• Photo

James Quick of Wytheville labels a pack of Gatorade sports drinks at the Mount Rogers Industrial and Development Center. He is one of 70 employees at the local center. Photo by Jean Farley

Sphere IT

Save This Page

Reader Reaction

digg it

Enabled employment

By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff

Working at the Mount Rogers Industrial and Development Center in Wytheville for the past two years, James Quick has learned new skills and made new friends. The Wytheville resident is one of 70 employees from Wythe and Bland counties proving that people with disabilities are valuable assets in the work force.
With that in mind, October is recognized as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This designation seeks to educate the public about issues related to disability and employment.
The Mount Rogers Community Services Board also operates centers which serve Smyth County and the Twin County/Galax area. Each functions as a small business and provides a variety of jobs that allow individuals to experience having jobs and earning a pay check.
Individuals work in assembly jobs using hand tools and machinery. They also have packing jobs handling various types of products such as bags and boxes and inspecting and sorting operations. Some work on sewing jobs using commercial sewing machines.
“They work many other types of jobs found in the immediate employment area,” noted Sandy Surratt, operations supervisor for the Wytheville center in the Fairview Industrial Park.
To obtain jobs for the workers, the IDC contracts with area businesses and industries to out source parts of their operation. Among the local center’s clients are ABB of Bland, Pascor Atlantic of Bland, the Wytheville operation of Acument Global Technologies, Hutchinson Sealing Systems, Wordsprint, Brewer Automotive Components, Gatorade, Longwood and Ability One NISH Government Products.
Quick began working part-time at the IDC in November 2006 while being enrolled in special education classes at George Wythe High School. He pointed out a counselor with the Department of Rehabilitative Services talked with him about the IDC and helped him connect with the service.
Working at the IDC in the mornings, Quick attended school in the afternoon. He graduated in 2007 and started full time at the IDC.
Quick performed many of the jobs contracted by the center. More recently, he has been involved in building displays for Gatorade and indicated he enjoys this job, which keeps him up and going all day.
“This is such a positive business partnership,” remarked Michelle Farmer, senior customer service resource for Gatorade. “Not only is it a business partnership but the spirit of this business is so personable. Everybody has such a positive attitude.”
Added Tasha Vaughan, Gatorade distribution center operation, “The workers and the supervisors are awesome.”
“Pascor Atlantic is honored to be affiliated with such a fine and vital organization as the Mount Rogers IDC,” said Wilma Faulker, human resource manager. “Their clients and the work that they perform for Pascor Atlantic are an important part of our business’s success.”
“The IDC is an exceptional company to work with,” stated Chrissy LaDuca, assistant manager for production control at Brewer Automotive Components. “They do a phenomenal job on everything we send to them and are always willing to take on extra tasks even at short notice.”
While Quick is positive about his work at the IDC, he has other goals – including construction work.
“I feel like I have a good future ahead of me with whatever I do,” Quick said.
Joan Harmon, director of employment and support services for the IDC, stated, “A lot of folks start out working here and want to stay here which is fine. Some have gone into competitive employment in the area. We do offer long-term employment and the majority of our workers are long-term.”
For more information about IDC services, call 228-8651 or visit the Web site at http://www.mtrogerscsb.com.
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 228-6611 or .