Time Spent in the Workshop Sparks Creativity in Job Mentors
February 27, 2023
From the desk of Jackie Garman, Program Director
Here at BSA, we are all about dreaming big, being creative and welcoming new ideas. The sky’s the limit, right? Well, our volunteer job mentors in the Supported Employment program encompass all of those things.
Every morning to start our work day we circle up, hold hands and begin with a word of prayer. This is quickly followed by everyone coming in close, extending one hand into the center and reciting our BSA cheer.
“BSA, BSA! The sky is the limit
and God is the way! Horses, hope and healing
are where we keep our eyes…3,2,1, Blue Skies!”
This was created by our Executive Director, Hallie Myers when BSA first began as a way to pull everyone together as a team, getting our focus on God and the mission. We use it across all of our programs. Our SE employees absolutely love doing it! They have worked hard to memorize it and loudly shout it with great enthusiasm.
After hearing the cheer, someone in the shop mentioned how neat it would be to have it set to music. This led job mentor, Karen Signal to come up with the idea to end the work shift at the woodshop with a time of music. Occasionally she has brought her guitar out to the horse barn work site and let the employees take a turn strumming it. One employee, Matthew has a ukelele and would bring it sometimes as well. Engaging in music is a great way to relax and help the employees wind down. It also helps with finger dexterity, timing, counting and following directions. All of this flows back into aiding the work the employees are doing in the woodworking shop.
Creativity just seems to spill out of our amazing volunteers. One talented job mentor with an incredible heart for the young adults in the SE program decided to come up with a song they could learn and play during music time. He took the iconic Beatles song,” Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” and changed the lyrics to reflect what goes on in the woodshop.
LIFE GOES ON
Thomas loves to cut wood on the miter saw,
Caleb likes the hammer in his hand.
Erin tells Ms. Jackie that she likes to stain,
Mr. Larry says it’s all going to plan.
BSA! BSA! We have fun, Yeah!
Join us now and sing our song
BSA! BSA! We have fun, Yeah!
God helps us as life goes on.
Thomas cuts out doors and sides and tops again,
Matthew drills the holes with the press.
BSA is where Caleb likes to work
And Erin says we always need to sweep our mess.
BSA! BSA! We have fun, Yeah!
Join us now and sing our song
BSA! BSA! We have fun, Yeah!
God helps us as life goes on.
In a couple of months we have
Built some bluebird homes
In a couple of months
We have learned so much
And we know they can do so much more
Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho!
Happy working with them at BSA
Each of them tries their very best.
What goes through their minds we just can’t explain.
We just help and pray then God does all the rest.
BSA! BSA! We have fun, Yeah!
Join us now and sing our song
BSA! BSA! We have fun, Yeah!
God helps us as life goes on.
If you want some fun
Join BSA today – yeah!
So far the employees have learned the first two verses and are working on the bridge of the song. They all are learning guitar finger placement and how to strum properly. This is no easy task! We even have a set of bongo drums and some maracas to add some percussion flavor. You cannot help but smile when Caleb joyfully sings out, “BSA! BSA! We have Fun!”.
We hope to debut our Supported Employment band and their song at our 2023 BSA Gives Thanks event in November. Who knows, maybe somehow Sir Paul McCartney will hear our rendition of his song and smile too. We’re all about dreaming BIG, right?