Kyle’s Employment Journey
Kyle is a fun loving, outgoing, and happy guy. He likes to play basketball, hang out with his friends and family, and loves to play practical jokes on people. Kyle has many hobbies. One of his favorite things to do is go bowling. He has been a member of the Special Olympics bowling team for years. You will also find him down at Caveman Bowl participating as a member in league bowling.
Part 1
Kyle loves to get all around town by riding his bike. Rain or shine, you will see him peddling along to get where he wants to go. Kyle loves his bike for the independence it gives him. He loves to fill his time by enjoying the fabulous outdoor recreation activities we have at our fingertips here in Grant Pass. He enjoys fishing and hiking in the surrounding areas. However, Kyle never forgets to sneak in time for his secret passion…Pokémon Go. He likes to “catch” them wherever he can all over town.
Part 2
Speaking of secret (or not so secret) passions…Kyle LOVES Star Wars, mostly the original trilogy, among which Return of the Jedi is his all-time favorite of the movies. Kyle is saving up money and has a goal to take a trip to Disneyland to see the new Star Wars Land: Galaxy’s Edge. He says it would be “The Ultimate” to be able to hang out there…and perhaps get a glimpse of his favorite character Yoda. To quote Yoda about Kyle’s desire to go to Star Wars Land “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”
Part 3
On Sundays, Kyle can often be found spending time with his church family at River Valley Church. He enjoys the camaraderie there and appreciates getting to see familiar and happy faces enjoying the word of God each week. He especially enjoys the singing. Over the years, he has made many friends there, and loves to spend time with them.
Part 5
Now that you have learned a little about who Kyle is as a person, let us take you to the beginning when Kyle first entered Southern Oregon Aspire….. Kyle began in the Employment Services Program back in 2011. He began working in the landscape maintenance division. He quickly showed he was a hard worker and could tackle any tasks assigned to him. As he showed promise in one field, Kyle knew he wanted more. He began to pursue other career opportunities.
Part 6
As everyone around him quickly found out, Kyle is a busy guy. He likes to work, and in 2015 he started a second job at Logan Design. He started doing maintenance and clean-up then moved into production. He loves working at Logan Design, however as we mentioned before Kyle is a busy guy. In 2016, Kyle picked up a third job working at Brookdale, a local retirement facility. Kyle worked in the kitchen, and though he was really good at the work, he wanted to be in a job where he got the opportunity to be around more people, so he left Brookdale in 2019.
Part 7
Kyle tried a few other jobs during 2019, seeking to find a second (and third) job that fit him. He worked for a bit at Southern Oregon Sanitation as a Recycle Depot Attendant and for Republic Services. These days, you will find Kyle still hard at work with three jobs. His favorite job, of course, is with Logan Design, where he works 2 days a week. His second job, working 3 days a week, is with Southern Oregon Aspire, where you can find Kyle happily keeping the downtown and park areas clean, beautiful, and free of trash. Kyle also has a third job working with Murf’s Marvelous Pancakes at her pop up restaurant.
Part 8
The final chapter…What does the future hold for Kyle? He currently lives in a home with 4 other roommates and would like to someday work towards independent living. He has been working diligently on gaining skills like learning how to get around town on his own, cook, clean, and take care of his space. Kyle also aspires to work at a news station someday in the future. He would like to either be a news anchor or a meteorologist. He knows this is a long term goal, and here at Southern Oregon Aspire, we are partnering with Kyle to help make this goal a reality. We hope you have enjoyed learning about Kyle’s Journey through this 8 part series. At Southern Oregon Aspire, we strive every day to make the goals and dreams of those we serve into a reality. Join & Share the movement #iamtherighttalentrightnow.