YOUNG ADULT DIVISION JEWISH FEDERATION OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT Report of the 1999 Nominating Committee NOMINATED AS OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Dawn M. Faxon Joshua Lerner Bryce Sandler Eli Saulson Jennifer Silverman Barbra Tunick PRESIDENT Emily Jampel PRESIDENT-ELECT Pa ul Sil verman childcare — love, patience, under- standing, and most of all, the joy she puts into the children's lives each and every day. OFFICERS Lisa Barson Michelle B. Cohen Joshua F. Opperer Stacey B. Schwartz " Carlton Johnson Linda Simpson of Miss NeiVes Childcare Center. Linda Simpson It's hard to tell who is happier that Linda Simpson works at Miss NeNe's Childcare Center in Madison Heights — Simpson or her boss, Lenea L. Renshaw. "There is no doubt in my mind that God sent this gentle woman to help nurture and love these children as much as I do. She is a wonderful asset to my business and we all love her dearly," Renshaw wrote when she nominated Simpson. Simpson spent her child-rearing years raising her two children, who are now adults. She did some babysit- ting for other children during that time. It was her daughter, Cheryl, 21, who encouraged Simpson to go to the Jewish Vocational Service Rehabilitation Services program. It helps individuals with disabilities identify and overcome barriers they might encounter for employment. Simpson can't read. But the very young children she works with don't care. "They can't read either," she said. So when it comes time to read them a book, she just tells them a story according to the pictures they see. "Everything Linda does is a special contribution to the children and our nursery school," Renshaw said. "When JVS contacted me about Linda, they told me she had a small handicap. A part of her brain causes her not to be able to read well. "I don't think I have noticed that because she gives so much more. She possesses the most important skills an individual could have working with Only an upbeat person like Carlton Johnson could say he almost fell through the cracks. He had no real home, no job and no automobile. This was after 22 years of working for the military. A disability had affected his speech and his ability to work. The gentle man, a certified engi- neering technologist, ended up living in the Roosevelt Hotel in Detroit with no hope for the future. That was in December 1997. The Jewish Vocational Service Detroit's Work Place changed all that. He's now a successful contractor working through Strategic Staffing Solutions for the City of Detroit. "I'm doing computer applications for the city's pilot program for the Geographic Information System divi- sion," he said proudly. "We're using computer applications by Information Technology Services to access GIS and program information on it that we want. Any department in the city will be able to use this -- water, fire, police, assessing. It's exciting work." He says he owes his return to the working world to JVS. "Its program retrained me. I needed computer skills and I learned them. I was scared to death to interview and JVS helped me. I didn't know how to dress for an inter- view. I didn't have Gucci and all those fancy clothes. I didn't know what employers were looking Carlton Johnson of for. - JVS Strategic Staffing elped me. Solutions. "JVS worked directly and indirectly with me from the time I walked into the Roosevelt Hotel," Johnson said. "Their programs taught me I am a human being, a somebody who can work with CEOs. Detroit's Work Place gave me the confidence to get out there and conquer the world." ADVISOR TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Eric J. Gould NOMINEES FROM THE CURRENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS James D. Hooberman Howard Jacobson Mark Jeross Julie Leib Donna Traub Lee Trepeck Hilary A. Zales - Marci Benson Debbie Berger Amy Carson Jonathan W. Dvvoskin Peter J. Ellenson Nancy H. Goldstein Lisa Granitz NOMINEES TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Michael Benchetrit Daniel Friedenzohn Ethan Gilan Beth R. Goldberg Michele J. Goldstein Gene J. Goodman Scott Kaufman Rabbi Joseph Krakoff Joel M. Krugel Aaron C. Pergament Mark H. Weintraub YAD This is federation Manor Motorcar Company 39500 Grand River Avenue • Novi, Michigan 48375 (248)426-9600 • Fax (248)426-8686 Mike Dega 1998 Sakstnan The Year FASTEST AVAILABILITY IN METRO DETROIT! 4 ,• China & Gifts Exquisite Presentations Baby Bedding Bridal Registry for the Bed, Bath & Table • 2,000 rute citta„ cued 1 ?19 04 tetwamte, at4,3 itivetivactze patteuto — tge fa,trA iit otock . 3ectfet, itt L e ifo81. • Juttattee, t ae gtae-to-ge to %do EPAUAtty au P exclaim gtact h Waif at,CgCL ✓:3 Beat gootufi,en (accia,a cfcate (k- 15 Iltiee) (248) 737 -8080 L 2545 Orchard Lake Road •Sylvan Lake, MI 48320 248-683-0450 258-683-0498 fax i ) 44 dTrf 6/- 12.1. .A _q atca _14c , Oest i l 1\ M ei ssc Reviews am JN emtortammemt 41 Detroit Jewish News 5/21 1999 73