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Deser t Haven Enterpr ises, Inc . 43437 Cope land C irc le Lancaster , CA 93535
First Half issue
Jul– Dec 2016-2017
Desert Haven Wants...
Accredited Agency
Commission on Accreditation of
Rehabilitation Facilities
Desert Enterprise
CHECK OUT WHAT’S INSIDE... Desert Haven Enterpr ises Serv ing persons wi th developmental d isabi l i t ies s ince 1954
On July 7, 2016, the Antelope Valley lost a pillar of the community and Desert Haven lost a piece of the heart and soul of the organization with the passing of Lou Bozigian. Lou became involved with Desert Haven in 1958, when his daughter Caren was very young. Tragically, Caren was severely injured in a car accident in 1956 at just nine months of age. In the early days, Desert Ha-ven operated as a pre-school for children with developmental disabilities, pre-paring them to make the transition into kindergarten. It was the perfect fit for young Caren Bozigian and the start of a lifetime commitment for Lou and his wife Nellie, who became a driving force behind the organization since his elec-tion to his first term as board president in 1958.
In the 56 years that followed, Lou continued on the board of directors, serving as president 10 times for a total of 20 years, as well as a number of terms as Secretary/Treasurer. In 1977 Lou chaired the first Desert Haven Benefit Auc-tion, raising some $20,000 in its first year to an unsurpassed record $306,000 in 1990. Continuing as the chairman for the succeeding 15 years, the Desert Haven Auction grew to become the premiere fundraising event in the Antelope Valley, raising some $4 million for the organization over its 29 year history. In
recent years, Lou strategized and created the donor wall, becoming the first member of the President's Circle of Honor, having donated a gift of $25,000 in memory of his beloved wife Nellie and their wonderful life together and their precious daughter Caren.
Lou Bozigian had a long-standing reputation for community involvement and leadership throughout the Antelope Valley. For many, many years, Lou and his brother Ralph were the owner/brokers of an extremely successful real estate business, Coldwell Banker-Bozigian Realty. Lou served as a City of Lancaster Mayor, Vice-Mayor, City Council Member, School Board Member for the AVUHSD, and Planning Commissioner. He also served and sup-ported the American Cancer Society, the AV Sheriff's Boosters, and was seated as the President of the Lancaster Performing Arts Foundation for some 25 years. Many sites throughout the City bear his name, including the Board Room at DH Enterprises, the football stadium at Lancaster High School, and the Black Box at LPAC. One could not even count the awards he received over the years for his generous service to the people of the Antelope Valley, L.A. County, and the State of California.
In 2014, Lou was appointed Director Emeritus by the Desert Haven Board of Directors and was honored by the organization with the Henstra Lifetime Achievement Award, for his many years of dedication and service to the organization, and more importantly, to those with developmental disabilities. Despite moving to Valencia to be close to his family, Lou remained connected to and involved with Desert Haven until his death. While his passing leaves a tremendous void in the hearts of all of us, who were so fortunate to call him our friend, it is important that we continue to build upon the legacy of service and support that he so generously set before us here at the house that, in so many respects, Lou built...Desert Haven Enterprises, Inc.
Board Officers: Dr. Harry Taylor
President
Dennis Davenport
Vice-President
Laurie Formentera
Secretary/Treasurer
Board of Directors:
Jeff Clark Tom Fuller Alan Kreps
Rosemary Mann Steve Paulson Sandy Price
Shannon Santamaria
Executive Director:
Jenni Moran
Interested in support-ing the mission of DHE by employing those whom we serve, donating your time or financial resources, or joining our team as an employee...
Call us today 661-948-8402
YOU!
T H E B O Z I G I A N F A M I L Y T R A D I T I O N C O N T I N U E S
One of the many significant matters discussed by administration and the Board of Directors over the years was the im-portance of carrying on Lou’s legacy at Desert Haven Enterprises, not just in terms of developing and improving programs for those whom we serve; or maintaining excellence, integrity, and prudence in operating the business in a responsible manner; or even in terms of fundraising, which was one of Lou’s greatest strengths, to ensure the survival of the organiza-tion in challenging times. All of these factors were and still are a given.
The leadership of DHE, felt very strongly that it was critically important to continue to have repre-sentation from the Bozigian family on the Board, to assist in carrying the torch of selfless service on behalf of persons with disabilities, as Lou had done for nearly 60 years. Lou and DH Executive Director Jenni Moran had discussed it on many occasions and she knew just who to pursue.
To that end, we are very fortunate to now have serving on our Board of Directors, Dr. Jeff Clark, co-owner of AV Optometric Center and grandson of the late Lou Bozigian. He not only is bright and well-respected within the community, he, like Lou, is passionate about the mission of this organization and is fully committed to ensuring that the legacy of Lou and the success of Desert Haven Enterprises, and more importantly, those whom we serve, continues well beyond another 60+ years! We thank Jeff and the entire Bozigian Family for their overwhelming generosity and countless years of service to DHE and all persons with developmental disabilities!
The Legacy of Lou Bozigian Shall Live On at DHE
Page 2 DESERT ENTERPRISE
How are we doing?...Keeping a finger on the pulse of our consumers
Following is a summary of performance in DHE’s key program areas, based upon a review of data for the first half of the 2016-17 fiscal year:
Grand Sponsor: Wells Fargo Bank
Gold Sponsors: Ally Bank; City of Lancaster; Dennis and Cyndee Daven-port; Tom and Leslie Fuller; Hunter Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Fiat Alpha Romero; Lance Campers; SC Fuels; Valyermo Ranch
Silver Sponsors: AMPS Insurance Services; Antelope Valley Optometric Center; Melissa Sullivan and Tina Autry/ATB Travel; California Compac-tion Corporation; Steve Bordeleau/Click it Event Photography; Mike and Valerie Hoffman; iLead School; Insurance Associates; Larry and Trish Jones; Law Offices of Lisa Pacione; Jim and Jenni Moran; The Outlaw Chefs; Sierra Toyota; US Bank; Westside Auto Body
Bronze Sponsor: AV Auto Care; AV Chevrolet; AV College; AV Mayol Enterprises; AVTA; Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Troth Realtors; Burkey, Cox, Evans, and Bradford; Camille’s Sidewalk Café; CIS Services LLC; Councilman Fred Thompson; Bob Kefauver; Ken and Rosemary Mann; Mission Bank; Mountain Brook Ranch; George Stevens/NLACRC; Pavement Recycling Systems; Pensionmark; Robertson’s Palmdale Hon-da; Harry and Lynda Taylor; Craig and Marta VanDam; Visco Financial Insurance Services; Ya Yas
Friends of Desert Haven Sponsor/Donor: Affordable Tire; All About Fitness;
AMPS Insurance; Antelope Valley Fair; Antelope Valley Florist; Antelope Valley Press; Antelope Valley Winery; Aquarium of the Pacific; Linda Ascencio; ATB Travel; Tina Autry; AV Furniture; AVTA; John Bigler; BLVD Cinemas; Steve Bordeleau; Bravery Brewery; Broken Bit Steakhouse; Care Pest Solutons; Casa Bella; Sherry Chase Mary Kay; City of Lancaster; City of Palmdale; Cost Cutters; Critical Car Care; Richard and Margo Curtin; Dennis and Cyndee Davenport; DebDino’s Raggedy Rose; Europa; Cheryl Fletcher; Tom and Leslie Fuller; Hair Designs by Sally; High Desert Broadcasting; Hit Machine; Valerie and Mike Hoffman; Frank and Cheryl Hughes; HW Hunter Dodge, Inc.; Larry and Trish Jones; Bob Kefauver; Kinetic Brew-ery; LAMAR Advertising; Lancaster JetHawks; Lancaster Performing Arts Center; Law Offices of Lisa Pacione; Lemon Leaf Café; Los Angeles Philharmonic; Lucky Lukes Brewing Company; Malhi’s Indian Cuisine; Ken and Rosemary Mann; Minute-man Press; The Marco and Sandra Johnson Foundation; Nails by Shelby; Lynn Mathis; Outback Steakhouse; The Outlaw Chefs; Panache; Rancho Vista Golf Club; PRCA California Circuit Finals Rodeo; Rocket Fizz; Roundtable Pizza; SC Fuels; Justin Sorsabal - Dignified Home Loans; Sottile Family; Spotlight Photo Booth; Melis-sa Sullivan; The Hidden Cove Spa; Time Warner; Trade Supplies; Transplants Brew-ing Company; Tupperware by Margo Curtin; Vincent Hill Station; Visco Financial Insurance Services; Waste Management; Terrie Lei Wheeler; Whole Wheatery
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!!
Work Readiness Services: Food Service, Housekeeping, and Off-Site
Hab Crews
Sixty-two percent of consumers placed in the Work Readiness
program were trained on jobs new to them.
The availabilty of paid work averaged 69% for all consumers in
the Work Readiness program.
A total of thirty-nine off-site hab crews were developed or ex-
panded in the first half of the fiscal year.
Two consumers obtained individual, community-based employ-
ment from the Work Readiness Program during this review period
One hundred percent of consumers placed in the Work Readi-
ness program expressed satisfaction with DHE’s services, as did 100% of the customers utilizing the off-site hab crew service.
Community Employment Services: Supported Employment - Individual Placement
A total of 2.4 individual placements were achieved for the first
half of the year for consumers seeking community employment.
Hourly earnings exceeded minimum wage with an average of
$10.27 per hour for consumers in individual placement.
One consumer working within the community transitioned into
competitive employment status this review period.
Consumers within active job search averaged 8.0 months of job
seeking prior to placement.
One hundred percent of responding consumers placed in
program expressed satisfaction with DHE’s services, as did 100% of employers responding to the survey.
Day Training Activity Services: Project Independence
Thirty-one percent of consumers in the DTAC program achieved individual ISP/IPP goals.
One consumer graduated from the DTAC program into the Work Readiness Program for vocational training.
Consumers had opportunity to participate in a total of 69 meaningful and diversified community outings.
Twenty-four percent of consumers in the DTAC program demonstrated skill acquisition and retention in a key area.
One hundred percent of consumers placed in program expressed satisfaction with the services offered.
MUCHAS GRACIAS BAJA BASH SPONSORS
CA STATE SENATOR SCOTT WILK SUPPORTS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Scott Wilk is no stranger to the
Antelope Valley, nor to the State of
California, nor is he a stranger to the
system of services and supports to persons with devel-opmental
disabilities.
Born and raised in the
Antelope Valley, Senator Wilk now resides in Santa Clarita, where he was elect-ed in 2012 to represent the 38th
Assembly District.
As an Assemblyman, Wilk gained an understanding of the erosion of the Lanterman Act and the crumbling away of services and supports for persons with developmental disabilities as a result of years of rate
cuts, freezes, and gross underfunding of the system by the State of California. Having seen the tragic impact on the
disability community, he signed Senator Jim Beall’s letter, urging a 10% across-the-board increase for developmental
services and vowed to continue the fight for better rates.
Recently, Wilk was elected to fill the seat vacated by the late Senator Sharon Runner. In very short order, he again
has demonstrated his care for the disability community, authoring Senate Bill 283, a measure which will allow young
Californians who have suffered a traumatic brain injury, between ages 18 and 22, to access regional center disabil-
ity services. Currently, these services are unavailable in California if the disability occurs after the age of 18.
DHE applauds Senator Wilk’s ongoing demonstration of support for the disability community!
FIRST HALF ISSUE
Page 3
The Baja Bash Committee outdid itself once again, as the fifth annual "Viva La Fiesta" Baja Bash, received rave reviews from the hundreds of satisfied Desert Haven supporters having attended the event that raised some $100,000 for the organization. On a lovely evening in September, under an absolutely gorgeous desert sky at La Plaza on the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, the Bash certainly did not disappoint! Excited guests enjoyed the musical stylings of the Hit Machine; dined on delicious Puerto Nuevo-style barbecue of lobster or tri-tip, perfectly prepared by the renowned Outlaw Chefs and served by our very own DHE consum-ers; and bid feverishly on an incredible lineup of outstanding auction items. From exotic getaways to incredible dining and enter-tainment packages, Auctioneer Extraordinaire Shawne Chamberlin brought his A-game, bringing thousands of dollars into the coffers of Desert Haven Enterprises during the bidding frenzy of the live auction portion of the event. It was truly a party to re-member and put a resounding exclamation point on the end of another fantastic summer here in the High Desert.
Many thanks to Leslie and Tom Fuller and the entire Baja Bash Committee. This event simply would not be possible were it not for the members of this dynamic group of hard-working individuals, dedicated to furthering the mission of Desert Haven Enterpris-es on behalf of persons with developmental disabilities. We can hardly wait until next year!!!
NEW JOBS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY
The following employers have recently hired consumers into regular jobs within their business:
Enterprise Rent-A-Car (Lancaster) Service Attendant
Party City (Palmdale) Seasonal Sales Associate
Please show your appreciation to these businesses for supporting persons with developmental disabilities in
achieving their career aspirations.
FIFTH ANNUAL BAJA BASH: ANOTHER SMASHING SUCCESS!
Valerie Hoffman Cheryl Hughes
Larry Jones Trish Jones
Shelby Mathis Margo Romero
David Stark
2016 BAJA BASH COMMITTEE
Check out our website at www.deserthaven.org and watch for details
on the Governor’s proposed budget and possible impacts on services in FY 17-18.
Make your voices heard!
Senator Scott Wilk 848 W. Lancaster Blvd. Lancaster, CA 93534
(661) 729-6232
Governor Jerry Brown State Capitol, Suite 1173 Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 445-2841
Assemblyman Tom Lackey 41319 12th St. W, Suite 105
Palmdale, CA 93551 (661) 267-7636
Desert Haven Enterprises 43437 Copeland Circle Lancaster, CA 93535
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY STAFF MEMBERS:
Becky Dillon 28 years Jenni Moran 28 years Lisa Enos 19 years Scott King 19 years Alberto Saldivar 15 years Kathleen Miller 14 years Mary Lou Montoya 14 years William Schaeffer 14 years Shelley Runner 14 years Anne Heine 12 years Lorraine McKesson 12 years Jeffery Whiteford 11 years Angela Roberson 11 years Lisa Cooper 11 years Joe E. Martinez 10 years Patricia MacGregor 10 years Tiffany Russell 10 years Leticia Cambaliza 9 years David Gonzalez, Sr. 9 years Rebekah Young 9 years Amy Jones 7 years Belinda Gonzalez 7 years Beverly O’Neal 7 years Deborah Petty 7 years Patricia Urice 7 years Lisa Garrison 6 years Roxanna Hernandez 6 years Deborah (Deb) Merritt 6 years Christine Glover 5 years Cathy Mendoza 5 years Rosa Andrade 4 years Paulette Payne 4 years Wendy Vasquez 4 years Antonio Bryant 4 years Erika Pasley 3 years Robin Whitt 3 years Danette Bronson 3 years Kristy Waters 3 years Dolly Palacios 2 years Tamika Thorns 2 years Salvador (Sal) Sanchez 2 years Tammy Griffin 1 year Jama Briana Hafer 1 year Kalisha Claiborne 1 year Ann Rita Watson 1 year Elba Alvarado 1 year Ashley Brown 1 year Marie Campos 1 year Teresa Crayton 1 year Pascha Miller 1 year Carol Rawlins 1 year Michele Trapani 1 year Vicki Mayer 1 year
DHE HISTORY
DHE was begun in 1954 when parents Jack and Luella Henstra placed an
advertisement in the local newspaper seeking a playmate for their son who had
mental retardation as a result of meningitis. A small group of parents, led by the
Henstra’s, established the Desert Haven Preschool and the rest, as they say, is
history.
CARF ACCREDITATION
DHE last participated in the CARF accreditation survey in April 2015,
receiving a three-year accreditation. Interested persons may review the most recent CARF survey by contacting the CARF Coordinator, Executive Director
Jenni Moran @ 948-8402.
OUR MISSION
Desert Haven Enterprises, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization
dedicated to developing, enhancing, and promoting the capabilities of
persons with developmental disabilities.
The primary objective of the agency is to enable persons served to max-imize their potential to become inde-pendent, self-sufficient, and partici-pating members of their community
through pre-vocational and vocational training, independent living and com-munity skills training, job placement, community-based employment, and
supportive services.
NEW CREWS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY
The following companies and corporations have recently contracted with DHE for the listed services within their business:
Off-Site Habilitation Crews
Bang Printing Grounds Maintenance Crew
City of Lancaster Golf Center Cleanup Crew Vacant Homes Cleanout Crew Board Up Crew
City of Rosamond Sidewalk Planter Cleanout Crew
Edwards Air Force Base Grounds Maintenance/Pest Svc Crew
Ironwood Properties Pressure Wash Crew
Lancaster Body & Frame Plant Installation Crew
Michaels Stores
Corporate Plastic Light Repack Crew SKU Overlabel Crew UPC Check Crew Pom Pom Maker Overlabel Crew SKU Replacement Crew
Pacific Western Millworks Janitorial Crew
Private Residences (11) Grounds Maintenance Crew
*11 more residences
Valley Oasis Janitorial Crew
w
Thank you for entrusting your business to us!!! Arbor