2008 Employment Awards

Fundraising Banquet

On Thursday, May 8, Employment Options celebrated its Annual Employment Awards Fundraising Banquet to honor Options Clubhouse members that were successfully employed in 2007. The evening's theme was focused around the theme of "Think Ability". Our 3 speakers highlighted this theme beautifully, with their personal stories and struggles of rising above their disability to enjoy careers, families, supports and respect from the community. Guests welcomed included, Employers, Sponsors, the Chamber of Commerce, City Councilor Arthur Vigeant, former State Representative Stephen LeDuc, Tony Arruda of the Jaycees of Massachusetts, Rotary Club, past staff and board of directors, to name a few.

Event Speakers

Keith Jones, is the President and CEO of SoulTouchin' Experiences, an organization aimed at bringing a perspective to the issues of access inclusion and empowerment, which affect him as well as others who live with a disability. Mr Jones is also extremely active in multi-cultural, cross-disability education and outreach efforts and conducts trainings (including train the trainer) with the purpose of strengthening efforts to provide services and information to people with disabilities.

Dottie Catton, is a full-time single mother of two young, healthy children, and has been involved with the Family Options program for over two years. Dottie became ill at 22 years old.  She had her first child two year later,  and became involved with the Department of Social Services and the Department of Mental Health, and experienced several hospitalizations. Currently, Dottie is a full-time mother with sole custody of her two children. Dottie hopes to continue her college education in the future when her children are older.

Maria Schlomann, has been a member of Options Clubhouse since 2004. Maria currently lives in Lexington, MA and attends the Gateway Arts Program. Gateway Arts is a program filled with creative crafts, contemplative and whimsical paintings and over 95 talented artists with disabilities who are learning a vocation while realizing their dreams. At the 2008 Massachusetts Clubhouse Coalition Statehouse event, Maria was chosen to speak as a consumer and also her own experience navigating through the DMH system. Maria enjoys cooking, writing and drawing in her free time.

Sponsored in Part By: