Month: August 2020

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Making a Difference One School at a Time!

Safe driving presentation

For the last 18 years 3 of the members of Beacon House have been traveling to local high schools to talk with students making good choices while driving such as not driving under the influence nor getting in the car with someone who has been drinking, driving fatigued  or road rage.   Members share their stories of how one poor decision led to their brain injury and changed their life forever.  The gentlemen tell the students what their lives were like before the accident and what it has been like since.

Brain injury presentation

Since most Hampton Roads schools are starting virtually this year the team at Beacon House decided to take their presentation virtual as well.  Thanks to a grant from the City of Virginia Beach and Brandon Mitchell Films, they were able to record the members giving their presentation which will be sent to the schools to show students.  They will then set up bi-monthly video calls so students and faculty can ask questions and interact with the members.  So far they have presented to more than 75,000 students at 14 local high schools and with the help of the City of Virginia Beach and Brandon Mitchell Films that number will continue to grow.

 

To learn more about this program and how you can have it shown to your school or youth organization please contact Joann Mancuso at 757-631-0222.

#beaconhousevb #Eggleston #makinggoodchoices #chancechoiceconsequences #brandonmitchellfilms

Posted on by Eggleston Marketing

Meet Eggleston’s 2 New Waiver Mentors

After roughly 45 days of training, Eggleston has its first 2 waiver mentors, Amanda Conklin and Elija “EJ” Steward. Amanda and EJ, have both been with Eggleston for some time; however, they both had the passion and desire to make a bigger impact. In their new roles they will ensure that DSP’s are provided with all of the tools they need to guarantee that the individuals supported have proper supports to reach their desired outcomes. Amanda and EJ are cross trained in service delivery, regulatory requirements, policy and procedures, Waiver Management System, and programmatic oversite. This new team is led by Toshiko Hemric, Waiver Operations Supervisor. Congratulations to you both!!

Here’s a chance to learn a little more about Amanda and EJ.

Amanda Conklin is 30 years old from Newport News, Virginia. She has been with Eggleston for over 7 years and been providing direct care to adults for over 11 years. She often states her job is definitely her passion in life but when she is not at work she is usually spending time with her 7 year old daughter. She love spending time in nature, watching funny movies, and taking road trips. Her long term goal is to participate in a sponsored residential living program in order to support an individual within her home.

Elija Steward was born in Queens, New York but has been a resident of Norfolk, Virginia for the majority of his life. In 2018, he graduated from Tidewater Community College with an Associate degree in Social Science. EJ has been employed at Eggleston Services for over five years where he has developed many memories that he will always cherish. While working with the company, EJ has gained a strong passion for working with individuals with intellectual abilities. He is very dedicated to his job and always willing to help those in his community. Aside from EJ’s dedication to Eggleston services, he also has other commitments that he values in his personal life. EJ states that one of his biggest accomplishments is the family that he has built. EJ is currently married with a three-year-old son and expecting a newborn in February 2021. He takes pride in being a father and spends most of his spare time with his family. In fact, one of EJ’s favorite quotes is, “Family isn’t an important thing. It’s everything.” Overall, EJ labels his experience at Eggleston Services as “an honor,” and he looks forward to continuing dedicating his services in the future.

65 years and Still Contributing to Meaningful Services for Individuals!

Posted on by Eggleston Marketing

Want to know if it’s going to snow? Or, what historic weather event happened last year?

David “Trey” Ramsey, “The Weather Guy”, can tell you.

Trey is 33 years old. He loves everything weather related— you can often find him relaxing with a book and listening to his weather radio to keep updated on weather events across the country. His other interests include dancing, beatboxing his favorite songs, and watching movies.

Since 2012, Trey has benefited from Eggleston’s Residential Services program, living full-time in one of six homes that is supported 24/7 by Eggleston staff members. The staff that work with him say he is quite the comedian, doing impressions of his peers, making everyone (including himself) laugh. He’s also said to brighten up every environment he is in with his quick wit and engaging personality. 

Eggleston is not only Trey’s home, but his family and only support. This is the story for many residents, so the staff goes above and beyond for birthdays. They always get a cake, cook the person’s favorite meal for dinner, and get them a special gift. 

This year for Trey’s birthday, the Eggleston team wanted to make Trey’s weatherman dreams come true. They hoped to connect with a local meteorologist and visit a studio, but they were unable to do so due to COVID-19. They quickly came up with another plan. 

With the help of 360 Arts and Production, the staff surprised Trey with the opportunity to film his very own weather forecast! Trey lit up when he stepped in front of the green screen. He excitedly forecasted the weather for the upcoming week, and even shared hurricane preparedness tips.

When the video was ready, Trey and his peers watched it together over and over again– they couldn’t get enough! Each time, Trey repeated everything he said in the video with the biggest smile on his face.

Eggleston’s mission is founded on the belief that every person deserves the opportunity to live their best possible life. Our staff speak to residents often about their growing and changing needs, interests, and dreams to align our activities and opportunities. We have helped our residents travel to Disney World, DC, Vegas, and one is gearing up to travel to the Bahamas as soon as it is safe.

We are always looking for dedicated volunteers to work with our support team. This person would build friendships with the residents through frequent visits and participating in activities. This volunteer opportunity requires an ongoing commitment. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Tim Giles at 757-858-8011.