Congrats to David, an Adult Employment Services client at Holly Ridge Center! August 19th is his 10th Anniversary working at Ballast Book Company in Bremerton! David’s job coach, Christina*, wrote the following message in celebration:
It’s a dark, gloomy Friday as the clouds overcast a blanket of gray amongst the streets of downtown Bremerton. People walking by are lost in their phones, deeply engaged in conversation, or riding their bikes on the street. A mail carrier runs his envelopes in and out of businesses, rushing to finish his shift for the day. Suddenly, his face eases into a grin as he walks his envelopes towards a gray building.
“Hey, you!” says a man wearing a Ballast Book Store T-shirt, with his squeegee gliding against a window. His smile is wide from ear to ear as he waves at the postal worker.
“Hi David!” He replies. The package begins to relax into his arms, and suddenly it feels less heavy. He loses track of the many stops he has remaining. Soon, you notice more of David’s greetings, followed by smiles and laughter.
August 19th is a special day for David, the bookstore, and its customers. It’s David’s 10th anniversary!
For the past decade, David’s been maintaining the floors, stamping shopping bags, cleaning windows, straightening bookshelves, and dressing up like Waldo for special events.
His manager, Kate, reflected on how much he’s grown since the first day she started working with him. “He’s more confident with greeting customers, better at time tracking, and transitions independently between tasks.” David’s impact on the store has been immense, she says, “People come by every week just to say hi to him.”
Truly, it’s inspiring to share a community with someone who has such a strong work ethic, who makes a difference just with his positive attitude.
When you’re searching for a book or just happen to be downtown, come say hi to David. It will make your day brighter and your load lighter.
–Christina*, Holly Ridge Center Adult Employment Services Community Coach
