The Rotary Connection
As part of Rimland’s series of 45th anniversary speaking engagements, Executive Director Carolyn Keel spoke to the Rotary Club of Lake Zurich on June 17. Since 2013, Rimland has maintained one community-based residence in Lake Zurich, which is currently home to three male residents. The speaking engagement gave the Rotary Club of Lake Zurich the opportunity to learn more about Rimland and our presence in the community, including our mission, our unique approach to individualized care for adults diagnosed with autism, our history, our programs, and our dedicated staff.
The Rotary Club audience was very engaged and asked many questions reflecting their interest in Rimland staff and staff recruitment. They also learned details about the work of all of our staff members, especially our direct support professionals. They were impressed with the rigorous State of Illinois-recognized training program that our direct support professionals complete, the long tenure at Rimland of a number of our staff members, and the responsibilities of the direct support professionals, including facilitating community engagement and ensuring the safety of the individuals we support. Carolyn emphasized that the direct support professional position is not just a job, but a career.