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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday July 26, 2006 - 7 Presents LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER GAINING CONFIDENCE: Krista Wilson, a young woman with cerebral palsy, who is employed at MediChair Halton. Special K brings luck By William Canning SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER August 10th thru 16th! Join ·Parking Lot Bowling ·BBQ ·Face Painting ·Balloon Artist ·Clowns ·Live Band us for: ·Z103.5 Live Remote · Beer Garden ·Games · Food & Drink Samples · Mrs. Canada International Join a Fall/Win ter "Special K" is the nickname her employer has given her. It fits -- she is full of life, positive, and making people smile is first on her To Do list. Krista Wilson is a young woman who lives an ordinary life that includes work, preparing meals, doing laundry and watching TV --but in Wilson's ordinary life she also deals with the neurological disorder known as cerebral palsy. Wilson was born with the disorder 21 years ago, but it hasn't kept her down. Rather it has brought her motivation and a conviction that she can do anything the person next to her can. "I've always maintained a positive attitude, I picture myself doing what other people do...we are all living and breathing," said Wilson. She's been working at MediChair Halton for the past year and admits the job has helped her in many ways. Wilson was hired there after applying for the Ontario Disability Support Program (OSDP). She had to make a list of the top five places she'd like to work and MediChair was her top pick. She said she chose the company because its staff members were helpful when she purchased a wheelchair, and she was told that the company was considering hiring a receptionist. At first, Wilson's job consisted of shadowing other employees, becoming familiar with talking to clients on the telephone and understanding how to operate the cash register. "Everything happens for a reason, don't take things for granted, play the cards that are dealt to you and don't let anyone hold you back." Krista Wilson For Wilson it wasn't difficult. With a charismatic demeanor, soft-spoken voice and ability to make a worried person feel at ease on the other end of Graham Bell's invention, MediChair Halton owners, Kristin and David Courtney, are not only pleased with their new employee, but also picked up a Business Partner of the Year award from Goodwill in Oakville. Kristin said the firm didn't do much to receive the award, their goal was to give a special person the opportunity to experience the workplace, and "special K" was the perfect fit. "We have received much more than we've given, we are very humble, we felt we have not done a lot," said Kristin. "It's not hard to be a good employer, when you have a good employee, and we do appreciate Krista so much, we love her," said Kristin. "There are a lot of people like Krista who need the support, and in return offer a lot of support back to companies," said Kristin. Wilson has been working there about a year. She's not full time, she works two days a week and also does some work from home. Wilson, too, has nothing but praise for MediChair Halton and its positive, respectful working environment. "They treat you with a lot of respect, everyone always has smiles, we are just like one big family...it's a great atmosphere, everyone tends to keep happy," said Wilson. MediChair has made a safe working environment for Wilson ­ lowering shelves, removing chairs from offices so she can maneuver around in her wheelchair. It encourages more local companies to get involved and hire people like Wilson. This marks MediChair Halton's first time as a working partner with Goodwill and, if possible, the company will consider hiring another employee from Community Living Oakville. Working at MediChair has also been a confidence booster for Wilson who admits she took her share of teasing in high school. But those days are gone and Wilson is hoping to return to school for additional education to eventually work in the healthcare field. She said she owes much to her experience at MediChair. "It boosted my confidence, I've become more positive about myself, I've realized that if I can do this, I can do anything," said Wilson. She has also learned from simply interacting with people on the job. "I like interacting with people, you get to hear a lot of stories from the older people that are interesting, and I like making people smile," said Wilson. "Everything happens for a reason, don't take things for granted, play the cards that are dealt to you, and don't let anyone hold you back," she said. Make Plans to Join Us All Week! 3055 Dundas Street W. Mississauga 905-607-2695 www.classicbowl.com Sign up ue! Today! 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