Greg and Mary Ann Lovik, owners of Washburn’s General Store in Neah Bay, went all out to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, hosting an ice cream cake social for their customers and honoring an employee, Franklin Ides.
They also were celebrating their Employer of the Month Award from the Clallam County Health & Human Services Business Leadership Advisory Committee. Presenting the award was committee member and executive director of the Dungeness Valley Health & Wellness Clinic, Pam Leonard-Ray. Also in attendance to celebrate was Franklin’s job coach from Concerned Citizens.
The Loviks said that Ides first came to them as a transition student through the high school, but is now a permanent part-time employee. His main duty is recycling cardboard. They mentioned how much he enjoys this duty and how he is dependable and punctual.
The celebration took place Oct. 23 at the store. The Loviks were presented with a certificate of appreciation and a plaque to display. Their business was also added to a plaque that will hang in the county courthouse at the end of the year along with the other 2015 recipients.
Previous 2015 recipients of this award are Olympic Medical Center, Holiday Inn Express, Port Angeles Jack in the Box, Smuggler’s Landing, Sequim Goodwill, The Home Depot, Clallam Transit System, King’s Way Foursquare Church and Sequim Safeway.
The Business Leadership Advisory Committee is a business to business network promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in the community and workforce. They have established a mentorship program for businesses interested in exploring the possibility of hiring individuals with disabilities. For more information about the Business Leadership Advisory Committee, visit
www.clallam.net/HHS/HumanServices/blac.html.
Mary Cliffton, Developmental Disability Case Manager for Clallam County Health and Human Services, is happy to connect employers to the various community employment providers and agencies should they be interested in hiring workers with disabilities. She can be reached at 360-417-2407.
