LeeAnn Nolin
By Ryan Johansen
LeeAnn Nolin, a skill
training client with The Arc of Multnomah - Clackamas, is at a time
in her life dominated by changes and challenges. One of the biggest
changes has been leaving CCI Enterprises, where she worked for a
decade. LeeAnn’s job at CCI offered a consistent schedule
and the opportunity to see good friends but lacked flexibility and
the opportunity for new challenges. LeeAnn is pursuing new activities,
such as volunteering, taking classes, and going on outings with
friends.
At her volunteer position at Somerset Assisted Living for Senior Citizens in Gladstone,
LeeAnn spends time with the seniors, assists in activities, delivers packages, and socializes.
On
a recent outing with LeeAnn to Somerset, I found a deep appreciation of LeeAnn. I could
sense that LeeAnn was proud as she gave me a tour of the facilities and introduced me
to her new
friends.
Until recently, every Thursday morning, LeeAnn would take a bus to NE Portland, where she
took classes at Integration and Independence, Inc. Her time was busy learning sign language,
shopping and preparing healthy meals, and working on a computer.
On the computer, LeeAnn created beautiful pictures, which she later made into laminated
bookmarks. When asked about her overall experience with Integration and Independence,
LeeAnn said that
she enjoyed the fact that “people sign things differently- we got to learn two
different ways to sign a word.”
In LeeAnn’s skill training sessions with The Arc she works on her new computer, on
money flash cards, exchanging money, walking in the neighborhood and reading about
fire trucks. Once or twice a month LeeAnn and her skill trainer go on an outing where LeeAnn
gets a chance
to showcase her newly acquired skills and work on her ongoing problems with traffic
and parking lots. The improvement she is showing in these areas is substantial.
Just some of LeeAnn’s recent achievements include using the fast escalator at JC Penney;
walking on her treadmill at a pace faster than 2.5 mph; ordering, paying for, and packaging
to-go food; and most importantly being a more confident, social person.
Skill training “makes me think positive,” LeeAnn said. “I’m not
as afraid, and I learn things.” LeeAnn chooses to do activities and tasks that challenge
her. She has a great smile and is friendly and kind. And she and her skill trainer never
use the word can’t: That word is part of her past. With all of these traits it
is no surprise that LeeAnn has been one of the most successful participants in the skill-training
program with the Arc: she has the formula for success!
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