Blog | The Arc of Hanover

Volunteer Recognized for Cut-Above Dedication

By Sue Jeantheau

Communications Team, The Arc of Hanover

Competitors from the New York State Woodsmen's Field Days voted for volunteer with The Arc of Hanover, Michael Stevens, to receive the event's Mitch Kogut Sportsman's Award. Photo cred: Gail Waite — Competitors from the New York State Woodsmen's Field Days voted for volunteer with The Arc of Hanover, Michael Stevens, to receive the event's Mitch Kogut Sportsman's Award. *Photo cred*: Gail Waite

"I've been chopping wood since I was a baby," says Michael Stevens. He then made a slight adjustment to say, "Three years old."

A volunteer with the Thrift Store in the Warehouse or serving as a Tools pricing and research guru, Michael is also an avid outdoors person: From rocks, birds, hunting, and fossils to anything related to being a lumberjack -- which is the area that has brought him some notoriety recently.

Michael Stevens is a volunteer and class participant at The Arc of Hanover and Thrift Store.

Last month, competitors from the New York State Woodsmen's Field Days voted Michael the winner of the Mitch Kogut Sportsman's Award. In their Facebook post, the organization said the following: "Michael is such a super fan that he travels all the way from Virginia every year to help out and this year he took part in a few of the events."

The NYS Woodsmen's Field Days is held at the Fairgrounds in Boonville, New York (central northern New York State), the third weekend in August. The event honors the forestry industry, and the gathering is a major stop on the lumberjack and lumberjill competition circuit.

"It's one of the best in the world," says Michael, who started going in 2006. His dad has been taking him from Virginia since 2018, and Michael has competed the last three years in events like axe-throwing and Jack-and-Jill sawing.

Unfortunately, Michael had to leave this year's event before the awards were handed out, so the competitors got together and took the photo (above), with the caption: "We appreciate you very much Michael!"

"This means the world to me," said Michael, who is awaiting mail delivery of his plaque.

Michael's contributions to the field of forestry do not end with his involvement in this organization. Earlier this Summer, he helped organize a peer-led Arborist Day with The Roots Center/Dominion Care, which saw some 100 people come together to learn about knot-tying, the history of chain saws and planting trees, among other topics. Michael will host another learning event for National Fossil Day on Thursday, October 8th, at the Roots Center. (Link to RSVP below.)

But the biggest event is still to come. In November 2027, Michael is organizing a Richmond-hosted lumberjack and lumberjill competition. He is in the midst of event-planning: Confirming a site, gathering experts, creating a program list, and thinking about volunteers and sponsors. He acknowledges that bringing one of his life-long loves to his home area brings tremendous joy -- but it's also lots of hard work.

"It takes an army," he says.

For more information or to register for the National Fossil Day learning event in October, visit here.

If you'd like to help Michael with his efforts at planning his lumberjack/lumberjill competition, please contact Melissa Balmer, volunteer/trainer with The Arc of Hanover and Community Activities and Skills Coordinator for The Roots Center.

Would you like to learn more about some of our other volunteers at The Arc of Hanover? Visit our website. (Then, come in and volunteer with them!)

Resources: NYS Woodsmen's Field Days

If you want to help people in Hanover County with intellectual or developmental disabilities via The Arc of Hanover, donate here.

If you are a disability self-advocate, parent, caregiver or concerned citizen interested in writing a blog post for The Arc of Hanover -- on family relationships or any subject -- please contact Sue Jeantheau, Communications Committee, at sue.jeantheau@thearcofhanover.org.

Because They Want to Have a Job

By Sue Jeantheau

Communications Team, The Arc of Hanover

From left, interns from the Virginia Down Syndrome Association's Summer Employment Academy: Landon, Rowan (with Program Training Coordinator for The Arc of Hanover, Angela Wright), and Logan, all at The Arc of Hanover Thrift Store job site.

Ame Branam, Education Director for the Virginia Down Syndrome Association (VDSA), wasn't working for the organization in 2017 when it launched its Summer Employment Academy. But the reason for starting it is as clear now as the response of the organization was back then.

“Self-advocates with Down Syndrome wanted to have jobs and skills, and we wanted to provide skills,” she says.

This year, eight students ranging in age from 16 to 25, participated in the four-week-long, grant-funded internship program. Nine Central Virginia businesses – including the Science Museum of Virginia, River City Inclusive Gym, Capital Ale House and The Arc of Hanover Thrift Store, among others – hosted the students, who spent one week at a time in a different location for their month of training opportunities.

Interns also studied at the Richmond headquarters of the VDSA in a classroom to learn business soft skills. They role-played work-appropriate greetings between employee and staff, and learned about how to accept criticism and how and when to ask questions. They also had workstations available to practice job tasks, including filling up salt and pepper shakers, pouring liquids and correctly sorting items.

The interns worked with job coaches who were hired by the VDSA to be on location with the students at a particular site. Niha Patel, who is the Treasurer for the VDSA, stepped in to be the job coach at The Arc of Hanover Thrift Store. Five students came to us for our inaugural internship run.

“I wanted to get more involved, and Ame explained the program. I said, ‘Sign me up where you need help,’" said Niha, who officially signed on after a tour of the Store and a conversation with Director of Program for The Arc of Hanover, Diane Gallegos.

Niha and the other job coaches met with students for class at the VDSA homebase on Mondays and Wednesdays, then they traveled to meet their student- or students-of-the-week at the job site on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She provided support for the intern while serving as an intermediary between the intern and staff -- or, at the Thrift Store, between the volunteers or Program Training Coordinator, Angela Wright.

"The students were engaged, eager to learn and willing to try new things," said Angela. "They worked on job skills in the Thrift Store, including pricing, stocking and checking merchandise. It was great to see them build confidence and become more comfortable with each task."

The tasks at the Thrift Store were pre-set for the interns based on current Store needs and intern interests, capabilities and accommodations.

Says Niha, “They always had stuff in mind and were able to cater tasks to self-advocates who were more vocal about what they wanted to do."

Landon, who is one of the repeat interns in the Academy, has an accommodation to ask whether he would like to perform job tasks sitting or standing. He prefers sitting. But he sits and works! (See top left image, in Books.)

Lauren had an affinity for the Clothing area.

Sometimes, the tasks are not to the intern’s liking, but that is part of learning about work. Lauren, an intern who loved working in Clothing, was challenged by the need to shift to the task of flattening out bags for volunteers at the register.

"She was getting bored and said, ’Do you know when we're going back to clothes?’” recalled Niha. "Once I explained the importance of the task to her, she said, 'Oh, okay!’, and she finished the bags.

At the end of each day, Niha had the responsibility to review each self-advocate’s performance in addition to describing all the tasks that they performed. All of this information was kept in a large student portfolio.

“We put together a visual resume for each intern – basically, a PowerPoint document with tasks that the interns performed as well as information about their performance at each location where they worked,” says Ame.

Also included are notes on accommodations, working preferences, and class worksheets, including the “I'm Determined” one-pager, which describes the intern’s strengths, interests, preferences and needs. [The I'm Determined Center is funded by the Virginia Department of Education and designed to help teach students self-determination skills.] Ame sends the finished visual resume to parents and caregivers, schools, case managers, DARS (Department of Aging and Rehabilitation Services) – whomever is connected with the intern.

For self-advocates with Down syndrome who are interested in the Summer Employment Academy, Ame says that interest forms are disseminated in early March through the VDSA newsletter. She reviews a student's current skill level and any past participation with the Academy or other internship experience. Then she sends out a more detailed form and keeps a wait list of applicants. All the paperwork is completed before the launch of the Academy in July.

“It's one of our most popular programs and most thorough," says Ame. “It brings me so much joy. And, I'm really looking forward to working with Diane more.”

For Niha, going from an accountant/CPA background to job coach had its challenges.

“I'm a doer,” she says. “I started doing something to help Kyle, and then Angela came over and said, ‘Excuse me, ma'am. Would you please just let the gentleman work?’”

“I didn't want the self-advocate to feel like they couldn't do something. But Kyle was a great independent worker."

It was all part of Niha's learning process as she grew into the job coaching position. But, by the end of the Academy, the other job coaches said, "I never would have known this wasn't part of your job. You were so good with the self-advocates.”

At left, Kyle (in red shirt) with new "stuffies" for the Toys area at The Arc of Hanover Thrift Store, and, at right in a role play with another intern at the Virginia Down Syndrome Association headquarters' classroom. — At left, Kyle (*in red shirt*) with new "stuffies" for the Toys area at The Arc of Hanover Thrift Store, and, at right in a role play with another intern at the Virginia Down Syndrome Association headquarters' classroom.

Niha and Ame both said the interns liked being at the Thrift Store, with two of the five saying it was their favorite worksite! [Although one intern spoke of the fans being loud. We get it!] Ame said Kyle loved working in the Media section because “he's a movie nut, and Angela gave him a confidence boost when he was able to fix someone else's error."

"I needed someone to restock some video games that a previous volunteer group had incorrectly stocked," said Angela. "Kyle's mom arrived to shop at the Thrift Store before taking him home for the day, and I asked him if he could stay after to help because he was such a great worker. He finished the box I gave him so fast that I ended up giving him another box!"

From left, volunteers John Morel, Brenna Fennelly and Landon enjoy a rare break in the break room at The Arc of Hanover Thrift Store. (No one wants to take breaks!)

For Landon, who was mostly quiet during his week, being able to eat lunch with volunteers Brenna Fennelly and John Morel was a highlight.

"It was such a joy to host the Summer Employment Academy," said Diane Gallegos. "We loved seeing these students practicing the work skills they learned in the program. What a great time with this group! We look forward to hosting them again next year."

Diane and Ame have plans to get together to talk about a Summer Employment Academy 2 – what a return to a job site for more training might look like – as well as planning for next Summer. The goal is still the same: To offer job skills and training as a lead-up for these self-advocates getting jobs in the places they really want to work.

How do you know it’s working?

Says Ame: “I've had people in this program say when they walk into a business establishment that they like, they walk up to the manager and say, "I want to get a job here. How do I do that?”

Photo cred: Virginia Down Syndrome Association

RESOURCES:

Virginia Down Syndrome Association

The I’m Determined Center’s One-Pager

If you want to help people in Hanover County with intellectual or developmental disabilities via The Arc of Hanover, donate here.

Cruising in the Chaos

Compiled by Stacey Murrell, Executive Director, The Arc of Hanover

Joy Shannon has been a dedicated volunteer with The Arc of Hanover. Earlier this year, she was nominated for Hanover County’s 2026 Spirit of Volunteerism Awards in the "Spirit of Purpose" category. In her three years with us, she has developed a strong understanding of our mission, values, operations, and goals. Her experience, commitment, and operational knowledge will help ensure a smooth transition as she steps into the new role of Assistant Manager for The Arc of Hanover Thrift Store.

"Please join me in congratulating Joy and welcoming her to The Arc of Hanover staff team," says Stacey Murrell, Executive Director for The Arc of Hanover. "We are excited to have her continue supporting our organization and community in this new capacity."

Joy Shannon is an artist, photographer, writer, wife, mother to five.

How many years have you served with The Arc of Hanover and where have you served?

Joy Shannon: I have been a volunteer with The Arc of Hanover for over three years. I have served on all teams with the exception of the Board of Directors. I have even traveled with Truck Team volunteers. I work with members of the IDD community (intellectually and developmentally disabled) and have assisted four members in ongoing efforts to train in specific job skills.

I serve on the register team, the Warehouse team, in all aspects from sorting to pricing to cleaning product and merchandising those items on the retail floor.

Joy Shannon, new Assistant Manager for The Arc of Hanover Thrift Store, balances merchandise and with her love for supporting and coaching individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

What are your main responsibilities as Assistant Store Manager?

Joy Shannon: The main responsibilities of the Assistant Thrift Store Manager are to collaborate with Kim Thompson, the Thrift Store Manager, on Store and Warehouse operations, to provide on-floor volunteer support and supervision, to support in-Store marketing and sales, and to back up Kim during high-volume or needed coverage times.

What goes in your coffee?

Joy Shannon: Espresso with a dash of white. No sugar, no flavors.

What do you do when you're not at the Store?

Joy Shannon: I work for my five children when not working at The Arc of Hanover and am deeply grateful that my husband cooks us all breakfast each morning.

You may love the whole Store, but what is an especially favorite area and why?

Joy Shannon: My favorite is the mission-focused efforts in being a support/coach to IDD community members and I'm very honored when they request me to be their support person during their shifts. My favorite physical area is the U-shaped area in Warehouse I that starts at the sorting table and moves into the pricing area and then into carts to be cleaned and placed on the retail floor.

I also love finding a place on Warehouse II shelves to help bring joy to our bargain shoppers during our monthly Warehouse Sales -- and some items finding the proper recycle path.

What is your favorite color to wear?

Joy Shannon: White! [Stacey adds: "She is one of the only people who can wear white in the Warehouse and not leave with stained white items. Magic?"]

What would you (or DID you) buy in the holiday area?

Joy Shannon: I have my eye on a set of dishes that are holiday-themed but are the same material as my regular dishes, Ironstone from Japan.

You are well traveled. What is a favorite destination?

Joy Shannon: I have traveled to many countries and to places in the U.S. I love the mountains. In the United States, I love the Rocky Mountains and internationally, I love the Alps.

You can read more about Joy and her "Spirit of Purpose" nomination as well as how to become a volunteer with The Arc of Hanover in the Volunteer section of our website.

Photo cred: Katrina VanHuss

If you want to help people in Hanover County with intellectual or developmental disabilities via The Arc of Hanover, donate here.