CCBDD Reach 4 More program participant loves work, people
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"Our customers refer to Ryan as "The Mayor of Columbiana" due to the way he seems to know almost all of them," said Melissa Poland, the owner of Sweet Melissa's at TownCenter at Firestone Farms. "He is so great at interacting and making them feel welcome."
Ryan Creighton has been working at Sweet Melissa's for two years, where his duties include sweeping and cleaning the dining room as well as replenishing the cooler and stocking the eating accessories, including napkins and eating utensils.
"I have known Ryan for five years, ever since he was referred to us," said Columbiana County Board of Developmental Disabilities assistant superintendent Josh Martin. "Ryan is a huge asset to Sweet Melissa's with his capabilities and friendly personality. He is the type of person that others gravitate towards."
An accomplished artist in the areas of painting and sculpting, Creighton has won numerous awards over the years at the Mahoning County Fair.
On working in the restaurant, Creighton said, "The people here are very nice, both the employees and the customers. I know that it is my responsibility to keep the tables nice and clean. I basically take care of the dining room. I want the area to look spotless."
"Every employee has a skill set in their wheelhouse that they can excel at," Poland explained. "We quickly determined that Ryan was very good at interacting with the public and was a stickler for detail. As an employer, the better I do of determining an employee's wheelhouse, the better job the employee will do for us. That has definitely been the case with Ryan."
Living in the Links at Firestone, many times Creighton arrives at work riding in a golf cart driven by his father.
"The importance of a good family life cannot be overlooked with Ryan," Martin said. "Plus, he has access to many community resources. He is very self-sufficient. Ryan is the epitome of what we strive for clients to achieve."
Creighton is just one of the area residents that have achieved success by being involved with the CCBDD Reach 4 More program.
"Because of Melissa's willingness to give Ryan an opportunity, he was able to showcase his abilities," said CCBDD Reach 4 More Employment Engagement Specialist Paul Anthony,.
Businesses or individuals desiring more information on Reach 4 More can contact Anthony via email at p.anthony@ccbdd.net. Their website is www.reach4more.org.