Lakestate Industries fund drive begins
Donation envelopes in today’s Daily Press
ESCANABA — Lakestate Industries is kicking off their annual endowment fund campaign today with the inclusion of envelopes in today’s issue of the Daily Press. Executive Director Cheryl Ohman said that the campaign plays an important role in securing the future of this organization, which helps people with disabilities learn and develop work-related skills while holding real jobs at the Lakestate Industries center or out in the community.
Ohman said that Lakestate Industries has had a presence in Delta County for decades. When it opened as Delta Rehab in 1969, about 10 workers with disabilities were employed there.
“Today, we serve 200 a year,” she said.
Lakestate Industries offers several products and services, including subcontracting work, products made in their wood shop, and janitorial services. Their employees have also worked at the Delta County Landfill’s recycling center since it opened.
Ohman said that the jobs done by Lakestate’s employees are important to the community.
“If we didn’t do them, somebody (else) would be doing them,” she said.
Dennis Diener, one of Lakestate Industries’ current employees, said that one of his favorite things about working for the organization has been the people he works with.
“I like all the staff here,” he said.
Another current Lakestate Industries employee is Brittany Wery, who has worked at the organization since 2011. Much of the work Wery does is in the organization’s wood shop, where she puts skills her father taught her to use.
“My dad showed me how to (do) that at home,” she said.
Ohman said that Lakestate Industries also gives the people who work for them assistance finding jobs elsewhere.
“Ultimately, our goal is always to help them find employment in the community,” she said.
Lakestate works with several businesses in the area to achieve this goal. These businesses include Elmer’s County Market, Walmart, and McDonald’s.
“Those three are probably the top three right now,” she said.
According to Ohman, Lakestate Industries is largely self-sufficient. About two-thirds of their funding comes from the products and services they sell, while the remaining third comes from referrals from agencies such as Michigan Rehabilitation Services and Pathways Community Mental Health.
“We kind of operate as a business,” she said.
Ohman said Lakestate Industries runs a fundraising campaign because other agencies they work with could potentially be affected by funding cuts; as a result, these agencies may not always be able to help people whose disabilities are not severe but are still obstacles to their employment. By having access to an endowment fund, Lakestate will be able to intervene in these situations.
“It’s really more for the future of Lakestate Industries,” she said.
Lakestate Industries collects several thousand dollars every year through this fundraiser.
“It has varied between ($5,000) to $10,000,” Ohman said.
In addition to donating to the fundraiser, Ohman said people in Delta County can help Lakestate Industries out by shopping at their Rustic Room — a store where crates, firestarters, and pieces of furniture made by Lakestate employees are sold — and donating candle wax.
“People can save their candle wax for us, (because) we use those for our firestarters,” she said.
Business owners in the area can provide additional support by partnering with Lakestate Industries for subcontracting work and hiring people with disabilities who have developed their skills at Lakestate.
“We’re always looking for opportunities in the community,” Ohman said.
For more information on Lakestate Industries, visit their Web site at www.lakestateindustries.org.