“You can find magic wherever you look.
Sit back and relax, all you need is a book.”– Dr. Seuss
Books are powerful. They transport us to other worlds, for adventures, to learn, to feel, to understand, to grow. Every child should have the opportunity to explore other worlds, fall in love with favorite characters, develop a love for reading.
Months ago we met the students of the School for Exceptional Studies. A group of Colleagues and Guests stopped by the Lawrence school, which works with students with developmental disabilities and behavioral issues, to help paint the classrooms.
We realized then how much the students of the school need and deserve their own mini-library. One of our Colleagues who visited the school recalled several students arriving for the day. The first thing they took out were their reading books.
“These children have an incredible thirst for knowledge, excitement and adventure,” she said. “What better way is there for these young students to experience all of these things than to lose themselves in a good book?”
Unfortunately due to the lack of funds, the books at their school are very limited and worn.
That’s why throughout the months of February and March, we will be collecting books for the children of the School for Exceptional Studies. We are seeking new and gently used children’s books for grades K through 4.
How to get involved
Donate! Donate! Donate! Gather the books your children have outgrown, your favorite from your childhood, or a few new ones you’ve picked up and drop them off at one of our locations between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.: Andover (6 Campanelli Drive), Lowell (150 Industrial Ave.), or Wakefield (107 Audubon Rd. Building 1, Suite 25). We will have boxes in front of each location for drop-offs. Get directions here.
Or schedule a pickup time with our Colleague Hiedi. She can be reached at hiedikeefer@americantraininginc.com or 978-265-4270.
Again, we are seeking new or gently used books for grades K through 4.
It’s a party
On March 31st, the last day of National Reading Month, we had the pleasure of giving the books to the students and staff of the School for Exceptional Studies. We were lucky enough to have Elizabeth Lorayne, author of The Adventures of Piratess Tilly, join us for a very exciting story time! Read all about the Book Donation Bash here.
Join us
RSVP for the event by contacting Hiedi Keefer at hiedikeefer@americantraininginc.com or 978-265-4270.
Find out more
Learn more about us here and the School for Exceptional Studies here.
Thank You
Thank you to those who have donated and to those who are planning to donate! A special thanks to the Mall at Rockingham Park, a Simon Mall, for donating the books they will be collecting at their Kidgits Club Book Party on March 7. Thank you to Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Liberty Mutual, and the Emmaus House for your sizable donations as well. Your donations will bring smiles to lots of little faces and are greatly appreciated by our book drive team!
Going forward
If you didn’t get the chance to donate (or even if you did), but would still like to contribute, you can! On Wednesday night, April 22nd, the Andover Bookstore will be hosting a fundraiser for the school. A portion of all sales between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. will go directly to the school to help them build their library. In addition, a bin will be placed at the store for people to make book donations.
We were there when the season began, through the early season losses and doubters, and through the wins which they fought so hard for. We stuck with them through the tough times, which took us right up to Super Bowl Sunday. We did our job. And they did theirs. Our New England Patriots put us through a nail-biter of epic proportions, but with an interception, they sealed their victory, and we couldn’t be happier!
After sending our team off to the AFC Championship with a big party a few weeks ago, we realized that partying in the name of our Patriots was good luck.
So, we did it again.
Showing solidarity with Tom Brady and the rest of our favorite football team, our Guests, Students, and Colleagues wore their best red, blue, white and silver to each of our ATI locations.
And when we show our support for our team, we go big! All of our sites participated with Patriots Pride parties and lots of fun! We enjoyed pep rallies, delicious cake, lots of cheering, custom-made t-shirt handouts courtesy of our Partner PrintPro, games, puzzle prizes courtesy of our Partner Ravensburger, and even watched some of history’s greatest football highlights!
Though we were all home with our own families for the big game, it was awesome to celebrate the big day with our American Training family in the days leading up to the AFC Championship and the Super Bowl!
Check out a poster and some pictures from our pre-Superbowl and pre-AFC Championship Parties below!
Check us out on WHDH’s Patriots Nation Fan Page and featured as one of WPRI’s bold and smooth Patriot’s fans!
On December 8, a small group of Guests, along with our own Joe Robichaud, made their way to a Methuen cemetery to retire the Flags they removed (and replaced) from the graves of Veterans this past spring. The event was powerful and our Guests were there to share every minute of it.
Check out more below in the January Valley Patriot. Check out the full issue here, with our story on pages 12 & 31.
Check out the May story on the Flag Replacements in the June issue of Methuen Life Magazine:
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year……..and at the top of our Colleagues’ holiday wish list is the joy of bringing Christmas cheer and magic to the lives of the children of our own LARE Students…..our extended American Training Family!
Our LARE students are working hard and doing their part by earning certifications and gaining employment to ensure that future Christmases will be bright for their families. While they are students, however, financial stresses can extinguish bright holiday spirits. That’s where we are fortunate enough to be able to step in!
We trimmed the trees, strung the lights, and decorated the hallways to transform Campanelli Drive into a Winter Wonderland for our annual LARE Christmas Party, held Dec. 22.
Students and their families joined for the morning, visiting with Santa and a few of his elves. The North Pole even sent along a few of its best gingerbread men, too!
Our own Santa’s helpers donated wrapping paper and time collecting and wrapping gifts. We had so many helpers this year including our Partners Mike Milczareh, General Truck Center in Methuen, and LaPlume & Sons Printing in Lawrence, all who supported this cherished event through our Fund-A-WOW! donation program.
Through Toys for Tots and many other generous donations, our students’ children received gifts to brighten their holidays and fill the halls of American Training and LARE Institute with the beautiful sound of children’s joy and laughter.
Thank you to all who attended our Holiday Open House on Wednesday, December 17! The evening was a great success with wonderful company, delicious food, enjoyable tours and amazing entertainment.
Taking breaks from their busy schedules, Santa and his old pal the Grinch even stopped by, mixing and mingling with everyone. A harpist and classical guitarist set the mood in our well-decorated lobby, the only lobby in town where its snowing!
Just check out the pictures below to see all the fun that was had!
If you’d like to come by for a tour or to learn more about any of our programs, please contact us anytime!
The Wishing Tree
This is where our wishes unfold.
Each leaf opens and suddenly spring is here
and the world is green again, new again.
This is where our wishes sing in chorus.
Like the melodies of birds filling the air,
our song begins with one note, then another,
until the air comes alive with music.
This is where our wishes take flight.
A few of them flutter their delicate wings
when the wind blows these branches.
Then, together, they all rise.
This is where our every wish matters.
This is where American Training grows, sings, soars.
This is where hope takes root.
– as adapted from the Maggie Smith poem “The Wishing Tree” –
Just before Christmas on December 23, we gathered together, Colleagues and Guests, in the cafeteria of our Andover location for a special performance.
Over the past week, our Guests, Residents, Students and Colleagues have been filling out wish slips and leaving them for “planting” on our wish tree. On December 23, we “planted” those wishes by hanging them on our wish tree, with the hope that they will “bloom” come spring.
We celebrated the day with poem readings, snacks, and the best part of all…a beautiful performance by our very own American Training Choir!
Sometimes we sat in silent awe of the talent that stood before us, other times we joined in proudly singing along to our favorite tunes. Whether we were participating or not, we enjoyed every second of the show.
“What an amazing day, from the Angels of our Choir to the beautiful wishes hung from our tree,” said Colleague Adam Jackson, who arranged the event. “When the day had settled and all were gone, our wishes still twinkled.”
Twinkle they will as they outlast the winter with the hope of taking root and growing this spring!
Meet our Choir and check out photos from the event below.
Our Choir: Guests James Carelli, Patricia Cronin, Scott Jenkins, Mary Gail Hannon, Mark Nixon, John DiFruscia, Frances Marchisini, Sharon Surrette, Sharifah Namigardde and Colleagues Amy Martens (keyboard) and Renee Robinson.
They came. They danced. They smiled!
Our Guests, Residents and Colleagues piled into our Andover location on Dec. 6 for the dance party of the year. And fun was had by all!
Check out pictures from the fun here.
After dazzling us this summer with his speed painting and inspirational performance at our annual Tie Dye Day & Carnivale and Rob Surette has returned!
Local artist Surette, of Amazing Hero Art, returned to our Andover site on Monday, December 8 for a visit.
Surette, who’s art has been featured on Oprah, Good Morning America, and most recently by Disney, handed out custom drawn art he created for our Guests after his visit this past summer.
After delivering his inspirational performance, painting image after image of change-making figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mother Theresa, Surette spent some time with our Guests and Colleagues. He loved his time here so much that he made an offer.
As he sat at a table filled with Guests and Colleagues who had just watched his awe-inspiring performance, he asked them who inspires them. Over the following months, while working on art for Disney, he created pencil sketches for each and every person who shared the table with him that June afternoon.
On Monday, he returned to hand-deliver the custom drawings. Among the list of inspirational and beloved people and characters are basketball player Kevin Durant, magician Criss Angel, Winnie the Pooh, basketball player Michael Jordan, former president George Washington and many others.
The pencil sketches were handed out Monday afternoon in our Campanelli Drive lobby where Rob spent the afternoon visiting with our Guests and Colleagues and was even treated to a few magic tricks!
Read more about Rob’s most recent visit in December and his performance at our Tie Dye Day & Carnivale. Then check out his website!
We brought our WOW! Magic to the latest edition of North of Boston Business Magazine and we’re proud of the way it turned out!
A special thank you to Thomas Shamma who wrote the fabulous article and Mary Schwalm who took the wonderful photos!
To read the full article, click here or scroll below.
The red carpet was lined with stars at our 2014 Colleague Recognition Awards. Paparazzi snapped shot after shot of our Colleagues as they walked the red carpet, past Elvis, Marilyn, and Audrey making their way into the Indian Ridge Country Club on November 14.
The Hollywood-themed WOW! Magic evening featured awards galore, a delicious meal, music and dancing by NRG Entertainment, and great company!
The annual event is planned and put on by Colleagues for Colleagues. Three types of awards are handed out that evening; Years of Service Awards, Starfish Awards, and WOWzer! Awards.
WOWzers!
The recipients of the WOWzer! Awards are hand-picked for the honor by President and CEO Tom Connors. These select few are chosen for their commitment to going above and beyond in their positions. These people have years of experience and dedication proving just how committed they are to delivering WOW! Magic, not only to those we serve, but to anyone and everyone we work with as well. WOWzer! winners exemplify the Mission and Values of American Training and are fundamental in bringing them to every aspect of the organization.
Jenn Auclair
Hiedi Keefer
Maxine Pierce
Maria Serano
Dave Moynihan
Jenn Lauren
Rose Cleveland
Starfish
Starfish recipients are nominated by their peers for their commitment to making a difference in the lives of those around them.
Adam Jackson
Rosa Cruz
Robin Farago
Mikaela Reynolds
Team: Leona Venuti, Noreen Duxbury, Martha Peguero, Ramona Pichardo
Years of Service
These recipients are honored for their commitment to American Training. These Colleagues have been with us for years and are recognized for their hard-work and dedication to our mission of Bringing Out the Best in Everyone we Touch…Because Life Matters!
For THIRTY-FIVE years of service and dedication:
Rosemarie Cleveland, Thomas Connors, Ronald Fanion
For TWENTY-FIVE years of service and dedication:
Jennifer Laurin, Ylsa Grullart
For TWENTY years of service and dedication:
Bethany Colbath, Judith Abby, Jose Diaz
For FIFTEEN years of service and dedication:
Deborah Arcand, Astric Cruz, Edwin Mejia, David Moynihan, Sindia Santiago
For TEN years of service and dedication:
Carmen Concepcion, Keith Gould, Marijo Haseltine, Tony Henriquez, Kimberley Judd, Graceanne Kimotho, Alesia Matsis, Kenneth Nganga, Madeleine Picart, Joseph Robichaud
For FIVE years of service and dedication:
Todd Booth, Providencia Colon, Jessica Davenport, Rayann Durand, Irene Kamau, Tracy Makos, Karen Mckitrick, Megan Mcnally, Robert Nganga, Edward Njenga, Joyce Pharmes, Gloria Rodriguez, Adelaida Santos, Carol Smith, Pam Urnetta
For TWO years of service and dedication:
Cheryl Andrews, Jankie Antigua, Susan Ballard, Nancy Barton, Glenys Caceres, Amelia Duncan, Natasha Escribano, Meghan Fisk, Robin Gazelian, Roberto Gonzalez, Dounia Hosny, Nicholas Koigi, Erica Laboy, Emily Mcdonald, Collins Mudanyi, Philip Mugo, Mary Mutura, Jennifer Norris, Susan Nowell, Grace Redwood, Ariela Roberts, Hassan Taghi, Ratha Teng, Annelise Vasquez, Elizabeth Wahome, Mary Wathome
A special thank you to our Fund-A-WOW! Sponsors Cynthia & Keith Krebs and Harper’s Time & Attendance Division. Their sponsorship helped us give our Colleagues a WOW! Magic evening.
