Page 26 - Vibrant Living Scrapbook

Contributing to the Community (cont’d)
Community Learning Circle Questions
Do any householders desire a paid or volunteer job?
What opportunities to contribute in our household, retirement community and/or the community at large can we offer householders? Householders, what opportunities to contribute would you like?
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Brewster Village, in Appleton, WI, operates a sheltered workshop. Initially designed for the villagers with developmental disabilities who lived in specific households, elders living in other skilled nursing households in the facility asked, “Why can’t we work there too?” So Brewster expanded the workshop. Residents (who are identified by the term ‘villagers’) recycle and shred newspaper that farmers then purchase to use as bedding for livestock. At one point the villagers who worked in the workshop met as a group about their work conditions and negotiated a raise and paid breaks. Now that’s empowered residents!