VOICE OF THE TOWNSHIP

The Wayne Township Trustee’s Office is excited this year to honor workers not just on Labor Day, but during this entire month by celebrating September as “Labor Appreciation Month.” Our Country has the greatest and most productive labor force in the world, including the several hundred Wayne Township clients who have gotten jobs while I have served as Trustee. A hallmark of my administration has been our emphasis on finding jobs for every Wayne Township client who is able to work.

In recognition of our clients who have achieved employment, we have decorated a tree at the corner of Lafayette and Superior Streets with white ribbons. Our beautifully-adorned “Employment Tree” is on the grounds of our office, and each ribbon on the tree represents a Wayne Township client who has been able to find employment this year. The “Employment Tree” was the idea of our Employment Director, LeRoy Page, who plans to leave the ribbons on the tree throughout September and possibly a little longer into the fall to remind everyone passing by about the importance of employment.

After I became Trustee, our office established the Employment Training Center which focuses on preparing clients for employment and assisting them with finding jobs. My staff and I realized almost immediately after we took office, over five years ago now, that we would need to seriously upgrade the Township’s efforts to help clients find employment. The only way we would be able to move clients from assistance to independence would be for them to find jobs.

The Employment Training Center is a partnership between our clients, our office and local employers. We all must work together to help clients find employment. Clients must step up and learn from the employment training classes we offer every Wednesday. The classes teach clients job interviewing skills, resume’ preparation and proper dress for interviews and jobs. Our Employment Department assists clients with finding places to prepare for their GED or update their computer skills. We give clients job referrals and make them aware of job fairs, where they might find employment.

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We make telephone calls to businesses to identify which employers are hiring and steer clients toward those employers. Wayne Township employees report to the Employment Department any jobs they know are available. We review clients’ resumes and match the skills of our clients with employers looking for workers with those skills.

Just inside the door of our office we have our “Wall of Opportunity.” This is where Mr. Page posts notices of all the jobs we know are available. The “Wall” is full of numerous job opportunities and many of our clients get job leads from the “Wall.” Anytime you walk past the “Wall of Opportunity” you will see clients looking over available jobs and taking down information about job openings. Getting jobs for clients is a win-win for everyone. The clients are able to move from assistance to independence, employers get good workers and tax money is saved by clients no longer needing help with their rent, utilities or other basic necessities.

I hope you were able to get out and enjoy the Waynedale Community Picnic. The picnic is one of my favorite events, and this year was no exception. The organizers, including Beulah Matczak and Cheryl Connett, do a fabulous job planning this huge event; and they always seem to order the best weather for the picnic. My office did something a little different at the picnic this year by having a drawing to give away two children’s backpacks. I was proud to present one of the backpacks with some surprises inside to a very excited five-year-old, Sarah Doenges, at my office this week. Sarah’s grandfather is Benton Rhoades of Waynedale.

Richard A. Stevenson, Sr.
Wayne Township Trustee
www.waynetownship.org