Kismet

Kismet (ˈkɪzmɛt)
 -n
2. fate or destiny

Have you ever walked into a store and instantly felt a kinship, drawn into its presence like a magnet observing the ambiance and catching the eye of enthusiastic sales people? I had such an experience in Aberdeen recently when photographing a client for our upcoming 2010 Annual Report and had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Popcorn Café. If you are in Aberdeen or driving through on your way to the ocean you need to drop in to this charming popcorn and coffee house in the heart of Aberdeen. You can choose from one of their many popcorn flavored delicacies and maybe try a cappuccino or latte. Look for it on the corner of Wishkah and Broadway heading into town on 101.

I was drawn to the friendly wait staff including the client we support who does “outside” (literally) sales by taking his popcorn cart and going to other businesses in town peddling his wares on foot. The owner, Celia Barry, is one of the most pleasant, positive people I have met. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her while I was taking pictures and disrupting business a bit. She is the quintessential small business entrepreneur. She is outgoing, and seems to have boundless energy along with a very positive attitude. Presented with the opportunity to hire a client, she saw the positive and how to use his strengths of sales and out-going personality to her advantage to start another revenue stream. Innovative, you bet! It’s also a family business as her mother helps make the gluten free brownies, cookies and other tasty morsels beckoning from the display case. Innovation, energy, and a wonderful product a recipe for success at the Popcorn Café!

So stop in the next time you are in Aberdeen….it will be worth your while.

Outstanding Employers

Yesterday at the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce forum Morningside was pleased to introduce and honor the four Thurston County Outstanding Employers for 2010. The event was so packed that Saint Martin’s University catering company Bon Appétit had to bring in extra tables to handle the overflow crown. I suspect the draw was the presenter. Dr. Arun Raha, Executive Director, Economic and Revenue Forecasting Council gave the audience a very complete economic prediction. He was well received by the forum participants, who’d a thunk that an economist could be so funny. He gave a plug for Morningside. After our presentation he was introduced and said that he was taking his Morningside pen back to work because of the state cutbacks, pens are hard to come by in his state office.
This year we videotaped three Outstanding Employers giving testimony employing individuals supported by Morningside. You can view these three employers clicking on this link: http://www.mside.org/videos.asp
 
I would like to congratulate the 2010 winners: Southgate Ace Hardware, Walgreens on Martin Way, Trader Joe’s and the State of Washington, DSHS, Division of Child Support. It was fun to have the employers in attendance and experience the overwhelming support the chamber members gave to them.


Don’t forget that the next CEO breakfast is scheduled for March 22nd at 7:30 at the Business Center. Come and hear from an employer who has worked with Morningside.  They will be candid and available to meet with you and answer your concerns.  It is your opportunity to ask any question you may have about the process.  The meeting will end promptly at 8:30 – guaranteed.  See you then. 

Thanks for the Memories

Well the day finally arrived – Maxyne’s retirement. If you have been fortunate to work at the Corporate Center or have come to Morningside’s Olympia office you undoubtedly know Maxyne and her pleasant, welcoming personality. Maxyne has been a client of Morningside since 1972 but for the last 7 years she has worked as our electronic imaging expert scanning primarily old client paper files into a digital format for efficient shortage. Thanks to the Accounting department who took seriously our mission in their department planning session, they were proactive in utilizing a person with a significant disability to move us closer to paperless files and put our mission into practice.


I happened to be the beneficiary of Maxyne’s constant ribbing. She enjoyed giving “the boss a hard time” and it didn’t matter where or when or whatever the circumstance I would usually count on Maxyne’s little quip delivered with her broad grin and chuckle. She took the most glee when the whole staff was assembled to announce her nick name for me “Jimbo” followed by the fact that she was going to give me a “hard time” or some other staff was going to let me have it.

She had an uncanny ability to register who walked by her cube by listening to their footsteps. No you couldn’t just slip by – she would say “what are you doing Jim or where are you going?” of course I had to reply and recognize the fact that she knew I was there. On the rare occasion she mistook me for one of the other guys in the office I took much pleasure in telling her she was slipping because I wasn’t the person she thought it was.

Why this tribute well because Maxyne taught me a lot. She taught me about perseverance and determination. I saw her frequently waiting for the bus on Ruddle road if I happened to be going early to work – there was Maxyne, faithfully going to work-rain, shine, sleet and yes snow. She was always there, much the same with most all of those clients whom we serve. She loved her job and the people who surrounded her. I was always greeted with a friendly “hello Jim (or Jimbo or Boss)” every morning she worked – she brightened my day. So like other employers who comment on those we serve, she changed the “landscape” at work made me a better person able to appreciate all this life has to offer.

So as Maxyne was crying on the outside during her combination birthday and retirement party – I was crying on the inside because I know I was going to miss her cheerful “Hello Jimbo, how are you doing this morning” as much as she was going to miss being a part of us.