GLENS FALLS, NY (March 5, 2014): In celebration of Community, Work & Independence, Inc.’s (CWI) 50th anniversary, a Snowflake Ball will be held on Thursday, March 6, 2014 from 6:30-8:30 PM at the Six Flags Great Escape Lodge, Queensbury, NY. The event is being offered to the individuals with disabilities that CWI serves and nearly 300 guests are expected to attend the free event. Festivities will include a dessert buffet, a snowman contest, a photo booth, raffle prizes and dancing to the sounds of the world-famous band FLAME – a group of musicians with disabilities from the Lexington Center in Fulton County, NY who have done a world tour, been featured on Good Morning America and in People Magazine.
CWI also offered a Snowflake Boutique prior to the event featuring complimentary evening wear for individuals attending the Ball. Formal gowns, dresses, shoes, accessories as well as men’s suits, ties, shirts were donated by CWI staff, board members and individuals from the community. More than 150 items were donated.
Sponsors for CWI’s Snowflake Ball include Pediatric Dentistry of Glens Falls; Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Company; Bartlett, Pontiff, Stewart & Rhodes, PC; Associates of Glens Falls; Cooper’s Cave Ale, LTD; TD Bank; The Bonadio Group; Dr. Edward Kerr; Livingston’s Quality Manor; Schutze Family Dentistry, PC; Kurt and Tina Moser; Hudson Headwaters Health Network; Drs. Harriet and Daniel Way; and Oriental Trading Company.
Raffle prize donors include Broadway Lanes (Fort Edward); Walmart (Queensbury); Golden Corral (Queensbury); Cool Beans; St. George’s Orthodox Church; The Fun Spot; Hannaford (Queensbury); and Six Flags Great Escape Indoor Water Park.
Since 1963, CWI has worked to bring about positive change and hope for many. A cornerstone in communities across the four-county region, CWI has transformed the lives of numerous individuals with disabilities and other barriers. Through the provision of quality and innovative services, CWI, a not-for-profit community rehabilitation provider, offers a myriad of services to meet the needs of people who are developmentally and learning disabled, medically frail, brain injured, economically disadvantaged and individuals with other challenges. CWI supports these people who strive to be productive and meaningful members of their local community by offering basic services to individuals including: transportation, clinical and dental services and housing. This then builds a foundation which allows individuals to springboard toward a higher level of independence. Independence may equate to CWI helping individuals find and sustain employment, become involved with volunteer opportunities, partake in recreational opportunities, learn independent living skills, and promote self-advocacy, to name a few. Among the many services the CWI consumers provide include support services with local municipalities, assistance to local churches, nursing homes and firehouses, and delivery of Meals on Wheels to those in need in Warren and Washington counties.
CWI began as Community Workshop, Inc., serving a humble contingent of six community individuals in a sheltered employment setting in the early 1960’s. Fifty years later, CWI has a new name, Community, Work and Independence, Inc., and now assists approximately 1,200 individuals monthly at nearly 40 locations across the region. In addition to the now 70 individuals working in our sheltered employment program, over the past five years alone CWI has assisted people with 868 job placements, provided residential services to nearly 50 individuals, connected 117 individuals with day programming services, transported nearly 500 passengers daily to and from various facilities and medical appointments, and supported 408 young adults transitioning from high school to the adult world.
Today, CWI has grown to become one of the largest employers in the four-county region with over 700 employees serving 1,200 individuals with disabilities monthly. Their mission is to offer innovative supports and services, empowering people with differing abilities and needs to discover their potential and pursue the lives they envision. For more information, visit www.cwinc.org or call 518-793-4700 ext. 12129. CWI is a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) organization.
Linda Dickie, PR Specialist
(518) 793-4700 ext. 12129
ldickie@cwinc.org
www.cwinc.org