The Employer of the Month for September is the Northwest Hair Academy. Chinook participant Doug McDaniel has been employed at the academy since 1997. They have always been a very supportive employer and go out of their way to include Doug in all their social events. Everyone treats him with respect and always ensures he has whatever is needed to be successful on the job. Doug loves working at the NWHA and all the instructors and students know how much his job means to him. The academy has been tremendously flexible in accommodating Doug’s needs so he can complete his job the way he prefers to.

Phillip Nelson, one of our full-time employees in the Grounds Maintenance Department, is leaving Chinook Enterprises to pursue his dreams in the film industry. At age 25, Phillip currently resides in Mount Vernon and is moving to Seattle to attend the Seattle Film Institute. Although he always had a curiosity about what goes on behind the scenes, his true inspiration came after seeing the movie The Dark Knight. Phillip says, “I had a lot of ideas and didn’t have a way of channeling them into something good. After seeing that movie, I just thought ‘hey, I can do something like this’ and that’s what propelled me forward.” While visiting the institute, he spoke with students formerly in the landscaping business and was encouraged that now was the time to pursue his film career. The program at the Seattle Film Institute is 10 months long and provides an internship. After finishing school, Phillip’s ultimate goal is to direct and produce independent film. He would like to stay in the Seattle area, but mentions, “if Hollywood calls my name, I will go.” Phillip has been with Chinook for 3 years and is a valued member of our Grounds team. After Phillip’s departure, Daniel Garcia will be taking over his full-time position. Congrats Daniel and good luck to you, Phillip!

The Employer of the Month for August is the Jack in the Box store on the end of Cook Road. During every site visit, the managers rave about how awesome Thomas is and have nothing but glowing reports about his work there as a lobby attendant. They appreciate Thomas so much that Manager Suzy is not only willing to give him the time off he needs for his busy summer schedule, but wants him to work additional days and hours as it fits into his schedule! Suzy states that they love having Thomas work there and want to accommodate him and his family as much as possible.

Lili Johnson, a Courtesy Clerk at Safeway in Anacortes, recently received a perfect score from a secret shopper.  While one perfect score can be seen as a great accomplishment, what makes this extra special is that Lili has received five perfect scores in a row!  Because of her extraordinary efforts to always provide great customer service, Lili recently received special recognition from Safeway for her great work.  Lili has been working at Safeway for three years and has been receiving support through Chinook Enterprises for about two years.  Next time you are in the Anacortes Safeway, say hello to Lili.  You will surely get some great customer service in return!

Mindy Dunlap, who works at Chinook Enterprises, is not just our janitorial person but our daily dose of morning sunshine.  Here are some quotes of what people say. 

Mindy brightens my day.  (Michelle)

Mindy ALWAYS makes me laugh and brightens up my mood.  (Tamie)

Not being a morning person, Mindy is one of the few people that I can be guaranteed will make me smile in the morning…even before I have had any caffeine!  (Beth)

One of the unique things about Mindy is that she is often able to read subtle moods, vibes, etc. that are present in the work place.  She seems to know without asking when people are mad, sad, tired, grumpy, worried, etc…it’s an interesting talent she has.  (Jim)

Mindy loves to encourage everyone by saying “good job.”  (Shop Staff)

Mindy is always telling me “good job” when I am working with her.  I never realized the impact those words have until I hear them Tuesday through Friday.  I find myself feeling so encouraged.  Thank you.  (Connie)

Chinook Enterprises’ Employer of the Month for June is McDonalds in Sedro-Woolley.  Manager Gloria has been very supportive of Cindy Erickson and has worked with Cindy, her mom, and Chinook Enterprises in keeping Cindy’s hours up and accommodating her transportation needs.  Staff has been open to teaching Cindy new tasks and is always looking for ways to utilize her excellent attitude and willingness to learn.  She currently is helping cook the french fries during down time in the lobby, and she has also helped at the drive through window.

By: Tahnee Crawford

A few months ago, Chinook Enterprises was contacted by the Engineering Technology Department at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. They asked if any of our staff members had ideas for devices or inventions that would aid the disabled in the workplace.  They were looking for ideas that could be developed by WWU engineering students who were involved in a technology contest.  One of our staff, Steve Miller, submitted an idea for possible development by the students.  

Steve is one of our Employment Specialists and has been with Chinook for about 6 months.  Steve has been working with participants at the Sedro-Woolley Public Library, as well as the Mount Vernon Library.  One difficulty he had noticed was how time consuming it was for our clients to straighten the books.  The libraries want the books all lined up with the front edge of the shelves.  Our participants can do this, but it takes a lot of time to do it one book at a time.  Steve pondered the idea of how to speed up this process.  He wondered if he could develop a device that would straighten the books on a shelf all at once.

Steve thought of an idea to speed up the process of straightening books, but he hadn’t actually built the device.  When the WWU staff contacted Chinook, he thought that this may be the opportunity to see if it really works.  He explained his idea to Nicole Hoekstra from WWU, and a short time later he was contacted and told that one of the teams chose his concept.  Steve explained his idea to the team, including the basic size and structure of the device.  The team of engineering students took it from there.  They developed the specific shape, size, and materials to be used for the device.  It needed to be both strong and lightweight.  The team constructed a prototype and took it to the Sedro-Woolley Public Library.  The library staff tried it out, and they were very pleased with the results.  They said it cut their time in half!  The WWU team entered the device in the “AbilityOne Network Design Challenge.”  This competition is sponsored by an organization called NISH, which serves disabled workers nationwide.  The team, which was competing with other universities from around the country, became one of the finalists in the competition.  Their prototype of Steve’s concept won $1,000 for Western Washington University!  Steve was amazed at the success of his idea.  Good job, Steve!

One of the contracts we have held for nearly twenty-five years is the grounds maintenance at the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery.  It is the oldest in Skagit County and is the final resting place for many of the early pioneers and founders of the Valley.  The preparation of the grounds for Memorial Day is a large task.  It is a beautiful site once it is all decorated with U.S. flags bordering the roadway.  This year we have been working to beautify all the headstones by pressure washing the moss and grime away.  They are looking beautiful!

Drew Beals, an 18 year employee on the Chinook Enterprises Grounds Maintenance crew, returned to work in May after a four month medical leave.  Drew’s polished work skills were missed during his time off.  We welcome him back during our busiest time of the year!

Chinook Enterprises’ Employer of the Month for May is A Cup Above Deli and Espresso.  Owner Tina Magner is very open-minded about supported employment.  Her willingness to add Kalob as an employee to improve her sales is an example of her smart business sense.  She tells us it has really paid off!  Her open communication has been great with Kalob.  Tina treats her employees with respect and patience.  She has developed a bond with Kalob that has helped him tap his potential to learn new job skills and grow in self confidence.  He, in turn, has helped her business grow.

By: Paul O’Donnell