The Outstanding Achievement Award was given to Brianna Wicks of Westfield. Wicks has had a momentous year on her pathway to becoming an adult. After finishing school and enrolling in The Resource Center’s Dunkirk Day Habilitation Program last year, she moved out of her family home. She and her mother had researched her options, weighing Wicks’ medical and social needs and desires. She and her mother chose a home operated by The Resource Center.

Wicks has flourished in the past year. As a member of a health self-advocacy group in her day program, she proudly shared how she has advocated for herself by relaying issues to TRC staff, talking with her doctor about changes she wanted to make regarding her medications and being aware of ways to improve her health. And after the health self-advocacy group met at the start of the pandemic to discuss ways to help people stay safe, Wicks gave a presentation about it to staff and peers in the day program.

Being forced to stay at home during the pandemic was a major upheaval for Wicks, as she missed being able to see her family and friends. She talked with staff about things she could do to make herself and others feel better, and in response she wrote letters to some of the people she missed.

Wicks beamed as she received her awards, saying simply, “Oh, my gosh,” as she proudly held her honors.

Marcus Promber, left, poses with his daughter, Mariska, and his employee Donald.

The Employer of the Year Award was presented to Can Kings, a can and bottle redemption business with locations in Fredonia and Silver Creek.

The Resource Center’s Supported Employment Program began partnering with Can Kings several years ago, with Can Kings performing vocational assessments of people with disabilities who were seeking employment. One of those assessments resulted in a job offer, and that person has been successfully employed since June 2018.

During the pandemic, Can Kings owner Marcus Promber has been accommodating and understanding regarding this employee, who initially was leery about coming to work. Promber gave the person as much time off as he needed, then readily accepted the employee back once he felt comfortable returning to work.

Promber has expressed interested in utilizing Can Kings for additional vocational assessments and hiring more people with disabilities from The Resource Center.

In accepting the award, Promber praised the work ethic of his employee from TRC, whose name is Donald.

“I can’t say enough about him as a worker. He’s the first one out the door to help customers, and he’s the one I point out to people, ‘That’s how it should be done,'” Promber said. “Diligent, kind; I mean, I can’t say enough about him. It’s more his award than anything.”

Wicks and Promber each received a trophy, plus certificates of recognition provided by Congressman Tom Reed, Senator George Borrello, Assemblyman Andy Goodell, and County Executive PJ Wendel. Joanne Bevan, assistant executive director, and TRC board member Wayne Ormsby gave Wicks her honors, while Promber received his awards from Terri Johnson, director of employment and community-based services, and board member Rebecca Hamlet Kapple.

The luncheon was held at Calarco’s restaurant in Westfield. Welcoming remarks were given by Denise Jones, The Resource Center’s executive director. She commended the efforts of TRC’s staff in keeping people safe during the pandemic, as The Resource Center had yet to record a positive coronavirus test result among people living in the agency’s homes.

“Over the past seven months, I have been encouraged by the creativity, flexibility, tenacity, and teamwork that has prevailed as we navigate through uncharted territory,” Jones said.

Ormsby, who spent his career working in the disability services field, gave remarks at the luncheon’s conclusion. He talked about his decades-long association with The Resource Center, and how in his role with New York State he helped TRC develop day programs and group homes to support people with developmental disabilities. Ormsby also praised TRC’s management for the way it has handled its response to the coronavirus.

“The coordination behind the scenes to adapt to the pandemic has just been a lot of work that we don’t see, but there’s been a lot of people at the levers controlling and running the operation. It’s remarkable. I’m glad and honored to be part of that,” Ormsby said.

This year’s awards selection committee was composed of Sandy Ahlgren, a retired teacher; Victoria Trass Bardo, development and events manager for Filling the Gap; Toni DeAngelo, retired wellness director at UPMC Chautauqua; Kathy Field, TRC’s associate executive administrative assistant; Dan Hocking, co-owner of ACME The Appliance Store; Elizabeth Williams, a member of TRC’s board of directors; and Barrie Yochim, executive director of Meals on Wheels of the Jamestown Area.