Keating, Challenge Enterprises take top honor during Celebrate Clay awards
May 20, 2011 by Administrator · Leave a Comment
By Stephen Kindland
Staff writer
ORANGE PARK – Nearly four decades after promising her new employer “two good years,” the woman who went on to become the same agency’s executive director has been given the Paul E. and Klare N. Reinhold Foundation’s top award on behalf of Challenge Enterprises of North Florida.
Nancy Keating, who was the first person hired by Challenge Enterprises when it operated under a different name in 1972, was presented with the Paul E. Reinhold Community Service award during the foundation’s annual Celebrate Clay awards breakfast on Tuesday, May 17 at the Thrasher-Horne Conference Center.
Keating said she could feel her heart beating faster and faster as a description of the winning agency – which had been kept secret — was read by Al Rizer, executive director of the Clay County Council on Aging and one of five judges for this year’s event.
“My knees were weak, too,” she said, quickly changing the subject to talk about her agency’s mission to hire individuals with intellectual, physical and developmental disabilities and, most recently, wounded soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan .
“There’s not enough you can do for our Wounded Warriors,” Keating said. “It’s wonderful to be able to employ people and empower them. I challenge all Clay County businesses to hire our vets.”
Tuesday’s celebration included $65,000 being given to 52 not-for-profit organizations that provide services to Clay County residents. The foundation created Celebrate Clay to honor the legacy of philanthropists Paul E. and Klare N. Reinhold, and to “recognize, reward and encourage community service within Clay County,” according to foundation spokeswoman Amy Parker.
United Methodist Church of Orange Park’s Soul Food Ministry and Waste Not Want Not were given Judges’ Choice awards of $5,000, and John Cone of BASCA – an agency that also serves developmentally disabled people – was named the 2011 Extraordinary Executive Director. Cone also received $5,000 to go toward his agency.
The foundation has awarded more than $195,000 to Celebrate Clay award recipients during the past three years. This year, 10 thousand of those dollars went to Challenge Enterprises, thanks to the “tireless work” of Keating..
Rizer said the ever-expanding organization served 310 disabled adults and children last year, “making it possible for the agency to practice what it preaches: self sufficiency” by earning most of its own funding through government and private sector contracts. Challenge Enterprises paid disabled employees more than $1.5 million in wages last year, Rizer said.
He also said Keating spearheaded an initiative to “passionately expand” the agency’s employment mission to reach armed services men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, one of whom is a U.S. Army staff sergeant who sustained severe brain injuries while riding in a convoy.
Another Army soldier who was severely burned after an explosion is on the payroll, along with a young combat engineer whose arms were severed, according to Rizer.
“These are just a few of our nation’s finest who were able to return to the workforce and regain their value and dignity as a result of the power and possibilities provided by this agency,” he said.
Anyone who has known Keating for any length of time will tell you she is a woman of great character, Reinhold Foundation board president John Kopelousos said as people rushed to congratulate the woman of the hour.
“She’s one of the most dedicated, unselfish and dynamic people I’ve ever known,” he said. “You won’t find anyone like her.”
Longtime friend Tina Crowder agreed.
“She’s a saint,” Crowder said after hugging the woman she has known for 25 years. “She’s always thinking about others. She started [Challenge Enterprises] with a little bit of nothing and grew it to what it is today – with its six or seven million dollar budget.”
Keating just shrugs off the accolades.
“I promised them two good years when I first got hired,” she deadpanned. “They’re still waiting for the second one.”
Challenge Enterprises was a unanimous choice among judges that included Stella Johnson, executive director of the Family Nurturing Center of Florida; retired County Circuit Court Judge William A. Wilkes and foundation trustees Megan Baptist and Jeff Bryan.
Here is a complete list of this year’s winners:
Paul E. Reinhold Community Service Award ($10,000): Challenge Enterprises of North Florida.
Judges’ Choice Program Award ($5,000): Soul Food Ministry (Orange Park United Methodist Church); Waste Not Want Not.
Extraordinary Executive Director ($5,000): John Cone, BASCA.
Peggy Bryan Volunteer of the Year Award ($5,000): Doug Smith, Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Judges’ Choice Volunteer Award: ($2,500): Steve White, Heart for Homeless (High Point Community Church); Sonja Loeb, Safe Animal Shelter of Orange Park.
Special Judges’ Award ($1,000): Best Buddies Florida; Clay Behavioral Health Center; Clay County Education Foundation; Clay County Habitat for Humanity; Clay County Humane Society; Clay County Literacy Coalition; Food Pantry of Green Cove Springs; GFWC Clay County Women for Education; Green Cove Springs Police Teen Summit; Hope Therapy; James Boys (Orange Park United Methodist Church); Quigley House; Seamark Ranch; Take Stock in Children of Clay County; The Way Free Medical Clinic.
Category Awards ($500): Arts and Culture: A.R.K. Program, Grace Episcopal School; Art Enrichment Program of Clay County; Jacksonville Children’s Chorus; Orange Park Community Theatre. Civic Programs: Historical Society of Orange Park; Justice Coalition. Community Programs: Clay County Special Olympics; Family Promise of Jacksonville; Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida; Magnolia Point Women’s Club.
Education and Literacy: Broach School of Orange Park; Episcopal Children’s Services. Environment and Ecology: Charles E. Bennett Elementary School Green Team; Clay County Fair Association. Health and Human Services:BASCA; Clay County Health Department (We Care); Clay County Victim Services Center; Community Hospice of Northeast Florida; Florida Striders.
Senior Citizens’ Accomplishments: PET Florida (Penney Farms); Shepherd’s Center of Orange Park. Church Service Programs: The Clothes Closet (Church Women’s Christian Ministries); Salvation Army.
Accomplishments by Youth: Florida Youth Challenge Academy Foundation; St. Catherine’s Urban Plunge; Teen Court of Clay County. Service to Youth and Families: Clay County Police Activities League (PAL); Dignity U Wear; Silent Flock (Grace Episcopal Church); Bob Dye YMCA.
Excerpt from Clay Today
Golden Years fetes senior contibutions
May 20, 2011 by Administrator · 1 Comment
ORANGE PARK – The Golden Years Gala Service recently held its 4th annual awards ceremony.
The winner — arts (Virginia McCampbell), education (Faye Irvin), faith-based (Russ Kamradt), health (Betty Alix), social services (Deborah Hall), business (the Allegro) and lifetime achievement (Carolyn Clark)– were honored May 7 at the Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts for their outstanding volunteer service and to acknowledge the contributions seniors give to the community through their volunteer service.
The Shepherd’s Center of Orange Park, Elder Caregifters and the Clay Senior Advocacy Council hosted the gala.
“These seniors understand that true fulfillment and joy comes from serving others,” said Cindy Stewart, the Shepherd’s Center executive director. “The hope is that their peers as well as younger generations will follow their example. If everyone uses their time and talents to serve others, we can make an impact in improving our communities.”
McCampbell has organized events for Middleburg Elementary Art Fair. She paints portraits of seniors at Orange Park Senior Center and creates needlework for newborns in hospitals and seniors in hospitals and nursing homes. She also enjoys singing in the choirs at Orange Park United Methodist Church. She has also volunteered at Clothes Closet for more than 10 years.
Irvin is a founder of Clay County Archives and is a member of the Orange Park and Clay County Historical Societies. She has served 10 years with the Clay County Historical Commission. Irvin has written historical pamphlets, judged for Clay County middle/high school history fairs, presented local history to Shepherd’s Center seniors and is the historical archivist of the Orange Park Women’s Club.
Kamradt was the Operations Manager for Haiti Relief with Mission Harvest. He is a member of the Roy S. Geiger Detachment of the Marine Corps League, helping with the annual Toys for Tots activities. Kamradt serves in the Outreach and Missions committees of the Fleming Island United Methodist Church as well as volunteers at Waste Not Want Not. He serves every Thanksgiving at the First Baptist Church of Orange Park. He also serves in the American Cancer Society and American Red Cross.
Alix is a member of Magnolia Point Women’s Club, co-chairing the Community Outreach committee. She recruited a team for the Breast Cancer Walk and chaired the 2010 Diabetes Walk. She organized a drive for Quigley House Thrift Store and is very committed to her service with The Way Free Medical Clinic. She is also interested in Challenge Enterprises. The charities closest to her heart focus on health.
Hall uses the money she earns as an employee of the Green Cove Spring Senior Center to help seniors in need. She cooks breakfast every Wednesday for the seniors and employees and pays the person who assists her. She and her husband host a big Thanksgiving dinner at the Center each year. She does everything from her heart and is a blessing.
The Allegro goes above and beyond in support of seniors and their services. Allegro has hosted art auction for Alzheimer’s Association, donated full dining room of chairs to Council on Aging for the senior center. They provide meeting space, food and catering to charitable organizations in Clay County. Allegro’s dining service department works with Ridgeview Special Needs Job Training. They also offer free educational programs, AARP Driver Training, Alzheimer’s Seminars, Brain Training classes and Caregiver Support Groups.
Clarke is the publicity photographer for Orange Park Women’s Club. She was instrumental in starting the Historical Society of Orange Park. She has given tours of the Clarke House and cemetery. She has helped with Carrie Clarke Day and shared her and her family history at the Shepherd’s Center. She has been Santa’s helper at Town Hall each year and she is assisting a history teacher who is creating a period film by securing people, places and clothing.
The event began with an antique auto display by the first Coast Region Model A Restorer’s Club with a brunch and beautiful baskets that were raffled. A concert followed by the Clay County Community Band.
The Honor Guard of The Middleburg Chapter, American Legion Post 250 did the Presentation and Retiring of Colors.
Excerpt from Clay Today
Clay County braggin’ rights
March 30, 2011 by Administrator · 5 Comments
Nonprofit
At Challenge Enterprises’ 38th anniversary celebration, executive director Nancy Keating was the first recipient of the Ruth Young Lifetime Achievement Award. Keating has run the Clay agency, which provides job training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities, for 37 years. Young was a charter member of Challenge’s original board of directors and an active community advocate.
Other awards were:
- Inspirational Award (Child), Ethan Eanes, Lighthouse Learning Center.
- Inspirational Award (Adult), Judi Hills, Fleet Readiness Center Southeast.
- Commercial Partner Award, Vystar Credit Union, Shelia Nee.
- Dr. Paul Hagen Leadership Award, Melvin Williams, Jacksonville Naval Air Station Commissary.
- Government Partner Award, Mary Bono, General Services Administration.
For more information about Challenge, contact Keating at 284-9859 or nancyk@challengeenterprises.org.
For more, call (352) 473-5450 or (904) 894-5488.
Excerpt from Jacksonville.com / Florida Times Union
http://jacksonville.com/community/clay/2011-01-13/story/clay-county-braggin-rights
[Gallery not found]Stearn learns about AbilityOne
March 30, 2011 by Administrator · Leave a Comment
(Editor’s Note: Challenge Enterprises recently submitted the following article)
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The AbilityOne Program is the largest single source of employment for people who are blind or have other severe disabilities in the United States and is a cost effective way to empower many of them to achieve greater independence by reducing dependence on government support and joining the ranks of taxpayers.
Currently, the AbilityOne Program provides employment opportunities for more than 40,000 people who are blind or have other severe disabilities remain one of American’s greatest untapped labor resources.
The federal agency that administers the AbilityOne Program is The Committee for Purchases from People Who are Blind or Severly Disabled, and Committee currently works with more than 600 nonprofit agencies across the country, as well as in Puerto Rico and Guam to provide employment opportunities for people who are blind or have other severe disabilities. The purchase of AbilityOne products and services by federal customers helps battle the chronic 70 percent unemployment or underemployment rate faced by this untapped labor resource.
At the invitation of Jerry Proctor, Vice President of the agency’s Business Development, Representative Clifford Stearns, District 6, visited the Green Cove Springs location of Challenge Enterprises on Friday, August 6th at 10am to view the AbilityOne Program in action.
Excerpt from Clay Today, August 26th 2010
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