(Le Mars) — Life Skills Training Center held its annual meeting last evening, and according to Marketing and Development Director, Shelly Thomson, 2018 had some ups and some downs, but over-all, last year proved to be a good year, setting several financial records.
Thomson says new records were also established with the annual Knights of Columbus phone-a-thon held in September.
The Life Skills Marketing and Development Director thanks the people of Plymouth County for their constant generous contributions. She says the people of Plymouth County are special people, as Life Skills usually generates more funding than other similar handicapped special needs training centers across the state.
Life Skills Executive Director Rose Nicoson delivered the annual report. Prior to submitting the report, Nicoson invited the entire staff to join her in front of the gathering. She then spoke of each and every staff employee, thanking them for their work.
Nicoson reported Life Skills saw an overall increase in net assets of $64,160. Total assets are now at $1,007,215. She reported the revenues amounted to $1,338,910 ($451,463 for laundry, floor mats and janitorial services) $584,352 for tuition reimbursements, and $246,572 from donations, grants, and bequests. The expenses for Life Skills amounted to $1,274,750 with 69 percent for wages, taxes, and benefits. Nicoson says a total of 82 individuals received paychecks from Life Skills Training Center in 2018, and they worked a total of 81,674 hours.
Life Skills Training Center handed out two awards during last evening’s banquet and annual meeting. A new award was created acknowledging the Staff Team Player Award. That honor was given to Rachel Engvall.
The traditional Client Achievement Award was presented to Austin Fenner.
In her remarks about this year’s Client Achievement Award, Employment Services Director, Jayme Skadeland says, “This year’s recipient has been at Life Skills since the spring of 2005 where he began training 5 half days per week. Initially, this individual trained in the laundry and production area of LSTC. After expressing some interest in participating on a supported integrated training crew his schedule was adjusted and a job site was incorporated. This individual has progressed from folding small items to large two-person fold that they never thought they would be able to accomplish. He is willing to work hard, learn new tasks, and accept constructive criticism. This individual is polite and always comes to work with a positive attitude. It is with great pleasure that I present the 2018 Client Achievement Award to Austin Fenner.
