and bravery is something that not only I, but the whole nation would like to honor you for. I also would like to thank you for being a true inspiration to all American citizens of every kind and for honoring our government for making our great country a free nation to live in. Our free nation would never have been in patriotic conditions it you did not serve in our wonderful military. In final thoughts, I would really like to thank you very much for be a true and loyal hero of honor, bravery, and trust for serving in our inspiring armed forces in protecting and representing our free nation.

Signed, Greer Candage

Dear fallen soldier,

I want to thank you for your service to the United States of America. I respect and honor you even though you are no longer with us. When I think of you as a fallen soldier it makes me happy because I know you sacrifice your life for our country and our freedom. After learning more about why Memorial Day so important I know now that you as a fallen soldier have sacrificed so much for the lives of the American people. Finally, I want to thank you again for your service to this country and Rest In Peace.

Sincerely,

Brianna caissie

Opportunity Works has a lovely partnership with Newburyport Art Association. The Executive Director, Wanda Strukus, led a wonderful virtual tour of Love is LOVE! at the Newburyport Firehouse Center for the Arts for our participants on ZOOM in March. This virtual tour was a great bridge between the people we support who are in our Newburyport facility, Haverhill facility, and remotely at their homes. Wanda described many of the works on display while engaging the participants in the artwork.

love post
[Pictured is a screenshot of the Zoom Tour at the Firehouse. The image in the center is a red and pink floral painting, and there are a few Opportunity Works participants visible at the top along with a staff and NAA’s Wanda Strukus]

Exhibit Description:

“Created to celebrate love in all its forms and the artful joy of our community, Love is LOVE! features 32 artworks in acrylic, oil, mixed-media, pastel, photography, and printmaking that respond broadly to the theme of love. NAA Executive Director and co-curator Wanda Strukus gives you a tour of this lively exhibition with its many interpretations of love: poetic, cheeky, abstract, amiable, tense, unrequited, effervescent, ambivalent, surprising, romantic, and joyful!”

Check out the NAA exhibition schedule for upcoming shows!

Thank you to Wanda Strukus, Jenna Signore, NAA volunteers, Firehouse Center for the Arts, and the artists featured in the exhibit for this opportunity!

By Jillian Sacco

Money money money money…..Money….Skills!

Money Skills is 2x/week on Google Classroom as well as in-house, the facilitator is long time OW staff member Jane Drouin. $ skills is very popular and always has great attendance! The facilitators teach the value of money as well as the number values and this is achieved by using simple tools such as paper money, dice and number cards. They teach useful lessons while having fun with math.

 

Quotes:

Kelsey H “Its key to learn how to save and spend your money responsibly”

 

Brandon M: “It helps me learn about cash!”

kelsey money for blog post

[Pictured is Kelsey H during Money Skills on Google Classroom]

Click any of these to get reading!

Adventures with Nori: #001 Cold

Adventures with Nori: #002 Ruckus

Adventures with Nori: #003 Vacation

Adventures with Nori: #004 Dreaming of Glamour

Adventures with Nori: #005 Halloween Jokes

Adventures with Nori: #006 Drawing Class Hosted by Craig and Arius

 

Eagle Sponsor:

ifs logo

Institution for Savings

Birdie Sponsor:

rochester elec

Rochester Electronics

Lunch Sponsor:

aah
Amesbury Animal Hospital

hav bank logo

Haverhill Bank

matter
Matter Communications

Dart Board Sponsors:

tms logo

TMC Architects

trf

Hole in One Sponsor:
fantini logo

Fantini Baking Company

Putting Green Sponsors:

pentucket
Pentucket Bank

Golf Cart Sponsors:

align logo

Align Credit Union

new nec logo

NorthEast Computer Services

David Loring

Player Gift Donation by

rw blue logo

Riverwalk Brewing Co

Tee Sign Sponsors:

 

isc logo
Insurance Solutions Corporation

Al and Betsy Wencl

Lucien and Judy Lacroix

Mike and Mary Zerigian

hdgw
Healey, Deshaies, Gagliardi & Woelfel, PC

cwbanker

Coldwell Banker Realty of Haverhill and Newburyport

atlantic ambulance logo

Atlantic Ambulance Service

slhealth

SL Healthplans LLC

fritzdegug

Fritz DeGuglielmo, LLC CPA’s

mmtoool

Merrimac Tool

Adventures with Nori: #002 What’s that ruckus?

comic 002

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Thanks to the hard work of some OW staff over at our Newburyport location, we have a newly revamped room! With a fresh coat of paint and new set-up, some of our CBDS participants who frequent their place of employment while at OW now have a place to unwind. In this case they are getting their workout on. SPIRIT Club is a new subscription based fitness program that we are utilizing through ZOOM in order to get people moving regardless if you’re in Newburyport, Haverhill, or remote.

new room and sclub

SPIRIT CLUB’S MISSION: To offer a universal design for fitness that empowers people of all abilities to exercise successfully in a socially integrated setting.

S OCIAL
P HYSICAL
I NTERACTIVE
R ESPECTFUL
I NTEGRATED
T EAMWORK

spirit club logo

Project SEARCH has been learning about the benefits of Mental Health education! Our interns have learned that mental health is just as important as physical health & to make our mental health a priority. Below are 3 acrostic poems & quotes from 3 of our current interns on our “Health & Wellness” topic.

Always remember… Mental Health Matters!

health1 health2 health3

Our Project SEARCH program is funded in part by the kindness of the Cummings Foundation.

The Haverhill Karaoke class has become an overnight success after starting back in August. The class is run by Sylium Diaz, Rosanna Guzman and Chris Breton every Thursday at 11:30 on Google Classroom and the individuals are able participate both at  home and in-house. “We never realized what a hit the class was going to be” said Sylium. The premise of the class is similar to the karaoke you used to attend, only virtual, they get to choose their song, one of the staff members cues the music (with lyrics) and away they go! Most played requests include, “Let it Go,” “Beat It,” “ The Sponge Bob theme song” and “Rockstar.” Some quotes from some of the regulars:

Will R –  “I love it”

Maddie H – “ It is the highlight of my Thursday.”

Heather B – “It is my favorite classes, I love it.”

karaoke photo maddie

[Pictured here is Maddie H singing “This is Home” by Bryan Lanning]

Enjoy Adventures with Nori!

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