Arc Otsego Honors All Employees During Direct Support Professionals Week

On Monday, September 14, The Arc Otsego accomplished the nearly impossible.  All of the employees of this 24/7, 365 days a year service agency shared a meal in common- not an easy feat when your workforce is spread over 22 worksites throughout Otsego County.  The all-agency lunch was provided in honor of all Arc Otsego employees and was timed to coincide with Direct Support Professionals Week and was sponsored by The Arc Otsego's Employee Recognition Committee.

According to Lynne Sessions, Director of Community Relations, the idea for the all-agency lunch came about because it was impossible to find a time to bring everyone together. "We offer 24/7 services, 365 days a year, so someone will always have to be working.  We had to think outside the box.  Rather than create a common time, we created a common experience- an all-agency lunch, delivered to the employee's worksite or available for pick up at several locations.  That way, everyone can share in the meal-even those employees working the overnight shifts."

The all-agency lunch was first instituted in 2008.  Noted Dayle LeFleur, Community Employment Services Coordinator and organizer of the lunch, the 2008 Food on a Frisbee lunch was so popular that "we needed to continue the idea in 2009."  "We came up with "Tees and Subs"--each employee received a sub, chips, apple, cookie and drink and and an agency t-shirt with the slogan "Together We Make Dreams Happen" on the back."

Pat Knuth, Assistant Executive Director, said that the event was the agency's way of saying thank you to all employees.  "The lunch was very successful.  The Employee Recognition Committee worked very hard to package and deliver almost 300 sub meals and t-shirts throughout the day. Employees enjoyed getting a free lunch and they really liked the t-shirts.  And we had a chance to thank all of our employees for their contributions. "