HELPING HANDS RITE AID, OTHERS HONORED AT DESERT HAVEN BANQUET.Byline: Daily News LANCASTER - Rite Aid's Lancaster distribution center received Desert Haven Enterprises' top award for its employment of mentally retarded Noun 1. mentally retarded - people collectively who are mentally retarded; "he started a school for the retarded" developmentally challenged, retarded workers. Nearly 60 Desert Haven clients and staff work at Rite Aid's giant Southwest Customer Support Center tagging merchandise, cleaning and sorting containers and doing other tasks. ``These guys have gone well above and beyond the call of duty,'' Desert Haven executive director Jenni Moran said in presenting the Henstra Award to Rite Aid Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD) is a United States retailer and pharmacy chain, operating over 5,000 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia. Rite Aid Corporation is one of the nation's leading drugstore chains. executives at Desert Haven's annual banquet. Rite Aid officials said their company benefits from using Desert Haven workers. ``It's a win-win situation,'' said Mike Ziomek, Rite Aid's regional vice president. Desert Haven is a nonprofit organization Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. that started in 1954 in Lancaster as a preschool for mentally disabled mentally disabled See Cognitively impaired. children and eventually began providing training for adults. The Henstra Award is named for its founders. It now serves some 400 people, who get training and work in the Desert Haven vocational training center in Lancaster, go out in the communities on job crews or work on jobs on their own with aid from Desert Haven staffers. The banquet Thursday at Desert Haven's workshop honored supporters, volunteers, employees and clients, who Desert Haven calls consumers. Consumers of the Year awards went to Anthony Wooley, Steve Martin Noun 1. Steve Martin - United States actor and comedian (born in 1945) Martin , John Anderson John Anderson may be: Science:
The Bozigian Award went to Jim Moran James Patrick "Jim" Moran Jr. (born 16 May 1945 in Buffalo, New York) has represented the 8th congressional district of Virginia since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. His brother, Brian Moran, is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. , Jenni Moran's husband, who for six years has volunteered as chairman of the organization's annual benefit auction. The auction has raised nearly $1 million in those six years to support the center's programs. The Friends of Desert Haven award went to Bill and Carol Powell and Henry and Paula Leszkiewicz, who together have donated $194,000 to the organization through its annual auctions. Volunteer of the Year was Barbara Johnson Barbara Johnson (b. 1947) is an American literary critic and translator. She is currently a Professor of English and Comparative Literature and the Frederic Wertham Professor of Law and Psychiatry in Society at Harvard University. , who leads the auction decoration work. Employer of the Year was Canine Country Club and its owners Mike and JoAnna Gehring, who hire Desert Haven consumers. Contractor of the Year was J. Paul Mitchell Systems, which pays Desert Haven for packaging its haircare products. The Distinguished Service Award went to Sam's Club of Palmdale and the President's Award to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co.'s Plant Engineering Division. Sam's Club employs a Desert Haven client in its Palmdale food court and Lockheed Martin employs a cleaning crew at its Palmdale facility. Employees of the Year were Lisa Enos, Scott King, Kathy Burcina and Alberto Saldivar. Service awards went to Mike Thomas and JoEllen for 10 years, Mike Casey for 15 years, and Brenda Spencer for 10 years. The banquet also marked the installation of the center's board. New officers are President Alan Kreps, Vice President Tom Fuller and Treasurer- Secretary Lou Bozigian. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Mike Ziomek, Rite Aid's regional vice president, left, and Rite Aid Southwest Customer Support Center general manager Gary Konopka accept the Henstra Award from Desert Haven Enterprises at the Lancaster organization's annual banquet on Thursday. (2 -- color) Anthony Wooley, Danny Nelson and Steve Martin, from left, received awards for being Desert Haven's top consumers of the year. |
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