Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.
Somewhere
We'll find a
new way of
living
We'll find a way
of forgiving
Somewhere
There's a place for us
A time and
place for us
Hold my hand
And we're
halfway there
Hold my hand
And I'll take
you there~~~~Somehow~~~~Someday~~~~Somewhere; WEST SIDE STORY: Somewhere
I start this essay with the experience that just knocked my lights out, drained me,
knocked me for a loop this week-end. Actually there were two experiences~~~but we
are only going to discuss one of them!!! This experience drained me so much that I'm still catching my breath to where I'm just now finding the energy to put some thoughts
into essay-form.
I'm referring to my Saturday 30 October 2010 effort with a LABOR REPRESENTATIVE TRAINEE; NYS CIVIL SERVICE TEST. Keep in mind, this is for a 'trainee' position, not second-tier management. In a word, I "bombed" it. C-4 explosives would not have done a kinder; more gentle job of destroying it. Except of the civil service test that I took on 15 May 2010, where I did exemplary in, I have a terrible track-record with these. And the ugly truth on this experience is that this trend is apparently going to continue!!
It was a grueling 135 question; 6 hour test. And there really wasn't any "gimme" section. Nothing more needs to be really said here other than I continue to hinge
the possibilities of a civil service position on the results of that 15 May test. I have had two canvasses already so hopefully, enough of the topside has been whittled away, and I may find a niche, soon.
I'm going to communion this Sunday 31 October at Mass, and am making my way up the center-aisle, in my scooter. As I'm nearing the communion area, the front few pews on the left and right of the center-aisle have Family Names reserved for baptisms, and the like. The Family Name on the left gets my attention immediately. And as soon as I disclose the name, there will be those of you reading this,
whom will KNOW where this tailwind will be taking this account. The pew was reserved for the Rittling Family.
Most of us remember, as kids, the Rittling Bottling Company that used to deliver chocolate milk and white milk~~~in bottles~~~to the Catholic grade schools in the Diocese of Buffalo. It was the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo's early and modest way of trying to infuse nutrition into the diets of children. Keep in mind that this is in an era where domestic matters~~~were private matters. There were no watchdog agencies and organizations, keeping a watchful eye on household matters, as there are now. The Rittling Family, as I was growing up, had nine sons, I'm to understand. I know that at least a couple~~~went to Cardinal Dougherty High School. John Rittling was of the Class of 1966. John Rittling, whom was related to these family members at the Mass, would not see graduation in 1966. And what would happen to John, would forever redefine how high school football practices would be conducted in Erie County. Before the Rittling guidelines, practices were usually conducted in an any-goes approach. Many coaches were doing CONTACT-SCRIMMAGES on the first days of practice. John was in one of those early-on contact-practice-scrimmages. He was carrying the ball on a running play, and while tackled, had his neck broken, and was killed. I felt it appropriate, all these years later, to pay-my-respects.
Now, some good correspondence. Friday night, 29 October 2010, at Salvatore's Italian Gardens, Bishop Fallon High School had its 9th Annual Hall of Fame Dinner. What was so special this year was that two-of-our-own were to be inducted!!! Classmates that were in attendance included: Dan Privitera, Norb Warnes. Mike Padalino, Sal Scibetta, Jimmy Cousins, Donny Haefner, Dave Bauer, Peter Mathias. Blaine Wegrzynowski, Robert Grunthaner, Jim Taggart, and Joe Barrile.
Carl Albert, the high school's physics teacher, was also the Varsity Tennis Coach. He was being recognized for taking the 1968 Varsity Tennis team to the WNY All-Catholic Championships. Carl was very affable, gracious, and reminiscent in his acceptance speech. He even disclosed some of the foibles he would use to try to engage and motivate his players with!! Several of the team-mates were in attendance, and a team photo was taken by Mike Padalino~~~who came equipped with a camera.
Then who was recognized was Jimmy Scime, a Class-of-1969 graduate. His accomplishments in baseball were prolific; at the high school, the university, and the local amateur MUNY baseball levels. He holds records at all those levels. But his most recognized accomplishment is at the professional level. He is the senior managing partner of one of the most prestigious law firms in Western New York; Lipsitz, Green, Scime, and Cambria, LLP. Jimmy's remarks were so personable, friendly, and engaging to the extent you thought he was sitting right next to you at the table and carrying on a conversation this you. At one point he is imparting this reflection about his father, with his father in attendance to be able to bear witness. And I was very touched by Scime's seasoned perspective on this one recount he would share. He was trying to explain how he ended up 'choosing' Bishop Fallon High School. We all have our story, and of course, Jimmy has his. Jimmy apparently lived in the TURNER High School area and, through his Father's encouragement, it made more sense to go all the way downtown via a bus and transfer, to go to Bishop Fallon, then to walk down the street to Turner!! I have to believe~~~at 14, his thoughts about his Father, and the Turner/Fallon thing probably had a different slant! And then the Scime Family moved to the Amherst area; the Willow Ridge area of Amherst when its development was just being undertaken. Now that had to be a hike by bus, to Bishop Fallon. But this is the recount that I really enjoyed. The family aspiration of getting into Canisius High School, by way of a school-sponsored scholarship-awarding spelling-bee contest. First prize; a full-scholarship. Second prize; a partial-scholarship.
Jimmy was doing well. He was down to being one of the finalist.
The word that became Jimmy's Achilles-heel~~~therapeutic(I didn't get spell-check!!!).
Jimmy spelled it: therapotic...
The winning word he knew how the spell:
M A Y O N N A I S E.
By the way; hold the mayonnaise!!!
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Journey for Week ending 23 October 2010
Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.
...The story of our love,
Is an endless story never to be lost,
I don’t know if I will ever see him again,
But I always keep my fingers crossed.*******Knight in Shining Armor***Margery Wang
First full week that I was not doing anything hands-on related to my AmeriCorps Buffalo
volunteer activity at the belle Center and the Portal Program. I certainly felt a sense of emptiness. The emptiness inspired me to write a short essay about my feelings to Michael Rivera , who is a director for career development at the University of Buffalo, and is also the President of the Board of Directors at The Belle Center. My thoughts were as follows:
Dear Mr. Michael Rivera;
In coming together with AmeriCorps Buffalo, and getting assigned to The Belle Center, I felt I had found a real CALLING, working with the underprivileged, disadvantaged, and marginalized Hispanic community of the Lower West Side. I was asked specifically to help fulfill The Portal Program's objective of getting 17-24 year-old young adults, ready for the "work world." At anytime, such a task is daunting. But in light of the current socioeconomic circumstances that our culture and society finds itself in, the challenge to fulfill the program objectives, is escalated. The idea is to develop soft skills; life skills exposure, and set-up participation-structures that can manifest hard-and-fast work-world skill-sets. The results would be getting the necessary tools-in-the-tool-belt, so-to-speak, to get these young adults groomed for work-world-readiness, and life-style self-sustainability. I felt driven to undertake the objectives of this program~~~and run with it. There certainly was a real need for this; to encourage the Trades and the Vocations as a viable career opportunity. And then, to get the young adult ushered into such a program and having them getting their feet wet through the hands-on exposure.
Through the contacts; through the public relations work, which I worked diligently to establish, avenues were getting paved to facilitate the Portal Program objectives. Additional endeavors such as The Vocational Trade Fair, and the TRAVELING-ROAD-SHOW, where the Portal Program Director Michael Szymanski, and myself, visited entry-level apprenticeship building-trades training facilities, helped these partnerships become more congenial. These visitations took place in Rochester, NY, Ithaca, NY, and a state-of-the-art facility in Richfield, Ohio.
Mr. Rivera, in cutting this path, this AmeriCorps Buffalo volunteer at The Belle Center Portal Program, put his heart, soul, mind, inspiration, and very being into every single aspect of THIS CALLING. I found that I had always conducted myself with a conviction that this is Substantive, this is Righteous, and this had developed a momentum where the Program was actually starting to bear some fruit!!!
I felt this Portal Program was more than just filling 'time' as an AmeriCorps term obligation.
While the first term has ended, the Need is still~~~very evident.
I as well, recognize the importance of protocol. So I made it a point first thing Monday AM, to get a THANK YOU card to Ursula Davis, the Director of Operations at
VIVE la Casa. VIVE, as you may recall, is the community out-reach facility that the
powers-to-be, are trying to arrange a second AmeriCorps Buffalo volunteer at.
And what put some misled optimism in this was an article in the BUFFALO NEWS that
gave the 'impression' of AmeriCorps Buffalo getting some 'new' financial life-blood.
I emailed an associate that I trust with his directness and transparency~~~and he replied, explaining the REALITY:
Subject: Buffalo News
Updated: October 18, 2010, 6:40 AM
Buffalo AmeriCorps and staff at the Belle Center will receive funding for the 2010-11 fiscal year after the decision not to fund the program was overturned.
Buffalo AmeriCorps recently got a $283,277 State Commission on National and Community Service grant.
The Buffalo AmeriCorps program, based in the Belle Center, provides resources towards socioeconomic advancement in the community through service. In the past three years, $206,000 in education awards have been given to members who successfully completed their term of service.
...and Dr Jack's reply:
The Buffalo News took a month to put this in. There is no change from what you have previously been told, that we are reduced to 25 Corps Members and that puts us under a fiscal strain that does not completely support Buffalo AmeriCorps. Because of that the match is paramount, without a match from others, we cannot support the program. I can’t give you any more specifics about your placement, that is in the hands of Daytuan and Pam. Otherwise I want to be transparent with you. Essentially the News piece was old news to you. Pat, the security guy had a similar perception, so we will have to deal with such.
When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced; live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.
Cherokee Saying
During such a transition, the idea of trying to CREATE an opportunity, takes hold. I had recently developed a rapport with an operative from GERARD PLACE who had just started exploring the idea of an in-house young-adult work-world-readiness Program of their own. Well wait-a-minute, I thought. Why re-invent the wheel, when GERARD PLACE can just park me in a chair. Of course like anything else, the seed is planted and we will see if, and how well, it takes root.
With some free time, I thought I was going to go to the Buffalo Historical Society Tuesday AM, to the Railroad Barons Club, to have my 2-8-8-2 articulated mallet run as a guest-locomotive, but that got pushed aside by another 'matter' that I had to attend to at the Buffalo State College Kangaroo Court. It related to an alleged handicap parking-infraction.
Ticked-off; Over-the-Top!!! C-4!?!? Buffalo State College, and the surrounding community, would have been~~~done-like-dinner!
Having gotten that off my chest, I decided for Wednesday AM, I was going to go to 'my-trax' and watch some real trains!! So I watched a STACKABLES rolling-stock freight-train, with three diesels and 117 rail-cars, go by. And after that, there was this AMTRAK!! Damned, that Angel~~~was flying!! Those engineers don't waste time opening the diesel engines, up!!
Alright; fun-time over, so it was back to the program at hand. Had to get my networking element up to 'grade', at the BUFFALO EMPLOYMENT TRAINING CENTER(BETC). So I made my 'rounds' there, both face-to-face, and by way of email.
I must submit this.
Keep in mind. the BETC has; now check this out, 11 dedicated handicap parking slots. ALL are occupied. With the universal symbol for handicap being the wheelchair, I'm thinking, I'm going to go in there, and we are going to have a wheelchair/scooter basketball game in progress!!
Then we wonder why New York State, and Social Security is 'broke'. In all of the BETC, besides myself, there was only one other person that was 'handicapped'; using a cane. While I had to park at the other end of the lot, because we have thousands of people out of work in the Buffalo area, I at least had my scooter with me to cover the distance. I was so happy, too. While it was pricey, I now have a brand-new battery, and charger to keep my scooter "juiced."
Through Wednesday, it was appearing that there might be a couple of us that were feeling like the kid leaning up against the fence in the school-yard, waiting as the team-captains were making their choices~~~and never getting picked.
But Thursday was interesting~~~on a couple of different levels.
In the AM, Michael Szymanski of The Belle Center, actually initiated a cell phone
call to me. While it wasn't going to happen overnight, apparently there is some
conversation about a youth-development project that may come to fruition sometime
after the First-of-the Year. The one critical element is the data-entry; registration process. Dr Jack Norton would like the process to be the NYSDOL; AOSOS procedure. At The Belle Center, I was the only one that KNOWS that procedure. So another
seed is planted. We'll see what happens with this one.
I get a 'break' on some scooter-charger pricing at Sheridan Surgical and the Buffalo State College Butler Library usage, through emails, makes for a very very PRODUCTIVE afternoon.
On Friday I wanted to follow through with protocol, again. I called Ursula Davis, of VIVE la Casa, to ask for a progress-report, if you will, on the AmeriCorps Buffalo volunteer-placement there. The conversation was upbeat, and gave me every impression that the placement had me ear-marked, as soon as 'matching-funds' were approved. Assuming that was straight-up, and not double-talk, I'm being given the understanding that once we are into November, a decision should be made. She initiated a thank-you to me, for the THANK-YOU-CARD that I sent to her, and an engaging conversation developed around that!! Talking-points such as smiling faces while interacting with clients, and positive energy to make the client feel at-home, seemed to resonate well with her.
By late Friday evening, I'm spending five hours just reflecting, going over notes, thinking happy thoughts, finding out The Rangers dumped the Yankees~~~and feeling that I too, would be~~~the little engine, that could.
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
NB: So I finish this Web log at 5:02PM of Saturday~~~and at 5:10PM,
I receive this email from Dr. Jack Norton of The Belle Center;
-----Original Message-----
From: Jack Norton
To: crazielou@aol.com
Cc: Mike Szymanski; Otu Obot II
Sent: Sat, Oct 23, 2010 5:10 pm
Subject: OSOS
Lou, I have a question. Does the OSOS keep any or all of the following numbers in its system? Foster care and justice system are two of the things that I am not sure we have data on. The rest are a bit easier.
Does OSOS allow you to build a report which we can access? I need to actually include reports in the proposal I am working on. Let me know what you think.
2.7
Specify the number of youth, ages 9-24, your organization serves who fall within one or more of the following categories. Please provide actual figures for last year and projections for the current year:
· Youth in and/or transitioning out of the criminal justice system
Last year:Current year:
· Youth who have dropped out or are at high risk of dropping out of school
Last year:Current year:
· Youth who are both out of school and out of work
Last year:Current year:
· Youth in or transitioning out of foster care
Last year:Current year:
· Youth involved in or in danger of engaging in high-risk behaviors such as criminal activity and/or teen pregnancy
Last year:Current year:
· Youth from low-income households as defined by federal guidelines (households earning at or below 200% of the federal poverty level) or from a geographic area defined as a low-income community
Last year:Current year:
When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced; live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.
Cherokee Saying
Jack Norton, EdD
Program Development
The Belle Center
Home of Buffalo AmeriCorps
104 Maryland Street
Buffalo, NY 14201
716-845-0485, Ext. 28
Fax: 716-845-0486
http://www.thebellecenter.org/
Of course, I replied~~~immediately:
In all instances, the items below can be documented in the Comments TAB.
In some of the SPECIFICS below, there is actual PROVIDER tabs, and EMPLOYER tabs that
allow details to be disseminated.
And in each these TABS there are sub-tabs that allow for entries to detail more specific information.
A long-form 'report' on a client(I'm assuming this is what you mean, when you 'say' report), could be
copy & pasted into the COMMENT tab. I'm not sure of character-count in COMMENTS as my comments
on Portal Program clients tended to be short and to the point. Like many things~~~even COMMENTS
can be 'worked' to fit the need.
One would just copy & paste a series of COMMENTS, until the 'report' was~~~completely filed.
Lou Marconi
716.578.8568
...and the beat goes on!!!!!!!
...The story of our love,
Is an endless story never to be lost,
I don’t know if I will ever see him again,
But I always keep my fingers crossed.*******Knight in Shining Armor***Margery Wang
First full week that I was not doing anything hands-on related to my AmeriCorps Buffalo
volunteer activity at the belle Center and the Portal Program. I certainly felt a sense of emptiness. The emptiness inspired me to write a short essay about my feelings to Michael Rivera , who is a director for career development at the University of Buffalo, and is also the President of the Board of Directors at The Belle Center. My thoughts were as follows:
Dear Mr. Michael Rivera;
In coming together with AmeriCorps Buffalo, and getting assigned to The Belle Center, I felt I had found a real CALLING, working with the underprivileged, disadvantaged, and marginalized Hispanic community of the Lower West Side. I was asked specifically to help fulfill The Portal Program's objective of getting 17-24 year-old young adults, ready for the "work world." At anytime, such a task is daunting. But in light of the current socioeconomic circumstances that our culture and society finds itself in, the challenge to fulfill the program objectives, is escalated. The idea is to develop soft skills; life skills exposure, and set-up participation-structures that can manifest hard-and-fast work-world skill-sets. The results would be getting the necessary tools-in-the-tool-belt, so-to-speak, to get these young adults groomed for work-world-readiness, and life-style self-sustainability. I felt driven to undertake the objectives of this program~~~and run with it. There certainly was a real need for this; to encourage the Trades and the Vocations as a viable career opportunity. And then, to get the young adult ushered into such a program and having them getting their feet wet through the hands-on exposure.
Through the contacts; through the public relations work, which I worked diligently to establish, avenues were getting paved to facilitate the Portal Program objectives. Additional endeavors such as The Vocational Trade Fair, and the TRAVELING-ROAD-SHOW, where the Portal Program Director Michael Szymanski, and myself, visited entry-level apprenticeship building-trades training facilities, helped these partnerships become more congenial. These visitations took place in Rochester, NY, Ithaca, NY, and a state-of-the-art facility in Richfield, Ohio.
Mr. Rivera, in cutting this path, this AmeriCorps Buffalo volunteer at The Belle Center Portal Program, put his heart, soul, mind, inspiration, and very being into every single aspect of THIS CALLING. I found that I had always conducted myself with a conviction that this is Substantive, this is Righteous, and this had developed a momentum where the Program was actually starting to bear some fruit!!!
I felt this Portal Program was more than just filling 'time' as an AmeriCorps term obligation.
While the first term has ended, the Need is still~~~very evident.
I as well, recognize the importance of protocol. So I made it a point first thing Monday AM, to get a THANK YOU card to Ursula Davis, the Director of Operations at
VIVE la Casa. VIVE, as you may recall, is the community out-reach facility that the
powers-to-be, are trying to arrange a second AmeriCorps Buffalo volunteer at.
And what put some misled optimism in this was an article in the BUFFALO NEWS that
gave the 'impression' of AmeriCorps Buffalo getting some 'new' financial life-blood.
I emailed an associate that I trust with his directness and transparency~~~and he replied, explaining the REALITY:
Subject: Buffalo News
Updated: October 18, 2010, 6:40 AM
Buffalo AmeriCorps and staff at the Belle Center will receive funding for the 2010-11 fiscal year after the decision not to fund the program was overturned.
Buffalo AmeriCorps recently got a $283,277 State Commission on National and Community Service grant.
The Buffalo AmeriCorps program, based in the Belle Center, provides resources towards socioeconomic advancement in the community through service. In the past three years, $206,000 in education awards have been given to members who successfully completed their term of service.
...and Dr Jack's reply:
The Buffalo News took a month to put this in. There is no change from what you have previously been told, that we are reduced to 25 Corps Members and that puts us under a fiscal strain that does not completely support Buffalo AmeriCorps. Because of that the match is paramount, without a match from others, we cannot support the program. I can’t give you any more specifics about your placement, that is in the hands of Daytuan and Pam. Otherwise I want to be transparent with you. Essentially the News piece was old news to you. Pat, the security guy had a similar perception, so we will have to deal with such.
When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced; live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.
Cherokee Saying
During such a transition, the idea of trying to CREATE an opportunity, takes hold. I had recently developed a rapport with an operative from GERARD PLACE who had just started exploring the idea of an in-house young-adult work-world-readiness Program of their own. Well wait-a-minute, I thought. Why re-invent the wheel, when GERARD PLACE can just park me in a chair. Of course like anything else, the seed is planted and we will see if, and how well, it takes root.
With some free time, I thought I was going to go to the Buffalo Historical Society Tuesday AM, to the Railroad Barons Club, to have my 2-8-8-2 articulated mallet run as a guest-locomotive, but that got pushed aside by another 'matter' that I had to attend to at the Buffalo State College Kangaroo Court. It related to an alleged handicap parking-infraction.
Ticked-off; Over-the-Top!!! C-4!?!? Buffalo State College, and the surrounding community, would have been~~~done-like-dinner!
Having gotten that off my chest, I decided for Wednesday AM, I was going to go to 'my-trax' and watch some real trains!! So I watched a STACKABLES rolling-stock freight-train, with three diesels and 117 rail-cars, go by. And after that, there was this AMTRAK!! Damned, that Angel~~~was flying!! Those engineers don't waste time opening the diesel engines, up!!
Alright; fun-time over, so it was back to the program at hand. Had to get my networking element up to 'grade', at the BUFFALO EMPLOYMENT TRAINING CENTER(BETC). So I made my 'rounds' there, both face-to-face, and by way of email.
I must submit this.
Keep in mind. the BETC has; now check this out, 11 dedicated handicap parking slots. ALL are occupied. With the universal symbol for handicap being the wheelchair, I'm thinking, I'm going to go in there, and we are going to have a wheelchair/scooter basketball game in progress!!
Then we wonder why New York State, and Social Security is 'broke'. In all of the BETC, besides myself, there was only one other person that was 'handicapped'; using a cane. While I had to park at the other end of the lot, because we have thousands of people out of work in the Buffalo area, I at least had my scooter with me to cover the distance. I was so happy, too. While it was pricey, I now have a brand-new battery, and charger to keep my scooter "juiced."
Through Wednesday, it was appearing that there might be a couple of us that were feeling like the kid leaning up against the fence in the school-yard, waiting as the team-captains were making their choices~~~and never getting picked.
But Thursday was interesting~~~on a couple of different levels.
In the AM, Michael Szymanski of The Belle Center, actually initiated a cell phone
call to me. While it wasn't going to happen overnight, apparently there is some
conversation about a youth-development project that may come to fruition sometime
after the First-of-the Year. The one critical element is the data-entry; registration process. Dr Jack Norton would like the process to be the NYSDOL; AOSOS procedure. At The Belle Center, I was the only one that KNOWS that procedure. So another
seed is planted. We'll see what happens with this one.
I get a 'break' on some scooter-charger pricing at Sheridan Surgical and the Buffalo State College Butler Library usage, through emails, makes for a very very PRODUCTIVE afternoon.
On Friday I wanted to follow through with protocol, again. I called Ursula Davis, of VIVE la Casa, to ask for a progress-report, if you will, on the AmeriCorps Buffalo volunteer-placement there. The conversation was upbeat, and gave me every impression that the placement had me ear-marked, as soon as 'matching-funds' were approved. Assuming that was straight-up, and not double-talk, I'm being given the understanding that once we are into November, a decision should be made. She initiated a thank-you to me, for the THANK-YOU-CARD that I sent to her, and an engaging conversation developed around that!! Talking-points such as smiling faces while interacting with clients, and positive energy to make the client feel at-home, seemed to resonate well with her.
By late Friday evening, I'm spending five hours just reflecting, going over notes, thinking happy thoughts, finding out The Rangers dumped the Yankees~~~and feeling that I too, would be~~~the little engine, that could.
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
NB: So I finish this Web log at 5:02PM of Saturday~~~and at 5:10PM,
I receive this email from Dr. Jack Norton of The Belle Center;
-----Original Message-----
From: Jack Norton
To: crazielou@aol.com
Cc: Mike Szymanski
Sent: Sat, Oct 23, 2010 5:10 pm
Subject: OSOS
Lou, I have a question. Does the OSOS keep any or all of the following numbers in its system? Foster care and justice system are two of the things that I am not sure we have data on. The rest are a bit easier.
Does OSOS allow you to build a report which we can access? I need to actually include reports in the proposal I am working on. Let me know what you think.
2.7
Specify the number of youth, ages 9-24, your organization serves who fall within one or more of the following categories. Please provide actual figures for last year and projections for the current year:
· Youth in and/or transitioning out of the criminal justice system
Last year:Current year:
· Youth who have dropped out or are at high risk of dropping out of school
Last year:Current year:
· Youth who are both out of school and out of work
Last year:Current year:
· Youth in or transitioning out of foster care
Last year:Current year:
· Youth involved in or in danger of engaging in high-risk behaviors such as criminal activity and/or teen pregnancy
Last year:Current year:
· Youth from low-income households as defined by federal guidelines (households earning at or below 200% of the federal poverty level) or from a geographic area defined as a low-income community
Last year:Current year:
When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced; live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.
Cherokee Saying
Jack Norton, EdD
Program Development
The Belle Center
Home of Buffalo AmeriCorps
104 Maryland Street
Buffalo, NY 14201
716-845-0485, Ext. 28
Fax: 716-845-0486
http://www.thebellecenter.org/
Of course, I replied~~~immediately:
In all instances, the items below can be documented in the Comments TAB.
In some of the SPECIFICS below, there is actual PROVIDER tabs, and EMPLOYER tabs that
allow details to be disseminated.
And in each these TABS there are sub-tabs that allow for entries to detail more specific information.
A long-form 'report' on a client(I'm assuming this is what you mean, when you 'say' report), could be
copy & pasted into the COMMENT tab. I'm not sure of character-count in COMMENTS as my comments
on Portal Program clients tended to be short and to the point. Like many things~~~even COMMENTS
can be 'worked' to fit the need.
One would just copy & paste a series of COMMENTS, until the 'report' was~~~completely filed.
Lou Marconi
716.578.8568
...and the beat goes on!!!!!!!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
A Not-so-Happy Friday
Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.
...And I don't want to live without you anymore.
Can't you see I'm in misery?
And you know for sure
I would live and die for you
And I'd know just what to do when you call you, Baby
Ted Nugent; Damned Yankees~~~High Enough
As an addendum~~~a special thank you is extended to some very special, close, and sincere friends whom have been very supportive of me, over these last couple of weeks.
So I find myself, at this point in my adult life, doing something that I had never ever undertaken before, in my wildest dreams! I had always worked in the private-sector of the economy, and I would always be doing something that had to do with the minutae and genre of company business. In the process, I had never done anything having to do with out-reach and community service.
So in coming together with AmeriCorps Buffalo, and getting assigned to the non-governmental organization(NGO) of The Belle Center, I had found myself right in the middle of the underprivileged, disadvantaged, and marginalized Hispanic community of the Lower West Side. Through a series of in-house meetings and discussions, I find myself placed in an operation called the Portal Program. It is a program that is in its infancy stages, at the The Belle Center. I'm brought into the picture, to give it some legs, so-to-speak(and there is certainly a 'play' on those words).
The Portal Program's objective is to get 17-24 year-old young adults, ready for the "work world." Am I in over-my-head?? Maybe. But like EVERYTHING else I step into,
I find the energy to overcome, and win~~~everyday. At anytime, such a task is daunting. But in light of the current socio-economic circumstances that our culture and society finds itself in, the challenge to fulfill the program objectives, is escalated. The idea is to impart soft skills; life skills exposure, and set-up participation structures that can develop hard-and-fast work-world skill-sets. The results would be getting the necessary tools-in-the-tool-belt, so-to-speak, to get these young adults groomed for work-world-readiness, and life-style self-sustainability.
Where do I start???
To begin with, something inside of ME, was going through a metamorphosis. I saw myself as the knight in shining-armor, on that trusted Steed; the Flag-ship of this Mission, if you will. I felt driven to undertake the objectives of this program~~~and run with it. There certainly was a real need for this; to encourage the Trades and the Vocations as a viable career opportunity. And then, how to get the young adult ushered into such a program and having them getting their feet wet through the hands-on exposure.
Through the contacts, through the public relations work, through The Vocational Trade Fair, and through the TRAVELING-ROAD-SHOW where the Portal Program Director and myself visited building-trades entry-level apprenticeship training facilities, partnerships were FORGED. These visitations took place in Rochester, NY, Ithaca, NY, and a state-of-the-art facility in Richfield, Ohio.
In cutting this path, this AmeriCorps Buffalo volunteer at The Belle Center Portal Program, put his heart, soul, mind, inspiration, and very being into every single aspect of THIS CALLING. I found that I had always conducted myself with a conviction that this is Substantive, this is Righteous, and this had developed a momentum where the Program was actually starting to bear some fruit!!!
And then I walk into the Portal Program this week of October 16, and find out I'm getting my last volunteer stipend. I'm informed that due to funds-depletion and politics, a program that has become so integrated into the community it serves~~~is now discontinued. In effect Lou Marconi, you, and all those in the community you have been reaching out to, are no longer important; no longer relevant.
That hurts.
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
...And I don't want to live without you anymore.
Can't you see I'm in misery?
And you know for sure
I would live and die for you
And I'd know just what to do when you call you, Baby
Ted Nugent; Damned Yankees~~~High Enough
As an addendum~~~a special thank you is extended to some very special, close, and sincere friends whom have been very supportive of me, over these last couple of weeks.
So I find myself, at this point in my adult life, doing something that I had never ever undertaken before, in my wildest dreams! I had always worked in the private-sector of the economy, and I would always be doing something that had to do with the minutae and genre of company business. In the process, I had never done anything having to do with out-reach and community service.
So in coming together with AmeriCorps Buffalo, and getting assigned to the non-governmental organization(NGO) of The Belle Center, I had found myself right in the middle of the underprivileged, disadvantaged, and marginalized Hispanic community of the Lower West Side. Through a series of in-house meetings and discussions, I find myself placed in an operation called the Portal Program. It is a program that is in its infancy stages, at the The Belle Center. I'm brought into the picture, to give it some legs, so-to-speak(and there is certainly a 'play' on those words).
The Portal Program's objective is to get 17-24 year-old young adults, ready for the "work world." Am I in over-my-head?? Maybe. But like EVERYTHING else I step into,
I find the energy to overcome, and win~~~everyday. At anytime, such a task is daunting. But in light of the current socio-economic circumstances that our culture and society finds itself in, the challenge to fulfill the program objectives, is escalated. The idea is to impart soft skills; life skills exposure, and set-up participation structures that can develop hard-and-fast work-world skill-sets. The results would be getting the necessary tools-in-the-tool-belt, so-to-speak, to get these young adults groomed for work-world-readiness, and life-style self-sustainability.
Where do I start???
To begin with, something inside of ME, was going through a metamorphosis. I saw myself as the knight in shining-armor, on that trusted Steed; the Flag-ship of this Mission, if you will. I felt driven to undertake the objectives of this program~~~and run with it. There certainly was a real need for this; to encourage the Trades and the Vocations as a viable career opportunity. And then, how to get the young adult ushered into such a program and having them getting their feet wet through the hands-on exposure.
Through the contacts, through the public relations work, through The Vocational Trade Fair, and through the TRAVELING-ROAD-SHOW where the Portal Program Director and myself visited building-trades entry-level apprenticeship training facilities, partnerships were FORGED. These visitations took place in Rochester, NY, Ithaca, NY, and a state-of-the-art facility in Richfield, Ohio.
In cutting this path, this AmeriCorps Buffalo volunteer at The Belle Center Portal Program, put his heart, soul, mind, inspiration, and very being into every single aspect of THIS CALLING. I found that I had always conducted myself with a conviction that this is Substantive, this is Righteous, and this had developed a momentum where the Program was actually starting to bear some fruit!!!
And then I walk into the Portal Program this week of October 16, and find out I'm getting my last volunteer stipend. I'm informed that due to funds-depletion and politics, a program that has become so integrated into the community it serves~~~is now discontinued. In effect Lou Marconi, you, and all those in the community you have been reaching out to, are no longer important; no longer relevant.
That hurts.
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
Monday, October 11, 2010
...any given sunday????
Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.
...Cause sometimes we don't really notice
Just how good it can get
So maybe we should start all over
Start all over again Someday Rob Thomas
From those bellicose days of the early 1990's, when everyone of Them were worshiped
as gods, to now, where at best, they may warrant an afterthought around the Monday
Morning water cooler. Such is the current level of attention and consideration
commanded by the National Football League Buffalo Bills football club. In mentioning
the Buffalo Bills, the N F L affiliation is displayed as a reminder of what the Bills
organization represents. It is a major league football franchise.
The early 1990's were some pretty 'heady' days of that bygone era, the era that
included an egotistical quarterback as its field-general. Of course, while the
nay-sayers were stacking-the-deck with derisive remarks against him, even before he had taken his first snap, there were others, with a clarity-of-vision, that saw all that was needed to be seen~~~a WINNER.
Can any of that era, be recaptured??? One must understand that this early-1990s era,
was legendary; almost mystical. The outcomes of many of the games defied rational
thought. As a Hollywood-script, it would have been returned as a rework; too-far-fetched.
But for four years, through the performance of this field-general on the offense, and a defense anchored by linebackers that were the creme de la creme of that period, and special teams that had a smallish, white, lunatic running around like a ping-pong ball, this football club, went to the SHOW~~~four consecutive times!!! The mystique---took on its own mystique. Did Fate just will this string of appearances, to be??
As the years have passed and with it, the sobriety of reality, the iconoclastic
reverence of this era, is again reinforced. To get one chance to appear at THE SHOW
seems, an unreachable star. How did these men, gods, do it four times in a row, no less. There was even that one moment, in the beginning, where there might have been
suggested that the field-general was less than a god, when he overthrew Ronny Harmon.
But that concern ended up being dismissed in the frailty of human-error as
officially-scored that Ronnie Harmon dropped the ball that was thrown...well over his head.
Can any of this Fate; this phenomenon, be recaptured?? Not a prayer's chance in hell.
There is no mystique. There is no aura. What currently exists aren't even replicas; facsimiles thereof. There was a time when these gods had the captive audience. Not
anymore. In an era of unemployment, underemployment, and other socio-economic setbacks, avoiding dark-clouds, is now part of the Day-Planner. These are multi-million
dollar primadonnas that, at best, are semi-pro calibre athletes.
Ron Jaworski's Lackawanna Steelers could beat these guys on Any Given Sunday.
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
...Cause sometimes we don't really notice
Just how good it can get
So maybe we should start all over
Start all over again Someday Rob Thomas
From those bellicose days of the early 1990's, when everyone of Them were worshiped
as gods, to now, where at best, they may warrant an afterthought around the Monday
Morning water cooler. Such is the current level of attention and consideration
commanded by the National Football League Buffalo Bills football club. In mentioning
the Buffalo Bills, the N F L affiliation is displayed as a reminder of what the Bills
organization represents. It is a major league football franchise.
The early 1990's were some pretty 'heady' days of that bygone era, the era that
included an egotistical quarterback as its field-general. Of course, while the
nay-sayers were stacking-the-deck with derisive remarks against him, even before he had taken his first snap, there were others, with a clarity-of-vision, that saw all that was needed to be seen~~~a WINNER.
Can any of that era, be recaptured??? One must understand that this early-1990s era,
was legendary; almost mystical. The outcomes of many of the games defied rational
thought. As a Hollywood-script, it would have been returned as a rework; too-far-fetched.
But for four years, through the performance of this field-general on the offense, and a defense anchored by linebackers that were the creme de la creme of that period, and special teams that had a smallish, white, lunatic running around like a ping-pong ball, this football club, went to the SHOW~~~four consecutive times!!! The mystique---took on its own mystique. Did Fate just will this string of appearances, to be??
As the years have passed and with it, the sobriety of reality, the iconoclastic
reverence of this era, is again reinforced. To get one chance to appear at THE SHOW
seems, an unreachable star. How did these men, gods, do it four times in a row, no less. There was even that one moment, in the beginning, where there might have been
suggested that the field-general was less than a god, when he overthrew Ronny Harmon.
But that concern ended up being dismissed in the frailty of human-error as
officially-scored that Ronnie Harmon dropped the ball that was thrown...well over his head.
Can any of this Fate; this phenomenon, be recaptured?? Not a prayer's chance in hell.
There is no mystique. There is no aura. What currently exists aren't even replicas; facsimiles thereof. There was a time when these gods had the captive audience. Not
anymore. In an era of unemployment, underemployment, and other socio-economic setbacks, avoiding dark-clouds, is now part of the Day-Planner. These are multi-million
dollar primadonnas that, at best, are semi-pro calibre athletes.
Ron Jaworski's Lackawanna Steelers could beat these guys on Any Given Sunday.
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
Friday, October 8, 2010
WHAT DO WE DO NOW...It Will Come To Us
Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.
Living in the wrong place wrong time
Searching for the things you couldn't see
I could never stand in your light
But at least you noticed me
Living in the wrong place wrong time
Choked about the things you'll never do
But if it makes it easier on your life I'm on my way
I'm on my way------Radiance~~~Athenaeum
What Do We Do Now...
...It Will Come To Us.
The closing remarks in the movie~~~
MEET JOE BLACK.
And once again, I face that question. After several months of AmeriCorps Buffalo volunteers at The Belle Center trying, through letter writing and phone calls to representatives, to secure a source of philanthropic funds from somewhere, to keep out-reach alive, The Belle Center has decided that many of the programs are to no longer exist. With limited funds and a limited volunteer-staff, the After-School Program and the Day-Care Program will continue to run. But programs, such as The Portal Program, that I volunteered in, will be phased out. As one of the Directors of the AmeriCorps Buffalo Program proffered to justify the sweeping move, "we are seeing all of our AmeriCorps volunteers going to college anyways."
While that is not entirely accurate, it is the disposition that is, at least for now, the underpinning that is supporting the decision to discontinue The Portal Program.
So~~~What do we do now?? For starts, I strap on that mantra of mine, and~~~find the energy to overcome, and~~~win everyday.
Stepping off of the metaphysical cloud, into reality, I start 'working' leads. The first one that was presented, was done so laced with a bit of an irony to it. While finishing off the Wednesday evening of fun and fellowship at Casa Di Pizza, my cell phone rings. I recognize from the ID that it is the Director of the Portal Program calling. He is calling~~~to give me the news about the Portal Program discontinuing as of 25 October 2010. While he is giving me the bad news, there is at least a-lead; and the promise of a letter-of-recommendation to go along with it. The lead!?!? It is an out-reach organization for refugees, seeking haven and asylum in the United States, on the East Side of Buffalo, whose funding is partially underwritten by The Catholic Charities. The name of the Non-governmental organization(NGO), is Vive La Casa. At Casa di Pizza, I'm made aware of Vive La Casa!!! I have to believe that there is some method to such madness!!!
In the angst, frustration, and uncertainty of this phone conversation, there still existed an atmosphere of assurance.
That was provided for me by two of my oldest and dearest friends that were still present with me in the alcove area of THE CAZ. While Bob was there giving reassuring eye-contact, Maria was doing the same and intermittently scrambling to place pen & paper in front of me to jot down names and notes as Michael was continuing to explain cause, effect, and referral information.
Little gestures as these can help an uneasiness be better coped with. It is a blessing to have
such genuine articles whom are with you as you are immersed in your Garden of Gethsemane.
That assuring nod of the head, and that hand resting on the shoulder had me know~~~I was not alone.
Your job won't take care of you, as Regina Brett once wrote. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
Around the Corner...
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
Living in the wrong place wrong time
Searching for the things you couldn't see
I could never stand in your light
But at least you noticed me
Living in the wrong place wrong time
Choked about the things you'll never do
But if it makes it easier on your life I'm on my way
I'm on my way------Radiance~~~Athenaeum
What Do We Do Now...
...It Will Come To Us.
The closing remarks in the movie~~~
MEET JOE BLACK.
And once again, I face that question. After several months of AmeriCorps Buffalo volunteers at The Belle Center trying, through letter writing and phone calls to representatives, to secure a source of philanthropic funds from somewhere, to keep out-reach alive, The Belle Center has decided that many of the programs are to no longer exist. With limited funds and a limited volunteer-staff, the After-School Program and the Day-Care Program will continue to run. But programs, such as The Portal Program, that I volunteered in, will be phased out. As one of the Directors of the AmeriCorps Buffalo Program proffered to justify the sweeping move, "we are seeing all of our AmeriCorps volunteers going to college anyways."
While that is not entirely accurate, it is the disposition that is, at least for now, the underpinning that is supporting the decision to discontinue The Portal Program.
So~~~What do we do now?? For starts, I strap on that mantra of mine, and~~~find the energy to overcome, and~~~win everyday.
Stepping off of the metaphysical cloud, into reality, I start 'working' leads. The first one that was presented, was done so laced with a bit of an irony to it. While finishing off the Wednesday evening of fun and fellowship at Casa Di Pizza, my cell phone rings. I recognize from the ID that it is the Director of the Portal Program calling. He is calling~~~to give me the news about the Portal Program discontinuing as of 25 October 2010. While he is giving me the bad news, there is at least a-lead; and the promise of a letter-of-recommendation to go along with it. The lead!?!? It is an out-reach organization for refugees, seeking haven and asylum in the United States, on the East Side of Buffalo, whose funding is partially underwritten by The Catholic Charities. The name of the Non-governmental organization(NGO), is Vive La Casa. At Casa di Pizza, I'm made aware of Vive La Casa!!! I have to believe that there is some method to such madness!!!
In the angst, frustration, and uncertainty of this phone conversation, there still existed an atmosphere of assurance.
That was provided for me by two of my oldest and dearest friends that were still present with me in the alcove area of THE CAZ. While Bob was there giving reassuring eye-contact, Maria was doing the same and intermittently scrambling to place pen & paper in front of me to jot down names and notes as Michael was continuing to explain cause, effect, and referral information.
Little gestures as these can help an uneasiness be better coped with. It is a blessing to have
such genuine articles whom are with you as you are immersed in your Garden of Gethsemane.
That assuring nod of the head, and that hand resting on the shoulder had me know~~~I was not alone.
Your job won't take care of you, as Regina Brett once wrote. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
Around the Corner...
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
Friday, October 1, 2010
The Last Week of September; some Ebbs & Flows
Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.
You are the sunshine of my life
That's why I'll always be around,
You are the apple of my eye,
Forever you'll stay in my heart
I feel like this is the beginning,
Though I've loved you for a million years,
And if I thought our love was ending,
I'd find myself drowning in my own tears
You are the sunshine of my life,
That's why I'll always stay around,
You are the apple of my eye,
Forever you'll stay in my heart
You must have known that I was lonely,
Because you came to my rescue,
And I know that this must be heaven,
How could so much love be inside of you?
You are the sunshine of my life, yeah,
That's why I'll always stay around,
You are the apple of my eye,
Forever you'll stay in my heart
[Background] Love has joined us,
Love has joined us,
Let's think sweet love Stevie Wonder
Had a bit of a disappointment handed to me this week. Because of the result of a civil service test I had taken back in May, a test that I had scored 68 out of 70 correct~~~to which NYS Civil Service scored me as 100, I was canvassed for a F/T clerical position at the E H Butler Library, at Buffalo State College. To say the least~~~I thought I had died and went to heaven being presented this opportunity. I mean, on and off~~~I have 'lived' at this library for the last two years!!
I followed all the protocol. I got the Canvass Letter into their HR Department on time. I followed that up with a phone call. And then I followed that up with a Thank You card. Scoring 100, and being handicapped and in a scooter apparently still doesn't cut the mustard. Apparently the HR Department at Buffalo State College, only interviewed scorers in the 115 to 110 percentile range. These had to have been individuals that scored well and had veterans credits additionally placed unto their score. Full-time, location, familiarity with facility~~~and some of the library staff~~~had made-to-order written all over it. Can only hope and pray that the Good Lord has another avenue for me to pursue. But this was a tough pill to swallow.
Had a pretty interesting Wednesday. I mean~~~like at one point, I'm out in Lakeview NY, in the early AM, and I have Blaine Wegrzynowski calling me on the cell-phone to see if I'm near a computer so I can do a Dialing-for-Dollars kind of thing to go after tickets for upcoming theatrical performances in the area. No doubt, I had to pass on that!!! I was in Lake View NY participating in a function that we at The Belle Center and the Portal Program have been awaiting for a long time now. Below is an essay summation that I had prepared for our weekly meeting.
The 6th Annual WNY~~~Construction Career Days
With the caption~~~We Built This City...You Can Too!.
This 2-day event was a resounding success. Even the threat of rain, on the Wednesday activity, or the steady rain of Thursday, would not put a damper on any of the program elements.
Spread out over many many acres of tents, causeways, and excavation & grading sites, there was something substantive to sink your teeth into, EVERYWHERE!!!
The event took place September 29 & 30, 2010 at~~~~ The I U O E Local #17 Training Facility, Lakeview NY 14085.
Under the auspices of James A. Smolinski Jr., Administrative Manager of The Local 17, and several key operatives; to mention a few, Gary Bernardo, Field Coordinator of The N Y S Laborers Union, John Sullivan and Kelly M. Andolino-Perry of the ECC Recruitment Office, the theme of this extravaganza is substantive work-world-readiness.
Through the generosity of organized labor, its various classroom structures and hands-on entry-level apprenticeship training programs, adults of any gender, race, or economic and social status can enjoy a middle-class life-style by pursuing a career in the trades and vocations.
Every trade and vocation was represented. Each one had their Dedicated Area~~~where they were allowed to demonstrate their purpose and significance. And certainly, the tents and lean-to coverings, helped!! The trades such as the electricians, surveyors, millwrights, carpenters, welders, painters, pipe-fitters, roofers, masons, plumbers, iron-workers, heavy equipment operators, sheet metal workers, drywall installers, steelworkers, road pavers, concrete finishers, boilermakers, plasterers, elevator/escalator constructors, truck drivers, and others who work hard everyday building America, with good pay~~~and good benefits, were represented. As a fair footnote, I should also add that the Associated Builders & Contractors; WNY Regional Office, Empire State Chapter was present as well. This organization provides the same classroom/hands-on training apparatus, on a merit-shop(non-union) basis. They strive to put forth the same success-stories for the candidates that pass through their doors, as well.
The Belle Center and the Portal Program participated on Wednesday. The chaperons that attended were Michael Szymanski, The Director of the Portal Program, and Lou Marconi, Operations Specialist, and The Portal Program's strong voice advocating the purpose and significance of trade & vocational careers.
The Portal Program candidates that participated in this treasure-trove of possibilities, was Paula Lizarondo, Colleena Crespo, William Goldstein, Rashad Younger, Chaz Casterline, and Ricardo Perez.
What was especially prideful and powerful was watching some of our Portal Program members, actually stepping-up-to-the-plate, and~~~with instructors present~~~actually operating some of the equipment. William and Rashad did some excavating~~~with some actual tracked/bucket earth-moving-equipment. Chaz and Ricardo tried their welding skills on a virtual-reality viewing/scoring monitor. And the 'visual' that made my day, was observing our Paula Lizarondo climb into a Crane that was anchored with the out-legs. With the encouragement of the near-by instructor, Paula is yawing the crane-turret to the left; thence to the right, with the confidence of a skilled tactician. With just as much ease, she is raising and lowering the crane boom, and hook & payload.
Image doing that for $35.00/hour, plus benefits!!
So I get back to The Belle Center, to catch my breath~~~just so I can get ready to enjoy a Wednesday evening at Malone's Restaurant in Kenmore NY with some very very good friends that I have come to know from my grade-school and high-school days. Had to get some residual matters tucked away, but I was able to get to Malone's~~~on time!!! It was pretty interesting, actually. We had put this together because an old friend from my grade-school/high schools days, Bob Marzullo, was up from Florida, visiting Family. And of course around the family, Bobby wanted to catch up with what was going on with his friends, as well. Certainly, with Bobby now retired, the conversations and perspectives got to be very interesting and animated. Twelve people altogether, showed up. Some of the regulars included Norb Warnes, Joe Barrile, Susan McKnight, and Maria Mulder Herberger~~~while we even had some newcomers that included Cathedral Grade School/Cardinal Dougherty High Schooler, Michael Pagano.
On Saturday, we will be attending Duff's on Sheridan Dr & Millersport Hwy. If one is going to be in Buffalo and taking in the Restaurant scene, at some point one has to do a 'Wing' Thing!!! So Saturday we will come together, over chicken wings!! Should be as much fun as it always is; especially if we end up closing up Duff's. Like we did Malone's.
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
You are the sunshine of my life
That's why I'll always be around,
You are the apple of my eye,
Forever you'll stay in my heart
I feel like this is the beginning,
Though I've loved you for a million years,
And if I thought our love was ending,
I'd find myself drowning in my own tears
You are the sunshine of my life,
That's why I'll always stay around,
You are the apple of my eye,
Forever you'll stay in my heart
You must have known that I was lonely,
Because you came to my rescue,
And I know that this must be heaven,
How could so much love be inside of you?
You are the sunshine of my life, yeah,
That's why I'll always stay around,
You are the apple of my eye,
Forever you'll stay in my heart
[Background] Love has joined us,
Love has joined us,
Let's think sweet love Stevie Wonder
Had a bit of a disappointment handed to me this week. Because of the result of a civil service test I had taken back in May, a test that I had scored 68 out of 70 correct~~~to which NYS Civil Service scored me as 100, I was canvassed for a F/T clerical position at the E H Butler Library, at Buffalo State College. To say the least~~~I thought I had died and went to heaven being presented this opportunity. I mean, on and off~~~I have 'lived' at this library for the last two years!!
I followed all the protocol. I got the Canvass Letter into their HR Department on time. I followed that up with a phone call. And then I followed that up with a Thank You card. Scoring 100, and being handicapped and in a scooter apparently still doesn't cut the mustard. Apparently the HR Department at Buffalo State College, only interviewed scorers in the 115 to 110 percentile range. These had to have been individuals that scored well and had veterans credits additionally placed unto their score. Full-time, location, familiarity with facility~~~and some of the library staff~~~had made-to-order written all over it. Can only hope and pray that the Good Lord has another avenue for me to pursue. But this was a tough pill to swallow.
Had a pretty interesting Wednesday. I mean~~~like at one point, I'm out in Lakeview NY, in the early AM, and I have Blaine Wegrzynowski calling me on the cell-phone to see if I'm near a computer so I can do a Dialing-for-Dollars kind of thing to go after tickets for upcoming theatrical performances in the area. No doubt, I had to pass on that!!! I was in Lake View NY participating in a function that we at The Belle Center and the Portal Program have been awaiting for a long time now. Below is an essay summation that I had prepared for our weekly meeting.
The 6th Annual WNY~~~Construction Career Days
With the caption~~~We Built This City...You Can Too!.
This 2-day event was a resounding success. Even the threat of rain, on the Wednesday activity, or the steady rain of Thursday, would not put a damper on any of the program elements.
Spread out over many many acres of tents, causeways, and excavation & grading sites, there was something substantive to sink your teeth into, EVERYWHERE!!!
The event took place September 29 & 30, 2010 at~~~~ The I U O E Local #17 Training Facility, Lakeview NY 14085.
Under the auspices of James A. Smolinski Jr., Administrative Manager of The Local 17, and several key operatives; to mention a few, Gary Bernardo, Field Coordinator of The N Y S Laborers Union, John Sullivan and Kelly M. Andolino-Perry of the ECC Recruitment Office, the theme of this extravaganza is substantive work-world-readiness.
Through the generosity of organized labor, its various classroom structures and hands-on entry-level apprenticeship training programs, adults of any gender, race, or economic and social status can enjoy a middle-class life-style by pursuing a career in the trades and vocations.
Every trade and vocation was represented. Each one had their Dedicated Area~~~where they were allowed to demonstrate their purpose and significance. And certainly, the tents and lean-to coverings, helped!! The trades such as the electricians, surveyors, millwrights, carpenters, welders, painters, pipe-fitters, roofers, masons, plumbers, iron-workers, heavy equipment operators, sheet metal workers, drywall installers, steelworkers, road pavers, concrete finishers, boilermakers, plasterers, elevator/escalator constructors, truck drivers, and others who work hard everyday building America, with good pay~~~and good benefits, were represented. As a fair footnote, I should also add that the Associated Builders & Contractors; WNY Regional Office, Empire State Chapter was present as well. This organization provides the same classroom/hands-on training apparatus, on a merit-shop(non-union) basis. They strive to put forth the same success-stories for the candidates that pass through their doors, as well.
The Belle Center and the Portal Program participated on Wednesday. The chaperons that attended were Michael Szymanski, The Director of the Portal Program, and Lou Marconi, Operations Specialist, and The Portal Program's strong voice advocating the purpose and significance of trade & vocational careers.
The Portal Program candidates that participated in this treasure-trove of possibilities, was Paula Lizarondo, Colleena Crespo, William Goldstein, Rashad Younger, Chaz Casterline, and Ricardo Perez.
What was especially prideful and powerful was watching some of our Portal Program members, actually stepping-up-to-the-plate, and~~~with instructors present~~~actually operating some of the equipment. William and Rashad did some excavating~~~with some actual tracked/bucket earth-moving-equipment. Chaz and Ricardo tried their welding skills on a virtual-reality viewing/scoring monitor. And the 'visual' that made my day, was observing our Paula Lizarondo climb into a Crane that was anchored with the out-legs. With the encouragement of the near-by instructor, Paula is yawing the crane-turret to the left; thence to the right, with the confidence of a skilled tactician. With just as much ease, she is raising and lowering the crane boom, and hook & payload.
Image doing that for $35.00/hour, plus benefits!!
So I get back to The Belle Center, to catch my breath~~~just so I can get ready to enjoy a Wednesday evening at Malone's Restaurant in Kenmore NY with some very very good friends that I have come to know from my grade-school and high-school days. Had to get some residual matters tucked away, but I was able to get to Malone's~~~on time!!! It was pretty interesting, actually. We had put this together because an old friend from my grade-school/high schools days, Bob Marzullo, was up from Florida, visiting Family. And of course around the family, Bobby wanted to catch up with what was going on with his friends, as well. Certainly, with Bobby now retired, the conversations and perspectives got to be very interesting and animated. Twelve people altogether, showed up. Some of the regulars included Norb Warnes, Joe Barrile, Susan McKnight, and Maria Mulder Herberger~~~while we even had some newcomers that included Cathedral Grade School/Cardinal Dougherty High Schooler, Michael Pagano.
On Saturday, we will be attending Duff's on Sheridan Dr & Millersport Hwy. If one is going to be in Buffalo and taking in the Restaurant scene, at some point one has to do a 'Wing' Thing!!! So Saturday we will come together, over chicken wings!! Should be as much fun as it always is; especially if we end up closing up Duff's. Like we did Malone's.
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise
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