Flashback Friday

Offices, I suppose, reflect their occupants, perhaps more so than anything else.  One's home may not have a room to reflect a single person and garage's aren't always the best vehicle either, although my old one on Grove Street sure gave it a good go.  Let's take a look at my old office at MDH and see what goodie's we can find.   

Clockwise from top right:

1.  Mary Davis Home Appreciation Certificate

2.  Picture of me and Pat Johnson at one of the Mike Johnson Open awards ceremony.  

3.  IPCSA (Illinois Probation and Court Services Assoc.) Recognition Certificate 

4.  Recognition Certificate from American Heart Association (In relation to Mike Johnson Open)

5.  Putter given to me by the Johnson family for Mike Johnson Opens.

1. Upper center are my old cars.

2.  Right is a gag gift from Henry County Probation, regarding keys to city.

3.  The red chair was a carryover from the pre-remodeled MDH conference room.  

4.  The painting on far wall was don by Donna Johnson a renowned local artist from the Aledo area whose talents were struck down by a stroke. 

1.  Near picture above the bulletin board is kids from program and staff who helped with sandbagging during 2004 Flooding.  

2.  Next to it is a hand drawn gag picture of me sitting at my desk asleep done by Dennis "Swede" Nelson, a Transportation Officer, who has since retired. 

3.  Painting over computer was one I did of Kenzie when she was a little girl. 

The only thing of note here is the blue binder laying on the desk.  This was the program Bible.  It went with me to every weekly staffing and if I wasn't there, it went with whoever was running staffings that day.  It contained the names of program kids, detailed info on weeks at MDH and all votes on whether the kids passed stuck, or regressed.  

I still have that worn frayed blue binder and a few pages from my last staffings.  

It was a good office.  Counselors reported in once every week and we had some pretty good chats, and I enjoyed having them in.  I wanted to make it as homey and comfortable as possible because sometimes they may not have wanted to see me as much as I wanted to see them.  Sometimes I had to get on them a little, but mostly it was a great staff who were genuinely motivated to make an impact in their clients' lives.  They all made me look good as Program Coordinator.  I was lucky.