This month something big happened. Joelle Dolechek graduated from college with her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services: Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities.
She was right, she was the light of 4th Avenue. She was bright, cheerful, kind, loving, caring, and warm. She was the “mother hen” of the house and she took that role seriously by always looking out for others. She was a friend to many and loved by everyone that had the privilege of knowing her. We will miss her companionship, her smile, her famous baked goodies, and most importantly, her light.
It's time to head to the ballpark! June 17th at noon the Badlands Big Sticks will be playing an exhibition game with our unified softball teams. The Big Stick players will help support people with disabilities as they play, assisted by staff and friends that play on the unified softball league teams.
Greg Wock has a passion for recycling so last year he began visiting local businesses to help them recycle cardboard, aluminum cans and pop tops.
On March 16th, over 70 students headed to the Biesiot Activities Center to participate in Scrubs Camp.
The HOPE self-advocacy group, along with Hillary Berg from Protection & Advocacy, hosted an event this month to bring excitement around voting.
People's Choice winner at the Chocolate Affair
Colin Schmidt and I headed on a road trip to see the Green Bay Packers on August 17th.
This month Joelle Dolechek and I hopped a plane for Minneapolis to go to the Vikings game.
It had been a dream for Shawn Orcutt and Randy Wyman to attend an NDSU Bison game in the Fargodome. This dream became a reality last month when they were surprised with a trip!
Thank you Dickinson Fire Department and Rural Fire Department for all you do for the community and ABLE, Inc.
I was so overjoyed and honored that Abra, Sarah, and the wonderful support staff, Susan and Stacy were able to come meet my family and friends, as they all felt like they knew them because of how often we keep in touch. I am very grateful for the lifelong friendships I made at ABLE!”
Recently a former employee, Karin Reisenauer, shared on social media how her time at ABLE has benefitted her and it instantly warmed my heart. With her permission, I'd like to share with you what Karin said.
Unified Softball participants were invited to Dakota Community Bank & Trust Ballpark on July 9th to play with the Badlands Big Sticks. It was a beautiful morning enjoyed by over 50 players with and without disabilities. People were all smiles running the bases and playing with the support of the Big
Repeat Outlet makes beautiful memory quilts out of a variety of clothing such as old sports, event t-shirts or even the clothing of a loved one who has passed on. What a wonderful way to preserve treasured memories!
Carolynne bids farewell after 40 years of service with ABLE, Inc.
The Pole. You see, there are 2 poles in the hallway of the home (for the structure of the building), but only ONE was decorated with ribbon, only ONE had ornaments on it, only ONE had the figure of a Santa at the base of the pole, sitting on the floor. And the pole was NOT covered with ribbon to the bottom, to meet the floor. The pole was not covered to hide the scraped paint that is missing on it.
Abra has been an exceptional employee with the ABLE, Inc. Work Crew, and she values hard work. When struggling to complete her work duties due to chronic knee pain, Abra, after months of physical therapy, went the next step; knee surgery replacement on November 1, 2021.
ABLE, Inc. is grateful for their dedication to their mission and all that they continue to do to keep our communities healthy and safe.
On July 16th, the West River Community Center welcomed us to use the outdoor pool before opening hours. We had a blast!
Martha Stano organized and hosted a painting event last month. All who attended had a great time creating 4th of July theme paintings. Martha loved seeing so many smiles and having her home full of laughter. She can't wait to break out the glitter again and plan the next event!
"We had a beautiful day and it was great to be outside. Thank you Senator Gaylord Nelson, who back in 1970 got The Earth Day bill passed to increase awareness of our environment."
What a lucky day for us April 1 when Jim Bobb from Taylor, ND walked into our store, Repeat Outlet, and asked if we could use another loom.
ABLE, Inc. is proud to feature American Bank Center as our community partner this month. The American team has always been supportive of our mission
Mo reflects on her time at ABLE, Inc: "I never expected to build such strong relationships. I've become so close with people, especially my coworkers. Everyone has been like family, they've been there for me, reaching out to me when I've needed it most." She went on to say, "It's hard to leave a job where I am excited to go to work every day. It's been hurting me knowing that I'm leaving soon, it was a tough decison. It's been so humbling to work with people who have taught me to be a better person."
We are proud to feature the Deschamp family and their business, Fire & Ice, as they have been a community partner who has been willing to journey with us in unique ways.
With the impact of COVID continuing on, we needed some relief. We needed a space where people could just go, engage in hobbies, and spend time with friends with appropriate precautions. Thanks to the passion of Hope Mehlhoff, her team, and a grant from the ND State Council on Developmental Disabilities, that day has arrived.
The 4th Avenue Home, with ABLE, Inc. was gifted with a blanket for each person who resides there and $60 for a Christmas Party by National Life Insurance.
The windows of Repeat Outlet in Bowman, ND were feeling very festive this holiday season thanks to the talent of ABLE, Inc. employee, Donna Crow.
At ABLE, Inc. we have been blessed with many supporters of our mission, each with a different connection to us and a story to tell. Throughout the years, Dr. Dennis Wolf, has been one of those supporters to "...encircle people with care, kindness and hope" as one of our value statements reads.
This is a story about my 16-year-old grandson Zach and my 39-year-old daughter Tanya. On October 12th they both had an annoying cough and thought it was the start of a bad cold. A visit to the doctor on the 15th proved otherwise.
Direct Support Professionals play an important role in lives of people we support. You may see them everyday in the homes assisting with meals, at the grocery store, or even over Facetime as they help loved ones connect. What you don't often see is the energetic souls who are there caring for the homes, ensuring health and safety, to provide supports during the overnight hours.
A new self-advocacy group is forming at ABLE, Inc.
Kie Lie Mosbrucker, an employee in Hettinger, states "The modules helped me learn so much about the people I support, the little things that I didn't understand. By studying the Autism module, I knew how to communicate better with someone. It made such a difference."
Our Board of Directors is changing. Ken Obritsch served on our board from October 2014 to July 2020. Ken was actively involved in finding donors to support our mission. He brought a parent's perspective as we have supported his daughter since 1988.
What do you do when you are quarantined? Pick up a new hobby! I was sanding wooden objects for preschool kids to paint but needed something more. I decided to try upcycling furniture.
We are hearing the hum of heavy equipment as improvements are being made at the T-Rex plaza. Built in the 1960's, the rear parking lot and loading areas of the plaza have been difficult to navigate when conditions in the lot become muddy or icy. Improvements include...
When friends move away, it can be challenging to stay in touch. Former employee Amanda (Aldrich) Vibbart, is now
residing in California. From the moment that Amanda became engaged, Danielle and I knew that Tyler had to get to
the wedding...
Patrick Renner is a music enthusiast. He enjoys polka festivals, playing his guitar, and listening to local artists every chance he gets. He had big dreams to plan a vacation where he could experience music outside of Dickinson.
Pat decided Nashville was the perfect place to explore.
"Shred the R word day was a great experience for all students. When we entered the classrooms there was no hesitation for kids to stand up and take part in this important movement. Every student got up with a smile on their face. It definitely made people think about the message." -Ethan, DHS student
On January 30, 2020, we purchased the building at 101 North Main Street in Bowman from the Arc, Little Missouri, Inc. This building houses our REPEAT OUTLET store, Recycling business, and work areas where ABLE’s unique line of products are created.
Mary Anderson, Executive Director, states, "The acquisition of this building provides stability, opportunity and future for people with intellectual disabilities and futuristically, people with other disabilities. ABLE's motto is "Weaving Lives Together" and we see the plaza as an excellent way to weave community together through the expansion of employment as well as hosting social events."
The last home game of the season was about to start as the DSU volleyball team gathered together in the basement locker room of Scott Gymnasium. Excitement and laughter turned to calmness as they wrapped their arms around each other and huddled to say their pre-game prayer.
“When I first found out where I would be housing for my summer internship, to be honest, I was a little nervous, because I didn’t know much about people with disabilities and I wasn’t sure how I, a person without a disability, would fit in."
Like many providers in the state, ABLE has been focusing on staff recruitment. One element of this is examining our presence in various media sources. We are currently updating our website, launching in November, to include new features and a fresh look!
Ronda Colbert had been praying to find her older sister, Cheryl, since 1982 and her younger sister, Teri, since 1985. The girls grew up in Harlan, Iowa and lost touch with each other after going their separate ways.
Where is the best place to spend a Saturday in the heat of summer? At the ballpark! On July 20th, Dickinson's own Big Sticks baseball team shared their field with the Dickinson Park & Rec Unified Softball league for the second year in a row.
