As part of the Partnership with Purpose event series, Green Valley Enterprises (GVE), a division of Opportunities, Inc. recently teamed up with John Deere in Horicon to co-host a unique and exciting “Gator Experience” event on Friday, June 20th on the campus of their Beaver Dam location. John Deere supplied Gator all-terrain vehicles, skilled drivers and a small obstacle course for the event. Participants with diverse abilities were offered the experience to enjoy the Gators at their own comfort level. Some individuals chose to observe, some chose a low-terrain ride, and others enjoyed a high-terrain ride. GVE also welcomed special guests Cassandra Schmidt and Tracy Propst of the Beaver Dam Area Chamber of Commerce and Larry Lange of the Opportunities, Inc. board of directors and retired John Deere engineer to join the experience. From start to finish, the event delivered joy and meaningful engagement to everyone in attendance.
“Nothing warmed my heart more than seeing all the smiling faces, listening to all the cheers as their friends went by, and hearing the feedback from the John Deere team who really cherished the time they got to spend together with the Green Valley team members,” shared Brian Peason, Gator Product Engineering Manager. “Our John Deere team also got to see the talented Green Valley team at work on the assembly line for our Home Maintenance Kits. I received nothing but positive feedback from our entire John Deere team!”
Workers with diverse abilities co-pack John Deere Home Maintenance Kits at the GVE Beaver Dam location giving individuals a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem that comes with meaningful work. After the “Gator Experience”, GVE team members proudly showcased the Home Maintenance Kits assembly line to John Deere employees, highlighting specific job duties and quality standards.
Jason Frey, Vice President and COO of Opportunities, Inc. reflected on the day, “The Gator Experience and the opportunity for the John Deere team to get a ‘behind-the-scenes’ look at the Home Maintenance Kit line in action is a true testament to the strong relationship we enjoy with our John Deere partner who has continuously supported our mission for nearly 30 years!”
GVE is looking forward to future collaborations with the John Deere Horicon team. Opportunities, Inc. values community relationships, if you are interested in business tours, education, or outreach to employ, enrich, and advance people with diverse abilities, please contact Jen Pinnow at jpinnow@oppinc.com, or calling 920.563.2437 ext. 4217 or visit our website www.oppinc.com for more information.
