DAWSON CREEK – Bright sunshine met the even brighter smiles of members and supporters of the Dawson Creek Society for Community Living as the non-profit group celebrated with an afternoon barbeque on grounds of Northern Lights College October 6.
“This is a big thank-you event as October is Community Living month, and the turnout is awesome,” said Community Living Executive Director Marla Reed. “We’re here to celebrate the lives and successes of people living with disabilities in Dawson Creek.”
The non-profit group has a long history of serving people with disabilities and their families, having operated locally since 1958.
Reed said the importance of teaching life skills goes hand-in-hand with the group’s goal of assisting people to become full community participants through training, education, support and advocacy.
“We are currently providing services to 130 people and it’s at events like these that community partners are able to come out and help celebrate,” she said.
Northern Lights College has been a long term community partner of the Dawson Creek Society for Community Living and gives students with barriers to employment the opportunity to develop skills for success in the workplace through its Job Education and Training (JET) program on the Dawson Creek campus.
“We are honoured to host this event and be a part of Community Living, and we’re very proud to support them through the College’s JET program,” said Brent Deinstadt, Director of Human Resources at Northern Lights College.The 10-month JET program focuses on developing personal career and work plans based on the individual interests and abilities of the students. The program includes classroom-based and hands-on learning, and a practicum component.
For more information on programs at NLC, check the website at nlc.bc.ca.
Truly Shearing-Berge, Facilitator with Community Living BC,
helped celebrate Community Living month with Darrell Horseman
(right) at Northern Lights College on Oct. 6.