June
2013
Goodwill Industries, Inc.
Serving Eastern Nebraska
& Southwest Iowa
GoodwillOmaha.org
Celebrating Goodwill’s
jobs well done
Coming soon to
everywhere near you
page 5
page 8
We have won several
prestigious awards lately.
Check out what we’ve brought
home in just the last month!
Our new Engagement
Training program is
spreading around the
agency!
goodwill's summer
movie preview
by Brent Koster & Neal Obermeyer
T
Brent Koster and Neal Obermeyer run through what are sure to be the
biggest summer blockbusters of 2013 to help you prepare for the Goodwill,
the bad and the ugly.
1
he summer movie season is upon
us, and we want you all to be
ready. Neal and I put together a
rundown of the top movies of the summer
– including the official synopsis of each
plot, the Goodwill angle on the movie,
and our own impressions.
1. Iron Man 3 – When Tony Stark’s
world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist
called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of
rebuilding and retribution.
BRENT: This movie has already come
out, and I have not seen it. I can’t believe
people still want to watch this. I can’t
believe I kind of want to watch it. There
are like five Iron Men on the poster. Which
is confusing.
Iron Man works well for the Goodwill
angle. It’s a guy who overcomes his
continued on page 6
1
new employees
Jeremy Aguirre
Trailer Attendant
72n & F
April 2013
Kaitlin Nish
Retail Sales Associate II
Blair
John Hall
Trailer Attendant
72nd & F
Matthew Richey
Trailer Attendant
72nd & F
Sabrena Henderson
Retail Sales Associate II
Harris Center
Jacob Brown
WearHouse Associate
72nd & F
Donald Kirschbaum
Grounds Maintenance Worker
VA
Jordon Schafer
Donation Door Attendant Fremont
Jacob Colby
Donation Door Attendant Papillion
Wayne Latner
Donation Door Attendant
180th & Q
Joshua Spicer
Donation Door Attendant Fremont
Edward Dailey
Grounds Maint Worker
72nd & F
Terry Mason
Grounds Maintenance Worker
Grand Island
Logan Tuel
Donation Door Attendant
180th & Q
Sunny England
Retail Sales Associate II
West Center
Carlesha McCullough
Retail Sales Associate II
Benson Park Store
Paul Vasta
Trailer Attendant
72nd & F
Blake Findell
Donation Door Attendant 156th & Maple
Adjovi Mensah
Retail Sales Associate II
180th & Q
David Wilsey
Grounds Maintenance Worker
Grand Island
Terrelle Haley
Donation Door Attendant Harris Center
Corey Money
Custodian
Offutt
Nolan Windom
Retail Sales Associate II
Papillion
The Clothes Line
PUBLISHER: Frank McGree
EDITOR IN CHIEF: Rita Hamele Crum
MANAGING EDITOR: Neal Obermeyer
STAFF WRITERs: Brent Koster, Kristin
Koopman, Kris Pachunka, Rebecca
Armstrong and Elizabeth Donner
FAN CLUB PRESIDENT: Miriam Blair
2
Jaime Alencastro
Donation Door Attendant
West Center
june 2013
The Clothes Line is published monthly and is
available at each Town Hall meeting. If you are
unable to attend Town Hall, you may also find copies
in the Marketing area at BPP, or request to have a
copy delivered to you by calling 402.231.1915.
You may also find Clothes Line articles and full-issue
digital downloads on the GoodTimes Blog at
http://www.goodwillomaha.org/blog.
happy birthday!
June 2013
2
Napoleon Drakeford CustodianZorinsky
2 Jeremy Aguirre
Trailer Attendant
72nd & F
4 Diana Roberts
Project Manager
Postal 2
5
Andrew Foster CustodianOffutt
6 Madeline Lopez-Ortiz Custodian
Offutt
6 James Coggins II GoodBytes Manager
72nd & F
6 Shannon Erwin
Retail Sales Assoc III
156th & Maple
7 Turquois Lovejoy
Clothing Proc/Hanger I
Madison
8 Angela Houser
Retail Store Manager
Fremont
9
Robin Tripp CustodianZorinsky
9 Christine Dougherty Work Experience Trainer
72nd & F
10 Jane Tonjum
Clothing Proc/Hanger I
156th & Maple
11 Anneliese Timmerman Donated Goods Proc. II
Southwest
11
Candy Jura CustodianOffutt
14 Kerrilynn Bruno
Donated Goods Proc. II
West Center
14 Tanya Zollicoffer
Retail Sales Assoc III
78th & Dodge
15 Sara Crawford
NISH Team Leader
Offutt
15
Alicia Ortega CustodianOffutt
15 Jennifer Croudy
AbilityOne Coordinator
Benson Park Plaza
15 Desiree Juelfs
Retail Sales Assoc III
180th & Q
16 Bradly Nelson
Donation Door Attendant
Fremont
17 Susan Paul
Retail Sales Assoc III
Harris Center
17 Danielle Wilcox
Benefits Coordinator
Benson Park Plaza
18 Eleanor Merrill
Team Leader-Coffee House
Coffee House
19 Walter Farley, Jr.
Custodian
Stratcom
20 Rudy Harris
Donated Goods Proc. III
Papillion
22 Barbara Hatch
Retail Sales Associate II
Harris Center
23 Pamela Bacon
Clothing Proc/Hanger I
Blair
24
Timothy OliveBaler II72nd & F
24 Brian Bare
Trailer Attendant
72nd & F
24 Jacqueline Hawkins Retail Sales Associate II
78th & Dodge
26 Marcia Oltmanns
Clothing Proc/Hanger II
Benson Park Store
26 Paul Vasta
Trailer Attendant
72nd & F
27 Dale Plessner
Donation Door Attendant
Harris Center
27 Zinhoue Legonou
Clothing Proc/Hanger II
180th & Q
27 Christina Coffin
Retail Sales Assoc III
Harris Center
27 Kathleen McCarthy Team Leader-Productions
Madison
28 Jaime Alencastro
Donation Door Attendant
West Center
29 Joe Montenegro
Custodian
Zorinsky
30 Joshua Spicer
Donation Door Attendant
Fremont
We had a surprisingly low number of birthdays this month. If you would like to have a June birthday,
please contact Dave Pfeffer in Human Resources: [email protected] / 402.231.1904.
3
employee of the month: april
by Rebecca Armstrong
M
arcus Nelsson may have
thought he was going
to be in trouble when a
customer asked him to provide
his name, saying she was going to
“call him in” during checkout one
day, but it turned out to be quite
the opposite.
The customer, a manager
herself, wanted to recognize
Marcus for his quality customer
service throughout her shopping
trip at our Papillion store. He
smiled, asked if she needed
assistance, and even informed her
of our return policy. That certainly
exemplifies Goodwill’s customerdriven value. Even better, Marcus
received two other similar calls
from satisfied customers. These
customers will continue to shop at
our stores, and we can continue to
help put people to work – all with
help from Marcus.
Marcus’s manager, Sherry
Latta, says that this type of service
COO Randy Parks and CEO Frank McGree congratulate April Employee of the Month
Marcus Nelsson.
isn’t unusual. “Marcus is a great
lead-by-example when it comes
to customer service,” she says.
Marcus will ensure that each
customer has a great shopping
experience while at the Papillion
store. He helps
deter theft
in the store
by keeping
a watchful
eye on
merchandise.
Sherry says
that Marcus
is an asset to
Goodwill.
Sherry
lured
Marcus to
Marcus thought he was at Town Hall to present on customer
service. The retail managers congratulate him as he learns the
April’s Town
surprise. Ultimately, we all did learn more about it from him.
4
Hall meeting under the guise
of presenting about Customer
Service. Sherry couldn’t keep
the secret for long, and to say
that Marcus was shocked is an
understatement.
Marcus took some time at
town hall to talk about what
Goodwill means to him, and how
he shows all of his customers
great service every day.
Marcus said that even when
he isn’t having a good day,
coming to work and seeing
regular customers puts a smile on
his face. And we know that having
Marcus on the Goodwill team puts
smiles on a lot of faces.
Congrats to Marcus on being
April’s Employee of the Month!
winning awards, left and right
by Brent Koster
H
igh fives have a new place
to call home. Or at least a
new place to go to work
each day.
Goodwill has won a slew of
awards in the past few months,
and the high fives have followed.
First, our Marketing
department won two Pinnacle
awards from the America
Marketing Association. Pinnacle
Awards are typically reserved for
fancy-pants ad agencies with a
heap of staff and resources. But
we were able to take home an
award using only Neal Obermeyer
and his big brain/computer.
That combination designed last
year’s annual report and a video
about our retail program — both
Pinnacle Gold Winners.
Next, our very own Vice
President of Federal Contracts
Todd Milbrandt, won the NISH
Management Excellence award
on May 6. The award highlights
Todd’s 20 years of being an
advocate for the AbilityOne
contracts. These contracts allow
Todd Milbrandt
5
Frank McGree receives Goodwill’s Big O! Nonprofit of the Year award.
Goodwill to provide services for
the government while providing
employment opportunities for
people with disabilities. It was his
third time receiving the award,
having also won in 2006 and 2001.
And finally, we wrapped up
May by winning the Greater
Omaha Chamber of Commerce
Big O! Excellence Nonprofit of the
Year award. This is a big deal. It’s
the closest thing there is to being
named the top nonprofit in the
city.
As the person who has been
working to win this award for the
past three years (we were also
finalists in 2011), I can confidently
say that there is no way we could
have won this award without all
of you being great at what you do.
Each year that I have written the
nomination, I’ve been challenged
to tell the story of Goodwill
without repeating what I wrote
the previous years. You guys make
that surprisingly easy.
From the growth and
success of our stores, to the
amazing work that’s done by our
Employment and Training and
Contracts divisions, there’s always
opportunities to highlight new
accomplishments. This award is
focused on two things: Impact
and Organizational Strength,
which is a pretty good way to sum
up Goodwill. Great job everybody.
So if you are over at BPP, come
by the Marketing Department for
some free high fives. They’re going
to be here for the foreseeable
future.
goodwill summer movie preview
by Brent Koster & Neal Obermeyer
continued from page 1
barriers by making his own
reasonable accommodations.
Goodwill is all about this type of
stuff.
NEAL: I have actually seen this
movie. I feel like most readers of The
Clothes Line have come to expect
no movie spoilers in its pages, so I
will try to be as vague as possible
when I say that it includes positive
Goodwill-themed messages about
recognizing the inherent value
of all people, including people
that might be easy to write off at
first. It also includes a subplot that
acknowledges the disadvantages
faced by people who have suffered
disabling injuries.
And the poster is misleading;
there are actually like 20 Iron Men
in the movie.
2. Elysium – Set in the year
2154, where the very wealthy live
on a man-made space station while
the rest of the population resides
on a ruined Earth, a man takes on a
mission that could bring equality to
the polarized worlds.
BRENT: I have no idea what
this movie is. Based on the poster,
it appears to star Matt Damon as
a guy wearing some sort of exoskeleton.
But if you insert “and
employment” after “equality” in
that synopsis, you have a perfect
Goodwill movie. This would also
be a pretty good way to ruin it. Oh,
and the guy who made this also
made District 9, which had all sorts
of social commentary. So maybe it’s
all about overcoming employment
barriers. Who knows?
NEAL: I’ve only seen the trailer
once, but it definitely seems like it
6
has a message about how people
shouldn’t be treated differently
based on circumstances outside of
their control.
3. Star Trek: Into Darkness
- After the crew of the Enterprise
find an unstoppable force of terror
from within their own organization,
Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a
war-zone world to capture a one man
weapon of mass destruction.
BRENT: That’s what this is
about? It seems like there’s a lot
more going on in the commercials.
Well I don’t really see a
Goodwill angle. But J.J. Abrams has
successfully made this franchise
accessible to people who never
cared about these movies before.
And Goodwill is pro-accessibility.
NEAL: Again, I want to maintain
The Clothes Line’s cinematic spoilerfree reputation, but there is most
definitely an angle in this movie
about not conflating someone’s
abilities with their worth.
Also, the Enterprise crew is
made up of people of varying
planetary origins, all working
together in peace — exemplifying
Goodwill’s value of dignity &
diversity.
4. Man of Steel - A young
journalist is forced to confront his
secret extraterrestrial heritage
when Earth is invaded by members
of his race.
BRENT: This movie looks
awesome. I don’t even care.
Set aside the fact that
Superman has two jobs. The
bad guy in this movie is Michael
Shannon, who reminds me of
Goodwill Career Center Manager
Tim Suelter. So severe is this
resemblance that I tell Tim about
it every time I see him. Tim has no
idea who Michael Shannon is, so
this never fails to be an awkward
conversation. I don’t care. It’s
uncanny.
NEAL: The Superman story
has also always been about rising
up to embrace your full potential,
regardless of your abilities. Sure,
Superman has some natural skills
that humans don’t have thanks
to being an alien, but he inspires
people to become everything they
can. That’s totally Goodwill!
And how about that scene in
the trailer where Lois Lane is like
“What does the S stand for?”and
Superman’s all “That’s not an S.”
One could easily imagine Lois Lane
sitting Frank McGree down and
gesturing to the giant Goodwill
logo on his chest and being like
“What does the G stand for?” and he
could say “It’s not a G, it’s a smiley
face that represents the joy and
fulfillment we bring to people’s
lives. Also it’s a G that stands for
Goodwill.”
5. World War Z - United Nations
employee Gerry Lane traverses the
world in a race against time to stop
the zombie pandemic that is toppling
armies and governments, and
threatening to decimate humanity
itself.
BRENT: I hear this movie is
going to be horrible. It was a real
mess to make. Lots of infighting.
Zombies are a symbol for
the rat-race mentality of modern
society right? I think that’s right.
So Goodwill is all about enabling
people to go get jobs and become
zombies. Who Brad Pitt then kills or
something.
NEAL: This movie also
represents stewardship of
resources, in the sense that you
should save your money and not go
see it.
6. Pacific Rim - When an alien
attack threatens the Earth’s existence,
giant robots piloted by humans are
deployed to fight off the menace.
BRENT: You’ve got to be
kidding me.
This movie reminds me of Real
Steel, which was all about second
chances. And was also idiotic.
But second chances…those are
Goodwillish.
NEAL: I entered “Pacific Rim”
into an anagram generator and
came up with “Circa if imp,” which
roughly means “Approximately if
mythical elvish creature.” So there’s
that.
7. Monsters University - A look
at the relationship between Mike and
Sulley during their days at Monsters
University -- when they weren’t
necessarily the best of friends.
BRENT: I didn’t like Monsters
Inc. But in fairness to it, I have no
memory of watching it either. I
think we can all agree that we’d
prefer a sequel to The Incredibles.
7
I assume there’s some
education and training going on
in this movie. So there you go. Still
doesn’t make it Incredibles II.
NEAL: Yes, this is all about how
everyone deserves an opportunity
to experience education, training
and work. It carries the more subtle
message of how sometimes your
friends have voices that sound like
celebrities, which can be a useful
lesson to learn.
8. The World’s End - Five friends
who reunite in an attempt to top their
epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier
unwittingly become humankind’s
only hope for survival.
BRENT: This has Simon Pegg in
it, and I love all Simon Pegg movies.
Shaun of the Dead is one of my two
favorite comedies of all time. I can’t
really think about the Goodwill
angle right now. I had no idea this
movie existed until just now. I’m
freaking out.
NEAL: Simon Pegg is also in Star
Trek, which just goes to show that
when it comes to employment, you
don’t need to limit yourself. Let’s say
you’ve spent your entire career as
an engineer on a Starfleet galaxyhopping space ship. You can also
save humankind. It’s never too late
to learn a new skill.
9. The Wolverine - Wolverine
makes a voyage to modern-day
Japan, where he encounters an
enemy from his past that will impact
on his future.
BRENT: Well this is a very nononsense synopsis. Based on the
poster, this movie has lots of claw
brandishing in it.
Wolverine is probably a good
example for what not to do in the
workplace. For one thing, he’s not
wearing a shirt. He also seems like
he’s really mad/not giving good
customer service. And then there’s
the big fat blades that are coming
out of his hands. All work no-no’s.
NEAL: But on the other hand,
one of Wolverine’s catch phrases is
that he’s the best there is at what
he does. Granted, he’s referring to a
certain brand of violent activity that
it’s probably best not to endorse
here at Goodwill, but it does show
that hard work and determination
can lead you to being the best,
even if circumstances outside of
your control complicate your life
(like if you get all of your memories
erased and your skeleton covered
in an unbreakable metal and
somebody takes all of your clothes
and you have to wander naked
through the frigid wilderness and
your main crush likes the other guy
before she turns evil).
10. Despicable Me 2 - Gru is
recruited by the Anti-Villain League to
help deal with a powerful new super
criminal.
BRENT: Who is writing these
synopses? I just realized that I
should have listed these 10-1, not
1-10. Oh well. I anticipate that this
movie will not be very good. But on
the plus side, it’s not a Pixar movie,
so I don’t have to be mad that it’s
not Incredibles II.
The original had three little
girls in it. One of them was named
Edith. Which is also the name of my
daughter. And I work at Goodwill.
NEAL: A friend of mine once
had the job of writing the synopses
for all of the episodes on a UHF
station out of Chicago that showed
nothing but syndicated reruns. So
every day, he was writing 24 hours
worth of episode synopses. He was
a great writer who was capable of
cranking out a steady stream of onthe-spot creativity, so it was just the
perfect job for him.
This just goes to show that
you should never give up on your
professional dreams, because
someone out there needs someone
with a unique set of skills and life
experience, and that someone is
you.
an engagement to remember
T
he Organizational
Development area is
pleased to announce the
new Engagement Coach program.
This program is geared towards
helping new hires feel welcome
upon their arrival at Goodwill.
A new job comes with many
new faces, new things to learn
and new job skills to be gained.
This is where the Engagement
Coach program comes into play.
A coach is someone who
partners with a new hire during
their transition to Goodwill. Upon
their employment, new hires are
paired with an engagement coach
for their first six weeks on the
job to assist with increasing their
comfort level as they begin their
employment at Goodwill.
The coach gives the new hire
a tour of their work location,
introduces them to co-workers,
has lunch with them and is
available to answer any questions
that come up as the new hire is
learning his or her job.
This also provides an
opportunity for the engagement
coach to build stronger skills in
leading and working with others.
The individuals who were selected
to be coaches have similar core
qualities that are important
when taking on this new role
such as positivity, patience and
willingness to help others.
Another key component
of the program is for new hires
to become acclimated to the
various departments that make
8
by Angie Montgomery
New hire Kermit Doolan (right) shares a high-five with his engagement coach,
Victoria Templeton, at the Bellevue store.
up Goodwill as a whole. The
coaches meet with the new hires
on a weekly basis to discuss
an area of Goodwill in depth.
This knowledge sharing is an
important element in helping
new hires understand Goodwill’s
mission.
Organizational Development
recently collaborated with the
Retail leadership to roll out this
program to its store locations.
By working together with store
managers, we were able to
build the various aspects of the
program and mold it to fit their
work environment.
Victoria Templeton, a Retail
Sales Associate III at Bellevue
is one of the new engagement
coaches in the program.
“I thought it was very cool [to
be selected as a coach] because I
like to help people,” she said. “Now
I get to help people even more.”
Kermit Doolan, a recently
hired retail sales associate II at
Bellevue and Victoria’s partner in
the engagement program, said
having a coach makes it easier to
learn his new job.
“If I’ve got something to ask,
I don’t have to go find someone,”
he said. “It’s been fun so far, and
Victoria has shown me interesting
things.”
We are excited to continue
rolling this concept out across the
organization to bridge the gap
between being a new hire and
feeling like part of the team.
Be on the lookout for updates
on this program as we continue to
expand it across the organization.
donation driving all over
by Neal Obermeyer
T
his spring was jam-packed
with donation drives. From
the decades-old to the
brand-new, we were collecting
gently used goods all over
the metro area, and hopefully
collecting some new partnerships
along the way.
Kicking off the season was
the 28th annual Good Turn for
Goodwill donation drive with
the Omaha Girl Scouts. This drive
has evolved over the years, and
we’re always tinkering with it
to find ways to improve, but we
still brought in more than 50,000
pounds of donations. Next year,
look for this drive to expand to
possibly include Boy Scouts!
Not long after, we had the
Drive for Drives, the semiannual
electronics-themed donation
drive in partnership with the
Omaha West Rotary Club and
WOWT Channel 6. Last year’s
The spring 2013 Drive for Drives included a clever alternating-trailer setup, allowing
cars to approach and unload along two paths, allowing for a smoother and quicker
donation operation.
Drive for Drives outings were
marred with bad weather and a
not-entirely-convenient location,
but this year, we enjoyed clear
skies, a new home near 84th &
Center and a brilliant new setup
spawned from the brain of Retail
Operations Director
Shirley Hall. As a result,
we brought in more
than 120,000 pounds
of computers and other
electronics equipment,
which has already
translated into stellar
sales at GoodBytes!
We entered into a
new partnership with
Creighton University this
year, in which students
were encouraged to
donate items from their
dorm rooms as they
moved out at the end of
The LFG drive brought Joe Bradley out of Goodwill
retirement as he helped alongside his father, Andy. the semester. Over the
9
course of the three-week drive,
we collected more than 40,000
pounds of donations.
We also were invited to
participate in Lincoln Financial
Group’s first ever Green Event.
LFG employees donated more
than 6,000 pounds during the
four-hour drive, and we hope this
relationship continues to grow as
well.
Finally, the Hope Church in
Elkhorn closed out our month
of drives with a bang, bringing
in more than 20,000 pounds of
donations!
This next month, we’ll be
adding Kutak Rock to our roster,
as they embark on their first
employee donation drive.
We are always looking for
new opportunities to grow our
donation drives, so if you have
any tips, please contact Shirley at
[email protected]!
dodgeball: A team blue story
O
n Saturday, May 11th,
Goodwill’s very own Team
BLUE competed in the
1st Annual Corporate Dodgeball
Tournament hosted by Union
Pacific’s Young Professionals
Group, UP Ties. The event was
held at the Creighton University
Kiewit Fitness Center.
Each team consisted of eight
players and as many sideline
supporters as they could accrue.
Team BLUE was one of more than
10 teams from other Omaha
Metro area companies that
competed.
Team BLUE players included
employees from multiple
departments of Goodwill: Michael
Anderson, Garry Kern, Luis
Lopez, Tina McGaugh and Laura
Harris from E&T, Ann Bailey from
Marketing, Mitchell Parks from
Retail and Eric Syphers from QA.
Team captains Rebecca
Armstrong and Angie
Montgomery, as well as friends
and family of the team arrived
at the tournament in Goodwill
colors, ready to cheer from the
sidelines.
The games began at 11 a.m.
After two beginning rounds, the
teams were ranked and then
single-elimination play began.
Team BLUE fell into the last seed
of the bracket.
Now that the team had played
a couple games together and
warmed up, it was time to face
the number three seed team, BSC.
This was it; the last chance to get
10
by Ann Bailey
Back row L-R: Parks, Lopez, Bailey, Harris, Kern, McGaugh, Syphers and Anderson.
Front row L-R: Captains Montgomery and Armstrong.
into the “Elite 8.”
It was an intense game for
the Goodwill dodgeballers, as the
game seemed to last forever. It
only took one final throw and that
was it. The referee stopped the
game and announced Team BLUE
victorious. The team had fought
hard and rightfully earned their
spot in the Elite 8.
“My favorite moment of the
tournament was when they
announced us over the mic as
the Cinderella story,” said Tina
McGaugh.
“I have a couple favorite
moments,” said Laura Harris. “Tina
kicking butt all by herself against
a full team, and when my husband
asked if I was trying to give the
balls to the other team after he
saw me throw them.”
“I loved the girls hustle!” said
Rebecca Armstrong. “Ann, Laura,
and Tina were all at some point
the last people on the court. Way
to rep Goodwill. “
“My favorite moment was
when we knocked off the number
three seed and the DJ announced
us an underdog for the next
match,” said Eric Syphers.
Although the team kept their
heads up and fought hard, Team
BLUE was eliminated in the Elite
8. The team had a great day full of
dodgeball, getting to know each
other and just having fun.
Keep on the lookout for more
fun Team BLUE events soon!
Omaha Gave!
W
ait, what?! It’s over?!
Omaha Gives! was
successful beyond
our imagination! Thank you to
everyone that supported Omaha’s
first ever online charitable
challenge — donors who gave,
nonprofits that worked hard to
spread the word and sponsors
that made this day possible!
Goodwill Industries, Inc. was
able to raise more than $16,000
during the 24 hour giving holiday
on May 22. Once all the matching
dollars are awarded by the Omaha
Community Foundation, Goodwill
will more than likely walk away
with more than $20,000 in total
revenue from philanthropic
donations. This is awesome,
congratulations to everyone!
As a community, we
raised over $3 million for 318
nonprofits through 19,000
donations in Douglas, Sarpy, and
by Erin Swanson
The crowd at the Goodwill Games eagerly awaits the results of a door prize drawing.
Pottawattamie counties. We have
a strong spirit of generosity – you
proved that over and over again
on May 22.
And thank you for supporting
the first annual Goodwill Games,
our in-house Omaha Gives!
An intense game of Mario Kart handed Database Manager Jeff Bloes his first loss in
two years of racing, as he fell to Intake Specialist Shari Kimble.
11
event for employees. We had
an amazing turnout, including
a surprise visit from the Omaha
Community Foundation President,
Sara Boyd. She didn’t want to
leave because she saw how
much fun we were all having
that afternoon. We are hopeful
to continue the tradition of the
Games every four years…or
sooner.
A huge thank you goes out
to Goodwill’s marketing and
development team for their
patience and understanding
during the first year of this event,
as well as to Danielle Wilcox and
Team BLUE for promoting the
event to our employees. We hope
2014 will be even more successful
than this year.
Thank you again for your
continued support of Goodwill’s
mission and commitment to the
people of our community!
green update
by Neal Obermeyer
GEDs Bring Good Things to Life
n By
spiteNeal
of someObermeyer
battles with
Over at Ames Plaza, home to
IE
the weather, last month’s
green week wrapped up
successfully with the postponed
ric Newton recently
Jeansbecame
for Green
DayYouthBuild
and potluck
the first
event.participant to obtain his GED
since
the program
relaunched
The
original
plan was
to
lastagency-wide
fall.
hold an
Earth Day
Eric beganApril
working
cleanup on Monday,
22, but
with Goodwill as a part of the
the weather
really
terrible
Summerwas
Youth
Program
in
that day.
That
said,
it
wasn’t
the summer of 2009. Nearbad
the
endto
ofstop
the summer,
he ran
into
enough
the brave
souls
Garvis,
the YouthBuild
at theChad
Retail
Operations
Center
coordinator, who told him about
and all of our retail stores, who
the program. Eric decided it was
went ahead
for him,with
so heplans
joinedto
upclean
at the
up and
managed
100%
employee
conclusion of his Summer Youth
experience.
participation
over the week.
said26,
he Jeans
likes the
By Friday,Eric
April
for
hands-on aspect of YouthBuild,
Green Day arrived, and Goodwill
which he feels makes it easier to
employees
cleaned
upwhen
trash
learn. And
he said
he finds
around
the
Benson
Park
and
he doesn’t understand Plaza
something,
staffbuildings.
has been extremely
Amesthe
Plaza
helpful.
Loss
Prevention Director Kent
biggest challenges
Caniglia led The
a team
around BPP,
of the program were getting used
wheretothey
found —
the structure
andamong
getting back
other into
things
—
a
bag
of discarded
a routine, he said.
But now
he’s gotand
his a
GED
andfox.
construction
lunchmeat
dead
training as well.
the Heartland Workforce Solutions
adult and youth career programs,
their prize discovery was a toilet.
Those, along with numerous
other less-interesting items, were
collected and properly disposed
of.
After those appetizing events,
Goodwill employees gathered in
the Durham Room for a potluck
lunch, celebrating what started
as a day of earth-friendliness, but
turned into a full week of looking
out for the world around us.
Eric Newton, proving Newton’s First Law by using hard work and
the guidance of YouthBuild staff to put his career in motion.
Eric’s next goal is to get
into college and take classes in
computers, which is his career
interest. He’ll be taking part in
some job shadowing through
YouthBuild to learn more about
the field.
He said the program
has taught him perseverance in
working toward his goals.
“At times it might be
frustrating, but you have to hang
on,” he said. “Stay with it.”
Congratulations on
Was thiscompleting
your lunch?
Contact
Shari Suelter to claim.
your
GED, Eric!
Keep up with
Goodwill Omaha is now on
Goodwill
twitter
and online!
facebook!
www.twitter.com/goodwillomaha
facebook.com/goodwillomaha
You can follow us on twitter at: www.twitter.com/GoodwillOmaha
Become a fan of Goodwill Omaha on facebook by searching “Goodwill Omaha”
Hanging employment barriers out to dry.
12
13
participant profile
M
anuel Marichal’s life
had revolved around
architecture for decades.
Manuel had studied the craft
since he was 16 years old. He
received his Master’s Degree in
Architecture and Urban Design
from The University of Colorado
at Denver and worked as an
architect for more than 20 years.
He was considered one of the best
in his field.
Due to company cutbacks,
Manuel was laid off in March
of 2011. Despite his education
and experience, Manuel found
it extremely hard to re-enter the
workforce. Technology had greatly
changed over the years and
Manuel was not up to date on the
newest software.
In addition to this, the field
was becoming flooded with new
university graduates, who had just
completed the latest architectural
training programs.
Manuel found part-time work
at a big-box retailer, but it was
just barely above minimum wage
— making it difficult to support
his family of five. That’s when he
turned to Goodwill for help.
Manuel entered the WIA
program in October of 2012 after
finding out about the program at
a local job fair.
Through participating in
the program, Manuel received
employment coaching,
architectural training assistance
and supportive services from his
adult career specialist.
The next six months were
not easy for Manuel, and at times
he confessed he was starting to
lose hope. Manuel had become
accustomed to receiving rejection
after rejection, despite the fact
he had applied for approximately
2,000 jobs since his lay-off.
However, Manuel was one of
the hardest working and most
by Tina McGaugh
determined participants in the
program, and he wouldn’t give up.
He stayed focused and continued
to work with the WIA Adult Career
Program staff, and soon the good
news arrived.
With the help of the business
outreach coordinator, Manuel
was able to secure an on-the-job
training opportunity with Altus
Architectural Studios as a drafter.
The day Manuel received the
call that he had secured the job he
finally felt a sense of relief. He had
successfully found a full-time job
with a wage that could support
his family, and he is back in the
field he is so passionate about.
Today, Manuel is doing
great at Altus, and he enjoys the
opportunity to use his new skills
in a professional environment
with a stable, sufficient income to
provide for his family.
april Store of the Month:
G
B
O
Y
O
T
D
E
S
RECYCLED COMPUTER STORE
James and his staff have done it two months in a row! GoodBytes ended the
month 44% over budget and 54% over last year! Congratulations!
13
happy anniversary
29 Years
Shirley Hall
Retail Operations Dir.
72nd & F
Kris Pachunka
Community
Relations Coord
Benson Park Plaza
26 Years
Mick Connolly
Senior VP & CFO
Benson Park Plaza
Thomas Vrtiska
Custodian
Lincoln
16 Years
Thelma Pugh
Team Leader-Retail
Papillion
11 Years
Dorothy Franklin
Clothing Proc/
Hanger III
Fremont
8 Years
Edward Driscoll
Grounds
Maintenance Worker
VA
6 Years
Michelle Munson
Retail Sales Assoc III
West Center
Beth Nielsen
Staff Accountant
Benson Park Plaza
Amy Queck
ShopGoodwill Mgr
72nd & F
4 Years
James Anderson
Custodian
Offutt
Megan Harr
Donation Door
Attendant
156th & Maple
Paul Fischbach
Grounds
Maintenance Worker
VA
Chad Kooiker
Grounds
Maintenance Worker
VA
Timothy Garrigus
NISH Team Leader
Offutt
7 Years
Jacob Beezley
Donation Door
Attendant
Bellevue
Kent Caniglia
Loss Prevention Dir
Benson Park Plaza
Brett Karnes
Grnds Maint Sup
72nd & F
14
Alex Grady
Custodian
Lincoln
Eileen Hansen
Donated Goods
Proc. II
Fremont
3 Years
Scott Buchele
Donation Door
Attendant
156th & Maple
William Eklund
Custodian
Offutt
Grace Greenwood
Retail Sales Assoc
180th & Q
Kim McConahay
Retail Store Manager
156th & Maple
Robert Popejoy
WearHouse
Production Sup
72nd & F
Timothy Schlosser
CDL Driver
72nd & F
Jerrell Stapleton
Donation Door
Attendant
Benson Park Store
Timothy Suelter
Career Center
Manager
Ames Plaza
Conchita Tolles
E-Commerce Team
Leader
72nd & F
2 Years
Sharon Bland
Retail Sales
Associate II
Benson Park Store
Howard Church, Jr.
Trailer Attendant
72nd & F
Osama Hazim
Assistant Store
Manager
156th & Maple
June 2013
Tessa Lundgren
Retail Sales
Associate II
Harris Center
Anthony Kidd
Bus Sanitation
Technician
72nd & F
Yasmine Medina
Retail Sales
Associate II
180th & Q
Matthew Kruse
Custodian
Offutt
Rachel Schoening,
Assistant Store Mgr
Benson Park Store
Stephanie Weaver
Team Leader-Retail
180th & Q
1 Year
Christopher
Brammer
WearHouse
Associate II
72nd & F
Thomas Bullerdick
Donation Door
Attendant
Benson Park Store
Samantha Gonzalez
Retail Sales Assoc III
156th & Maple
Daniel Henery
Retail Sales Assoc III
Bellevue
Steven James
Baler I
72nd & F
Paul Jensen
Donation Door
Attendant
Southwest
Eldon Jones
Custodian
Lincoln
Gary May
Computer
Technician
72nd & F
Beatriz Stenseth
Clothing Proc/
Hanger I
Southwest
Victoria Templeton
Retail Sales Assoc III
Bellevue
Anthony White
Retail Sales
Associate II
Benson Park Store
diversity
diversity
calendar
2011 Junecalendar
Diversity Calendar Dates
June 2010 Multicultural Calendar
June June
2013
The Caribbean American Heritage Month������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
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Bois, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, Shirley Chisholm, Sidney Poitier, and Roberto Clemente.
June 1 – Madaraka (Self-Rule) Day: Kenya This marks the day in 1964 that Kenya attained self-rule as a republic with Jomo
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June 2 – Granting of citizenship to American Indians (1924): United States On this day, Congress extended the rights of
citizenship to all American Indians born in the United States.
Republic Day (Constitution Day): Italy The Italian Republic was established on June 2, 1946, by a popular referendum in which the
people chose a republic over a Monarchy.
June – 5 Constitution Day: Denmark This day commemorates Denmark’s adoption of a constitutional monarchy in 1849, ending
absolute rule by the monarchy.
June – 6 Memorial Day: South Korea This day is set aside to honor soldiers and civilians who have given their lives for their country.
National Day: Sweden This day commemorates Sweden’s gaining independence from Denmark and the ascension to the throne of
King Gustavus in 1523.
Seafarers’ Day (Sjómannadagur): Iceland �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
sailors and the sea to Icelandic history and economy.
June 7 – Queen’s Birthday: New Zealand This day celebrates the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, who is not only Queen of the
������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
June 9 – Accession of King Abdullah: Jordan This day commemorates the accession on June 9, 1999 of His Majesty King Abdullah
II bin Al Hussein, who assumed his constitutional powers as the Monarch of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on February 7, 1999,
the day his father, the late King Hussein, passed away.
June 10 – Portuguese National Day: Portugal This national holiday commemorates the death in 1580 of Luís Vaz de Camões,
author of the greatest literary work in Portuguese, the epic poem Os Lusíadas.
June 12 – Independence Day: Philippines On this day in 1898 the Philippines declared its independence from Spain. Many Filipinos
in the United States also celebrate this day.
June 13 – Puerto Rican Day Parade: United States Since 1958, New York and other major cities have held parades on the second
�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
and dancers in colorful costumes. These parades are similar to St. Patrick’s Day, Italian, and Polish parades that have been held for
decades in cities throughout the country.
June 14 – Queen’s Birthday: Australia This holiday honors the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, the monarch of Great Britain,
Northern Ireland, Canada, and Australia. As queen of both England and Australia, Elizabeth II is head of state and represented by the
����������������������������������������������������������������������
Russia Day observed: Russia This holiday celebrates both the Russian parliament’s formal declaration of sovereignty on this day
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
history of the state.
June 16 – Dragon Boat Festival (Tuan-wu): China����������������������������������������������������������������������������
himself in 278 B.C.E. to protest the injustice and corruption of his prince’s government. In the traditional dragon boat races, teams
from different towns compete in long boats with bows shaped like large dragon heads. The customary holiday food is a dumpling
�����������������������������������������������������������
June 17 – Independence Day: Iceland Iceland declared full independence from Denmark in 1944, becoming the Republic of Iceland.
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
century leader of Iceland’s peaceful campaign for independence. People throughout the country celebrate this national holiday with
traditional costumes, parades, speeches, street theater, slideshows, and outdoor dancing in the midnight sun.
June 18 – Evacuation Day: Egypt Marks the proclamation of the Egyptian republic after a military coup deposed King Farouk in 1952.
June 19 – Juneteenth: African American This commemorates the emancipation of all slaves in Texas by the Union general Gordon
Grange. As news of the Emancipation Proclamation issued in January move westward, he announced on this day that, “The people of
Texas are informed that in accord with a Proclamation of the Executive of the United States all slaves are free….”
June 23 – National Day: Luxembourg Also celebrated as the King’s birthday, this day commemorates Luxembourg’s gaining
independence from Belgium and the Netherlands in 1848.
June 24 – Battle of the Carabobo: Venezuela This celebrates the victory over Spain in the decisive battle for independence in 1821.
Festival of St. John the Baptist (St. Jean-Baptiste Day): Canada, Puerto Rico This holiday commemorates the feast day of St.
John the Baptist.
Manila Day: Philippines On June 24, 1571 Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazapi established a permanent settlement in
Manila, proclaiming it the island’s capital. In 1574 King Philip II of Spain commemorated the city, giving it the title Insigne y Siempre
Leal Ciudad de España (“Distinguished and Ever Loyal City of Spain” ).
June 25 - Battle of Little Bighorn (1876): American Indian On this date at Little Bighorn River, General George A. Custer was
killed and his command annihilated by combined forces of Sioux and Cheyenne Indians. The determined resistance of the Plains tribes
in the protection of their hunting grounds and way of life earned them a number of military victories before they were defeated by the
stronger U.S. government forces.
anging
12H15
employment barriers out to dry.
16
16