Upon arrival, they were given a tour of the building before splitting up to work in the teams with our members. Leda had the opportunity to sit in on our Business & Technology’s yearly Planning Day, an auspicious event that shapes the team’s future. Leda added much to the conversation, making astute suggestions that we will most certainly use. Alison worked with members in our culinary team before being whisked off to the Pines of Sarasota where she met Academy member Ian Churchill as he was performing his dietary aide job as part of our Transitional Employment (TE) program. The Ora Clubhouse is just beginning to develop their TE program, and Alison was excited to see it in action.

The women joined us for lunch before saying heartfelt goodbyes. They both expressed that they were inspired from their time with us. Alison had this to say: “I came to the Academy with an empty cup, knowing that it would be filled. But the humility and service that we received from members and staff was above and beyond my expectations. Thank you, Academy, for being a light and experience that we will carry back to The Ora Clubhouse of Ocala, Fl.”

We got as much out of the visit as Leda and Alison did. It’s a great pleasure to invite people in to see what we do here, especially when they “speak the same (Clubhouse) language.” These opportunities serve to make us more resolute in our practices while at the same time, keeping us flexible and open to new ideas. We’ve said it before, and we will say it again and again: we are always stronger together.