Two St. Albertans have been recognized for their work with Chrysalis, the Alberta society for people with disabilities.
Charlie Weinzierl and Faith Rogers were among those singled out for honours at a special event at the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel in West Edmonton last Sunday, because of their exemplary work in and out of the centre, said Matt Mandrusiak, the manager of corporate communications and fund development for the organization.
“It’s something for us that we know it’s extremely important to recognize the efforts that these guys have put in over the years, and in Faith’s case, over the decade and a half,” he said.
Rogers has been involved with Chrysalis’ programming for approximately 15 years.
“She’s really found a home in what we call our contract area. In that area, we take on contracts from companies or organizations that have jobs that they need help with.”
That involves activities such as packaging real estate maps, labeling bottles or putting together conference packages, he continued.
“It’s kind of like a training ground to get people out into employment positions. People like Faith have been there for years and years and years, and are very comfortable within that setting.”
Weinzierl, on the other hand, is no stranger to readers of the Gazette or to the awards stage. A dedicated artist, he was named the Chrysalis Artist of the Year in 2013. His paintings are highly sought after during the organization’s annual art sale.
He was recognized by the art room and for his longstanding employment as well.
“Everyone gets a little recognition for the work that they do and it’s no different for our guys,” Mandrusiak continued. “They put in a tremendous amount of effort, not only in their workplaces or on their volunteer sites, but also in personal development, trying to create better lives for themselves.”
“We want to make sure that they’re being recognized for the hard work that they’re doing. It goes a long, long way in their lives. Just to get that certificate … it means the world to some of those guys, to see that someone is watching them that notices that they’re making a difference. It’s huge for the guys that get that recognition.”
This was the organization’s 24th annual awards ceremony. Chrysalis provides programs that help people with disabilities to develop life skills and gain valuable employment training. It serves the metropolitan Edmonton area and has a branch in Calgary as well.
Chrysalis is located at 13325 St. Albert Trail in Edmonton. For more information, call 780-454-9656 or visit www.chrysalis.ca.
