BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Words such as “consumers” or “clients” are used to describe those who receive services from the Arc of Bradford County, but John Williams has a word that’s more apt, considering the relationship he enjoys with them.
“I tell people, ‘Really, these are my friends.” These are the people who teach me the most valuable lessons about life,” Williams said. “While I’m providing a service in my role, they’re also people I care deeply about.”
Williams is the Arc of Bradford’s new executive director, taking over for Sherry Ruszkowski, who retired after serving in that role for 17 years. He worked previously at the Arc of Putnam County, where he spent more than 10 years.
“After much discussion with my family and just kind of talking with Sherry and talking about the agency, I felt like it was a good move at the right time,” Williams said. “I’m excited to be here and look forward to the future and all the things we can do here.”
Prior to working for the Arc in Putnam, Williams was involved with various nonprofits, always working in the social-services arena. His experiences included working in the inner city of Atlanta to working in other countries.
The organizations and their locations may have been different, but they were also the same.
“People are people,” Williams said. “It doesn’t matter what they look like. It doesn’t matter where they’re from. It doesn’t matter who they are or what abilities they have. You’re going to find the same type of people groups in every location, whether it’s Atlanta, Bradford County or Putnam County. You have people who want to help. You have people who need help.”
Williams has always had a heart for helping others, especially those who may get overlooked to some extent.
“I remember when I interviewed for the position in Putnam, the question was asked, ‘Why do you want to work with people with disabilities?’ My response was, ‘I’ve always dreamed of either working with people with disabilities or people who are aging and need additional support.’ I think a lot of times, those segments of the population are maybe not neglected, but they’re not as frequently thought about and supported,” Williams said. “That’s always been a passion of mine, to work with people who may not look like me or act like me or have the same abilities as me, but they definitely have something to offer to the community at large.”
Williams’ first role at the Arc of Putnam was transporting and supervising a mobile work crew. At that time, the Arc had a contract to provide custodial services at St. Johns River State College. Williams said he liked taking consumers into the community, adding, “I think for me, it was just being able to show, ‘Hey. While the people who (the Arc is) working with may not look like you, and they may not have the same abilities that you have, they’re just as capable of being a part of our community and having valued roles in our community.’”
Arc consumers — those with intellectual and developmental disabilities — tend to make great employees, Williams said, adding that they’re dependable and less likely to leave for another job.
“They’re excited and want to be there,” Williams said. “They want to work. They oftentimes stay at the job for 20, 30, 40 years because they’re good at it, and they’re dedicated. They’re very loyal to businesses that give them the chance to go to work.”
After three years of working with the work crew, Williams moved into a managerial role with the Arc of Putnam in which he provided mental-health services. He was later elevated to overseeing one of the agency’s day programs. He did that for a few years before moving into the administrative office.
Now that he’s at the Arc of Bradford, Williams said a focus of his will be engaging the community and finding ways in which the Arc can be an active part of it.
“I think a lot of times when people are approaching agencies like ours, there’s the mindset of, ‘What can the community do for our agency?’ There is a lot the community can do for our agency,” Williams said, “but it should be a reciprocal relationship. It’s not just what the community can do for us, but it’s what we can do for the community as well.”
It wouldn’t be a new endeavor for those who receive services through the Arc of Bradford. They’ve helped the community in the past and are doing so right now. For example, some of the consumers, as part of the Aktion Club, which is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Starke, recently held a car wash to raise funds to buy Christmas presents for children who are homeless.
“Some of the most compassionate people you’ll ever meet are the people who we serve,” Williams said, adding, “While they may need support sometimes, they truly do want to be a part of the community and want to help others in need. I think that is a lesson we can all learn from individuals here at the Arc.”
Williams spent part of his childhood in Keystone Heights and lives there today with his wife, Kayleigh, who is the assistant principal at Keystone Heights Elementary School. They have two daughters who are 4 and 2.
As you can imagine, much of Williams’ time when he’s not at the Arc is spent with his children.
“Right now, the things that I enjoy doing really revolve around my kids,” he said.
Williams said his daughters are the joy of his life, but he’s fortunate in that he experiences joy both at home and work. He talked of how he could walk into one of the day programs at the Arc of Putnam every day and always have consumers come running up to greet him.
“They were just excited to see me,” Williams said. “That kind of excitement is contagious. You don’t go home feeling unloved.”
That’s the great thing about working with Arc consumers.
Better yet, that’s the great thing about working with friends.
