The Clermont Police Department recently welcomed Annie-Marie Cyr as a volunteer in the Quartermaster’s office.
Annie is with Bishop Grady Villas, a local 501(c)(3) Christian nonprofit organization, whose mission is to support persons with disabilities to achieve greater independence in areas such as physical and emotional well-being and spiritual growth. Annie who was born with Down syndrome does not let her disability limit her abilities to actively work or prevent her from achieving her goals.
The Quartermaster division that Annie has been assigned to is responsible for preparing and providing police officers with the necessary equipment they need to perform their job functions. She has already proven to be an asset for the division. Her primary job functions include shelving inventory, labeling inventory, the removal of agency patches from returned uniforms and tagging equipment. As she becomes more accustomed to the routine, she aspires to help everyone within the department. A set of tasks has been established to help her achieve her goal of working in the Records Division, which includes assorted office duties, mail delivery, shredding of documents, supply handling and event preparations.
“Let me just say she is an amazing person, a very hard worker and very thorough in her job tasks,” said Debbie Arroyo, Quartermaster with the Clermont Police Department. “She takes on multiple tasks with a great smile and does so without complaint. It’s a pleasure having here.”
Bishop Grady Villas’ goal is to find more opportunities with employers and government agencies who can support a diverse workforce through a willingness to train and hire individuals with disabilities starting at the high school level preparatory training. Annie began receiving services in high school. This enabled her to establish a smooth transition from high school into the working community. She started with a process called Discovery, which partners Annie with a job coach to help discover her interest and talents. After working a series of community activities, it was evident she had a strong connection to her community and a great love for law enforcement.
