Photo Description: Nori, a vulture, wearing a red ball gown is perched on a tree branch with big black sunglasses. Matching red heals are at the bottom of the tree and someone is taking photos of them. The second panel looks like a dream with fog around the edges with a movie marquee reading “Now Starring…Nori”. The third panel is, without fog, a sunrise over Opportunity Works with Nori snoring away on her branch.
Photo Description: Nori, a vulture, is tired and siting on a tree branch. Text reads “I think it’s time for a break.” Second panel is a robot Nori on the same tree, replacing Nori. The third panel is various postcard from Nori skiing and visiting the Hollywood sign. Text reads “meanwhile…” and one of the postcards reads “wish you were here.”
As many of you know we are in the process of moving our Community Based Day Program to the lower level of the Haverhill site. Everyone has been working diligently to furnish, decorate, create schedules for the opening this month. Here is a sneak peak of what we have been working on! We will keep you updated on all changes and the start date of the grand opening!
Happy Memorial Day from OW. Here are some letters our folks wrote in honor of our fallen soldiers. 
If I could thank a fallen soldier, this is what I would say…
Thank you so much for your bravery and your sacrifice. You’re an amazing and tremendous person. I’m truly blessed and I will honor your memory in so many ways. Our country is free and stronger with your bravery and sacrifice. For the rest of my life I would put fresh flowers on your grave on each Memorial Day because of your contribution to make this country safe for all of us.
Signed: James D.Keith
Dear Fallen Soldier,
I would like to thank you for your service and for all that you did in protecting our country from harm during the war. Your sacrifice and bravery is something that not only I, but the whole nation would like to honor you for. I also would like to thank you for being a true inspiration to all American citizens of every kind and for honoring our government for making our great country a free nation to live in. Our free nation would never have been in patriotic conditions it you did not serve in our wonderful military. In final thoughts, I would really like to thank you very much for be a true and loyal hero of honor, bravery, and trust for serving in our inspiring armed forces in protecting and representing our free nation.
Signed, Greer Candage
Dear fallen soldier,
I want to thank you for your service to the United States of America. I respect and honor you even though you are no longer with us. When I think of you as a fallen soldier it makes me happy because I know you sacrifice your life for our country and our freedom. After learning more about why Memorial Day so important I know now that you as a fallen soldier have sacrificed so much for the lives of the American people. Finally, I want to thank you again for your service to this country and Rest In Peace.
Sincerely,
Brianna caissie
Opportunity Works has a lovely partnership with Newburyport Art Association. The Executive Director, Wanda Strukus, led a wonderful virtual tour of Love is LOVE! at the Newburyport Firehouse Center for the Arts for our participants on ZOOM in March. This virtual tour was a great bridge between the people we support who are in our Newburyport facility, Haverhill facility, and remotely at their homes. Wanda described many of the works on display while engaging the participants in the artwork.
[Pictured is a screenshot of the Zoom Tour at the Firehouse. The image in the center is a red and pink floral painting, and there are a few Opportunity Works participants visible at the top along with a staff and NAA’s Wanda Strukus]
Exhibit Description:
“Created to celebrate love in all its forms and the artful joy of our community, Love is LOVE! features 32 artworks in acrylic, oil, mixed-media, pastel, photography, and printmaking that respond broadly to the theme of love. NAA Executive Director and co-curator Wanda Strukus gives you a tour of this lively exhibition with its many interpretations of love: poetic, cheeky, abstract, amiable, tense, unrequited, effervescent, ambivalent, surprising, romantic, and joyful!”
Check out the NAA exhibition schedule for upcoming shows!
Thank you to Wanda Strukus, Jenna Signore, NAA volunteers, Firehouse Center for the Arts, and the artists featured in the exhibit for this opportunity!
By Jillian Sacco
Money money money money…..Money….Skills!
Money Skills is 2x/week on Google Classroom as well as in-house, the facilitator is long time OW staff member Jane Drouin. $ skills is very popular and always has great attendance! The facilitators teach the value of money as well as the number values and this is achieved by using simple tools such as paper money, dice and number cards. They teach useful lessons while having fun with math.
Quotes:
Kelsey H “Its key to learn how to save and spend your money responsibly”
Brandon M: “It helps me learn about cash!”
[Pictured is Kelsey H during Money Skills on Google Classroom]
Institution for Savings
Rochester Electronics
Amesbury Animal Hospital
Haverhill Bank
Matter Communications
TMC Architects
Fantini Baking Company
Pentucket Bank
Align Credit Union
NorthEast Computer Services
Riverwalk Brewing Co
Insurance Solutions Corporation
Healey, Deshaies, Gagliardi & Woelfel, PC
Coldwell Banker Realty of Haverhill and Newburyport
Atlantic Ambulance Service
SL Healthplans LLC
Fritz DeGuglielmo, LLC CPA’s
Merrimac Tool
Adventures with Nori: #002 What’s that ruckus?
