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March 31, 2015

"Takin' Care of Business"

No one wants to think of traumatic brain injury, especially when it impacts a brilliant young man in his early 20s.

In a heartbeat, a tragic automobile accident forever changed the life of Bill G. After many years and treatment at other facilities, Bill came to Hopewell ten years ago. He is part of our Extended Stay Program. Last month he celebrated his 64th birthday. And he celebrated his third month as an employee at the Wal-Mart store in Middlefield.

Bill often uses song lyrics to frame his comments and observations. Today, one of his theme songs is the Bachman-Turner Overdrive hit, "Takin' Care of Business." But in Bill's version the chorus is, "Takin' care of business every day, takin' care of business any way." Whether working at Wal-Mart or as part of the farm crew at Hopewell, Bill rises to every occasion. He takes his work seriously and enjoys the personal, emotional rewards of being part of a work place and part of a community.

Since his arrival at Hopewell, Bill has enjoyed working on the farm crew. He says he has learned a great deal from our Farm Manager, Norman Wengerd, and Farm Crew Leader, Bruce McAllester. But recently it became important to Bill to in his words "pay my own way" (although he is not personally responsible for any of his Hopewell fees). To gain the readiness he would need to work outside the farm, Bill took part in a training program last summer. He held a temporary job at a grocery store in Champion, Ohio. Each day he worked, he was observed by a job coach who assessed his skills and capacity to assume a permanent job.

In November, he was hired by Wal-Mart as a seasonal helper. It didn't take long for Wal-Mart management to appreciate Bill's bright smile, outgoing personality and conscientious work ethic. He now works 20 to 25 hours per week, primarily gathering the shopping carts. Hopewell staff provide his transportation, but Bill is "takin' care of business" independently while he is at his job.

Music means more to Bill than song titles. He began learning to play the piano while in kindergarten. His family donated the funds that allowed Hopewell to purchase the piano Bill plays as a member of the Hopewell Band. (He is proud that his skills may be heard on the band's recent recordings.)

Bill is also a member of the Resident Council. Council members gather information from their peers in order to decide what field trips to take, provide input about program changes, and assist with conflict resolution. The Resident Council empowers Hopewell residents and ensures they know they have a voice in their community. In order to be eligible to sit on the Council, a resident must have at least a 90 percent participation level in all program activities. Bill is usually at 100 percent participation.

Robert Weirich, Hopewell's Education Program Coordinator, has been assisting Bill with an online self-publishing application. Bill's goal is to complete and publish a book of his own acrostic-style poetry. Bob reports, Bill is a very talented and compassionate man. He is always seeking to do the best at whatever he does. It has been a pleasure playing in the Hopewell Band with him. Very often, he will "blow us away" with a blistering hot solo on the piano.

Lastly, Bill is a wonderful role model for others. It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with such a fine gentleman. So if you happen to stop at the Middlefield Wal-Mart, drop by the farm when eggs are being gathered, or catch a rehearsal of the Hopewell Band, be sure to say hello to Bill G. He'll be there, "takin' care of business" – his special way.