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Last Thursday I had the privilege of spending a few hours with Mr. Tom Power, an amazing, dedicated Direct Support Professional from Danville’s Las Vegas region. On the 19th of this month, Tom will be celebrating his 30th Danville anniversary! This impressive milestone puts Tom in a pretty exclusive club of Danvillians who have been with the company for 4/5ths of our existence as a service provider to people with disabilities.
We sat down for an Italian dinner with a handful of amazing folks from our Las Vegas region that have had the privilege of working closely with Tom over the years. The food was great, but the real treat was listening to Tom reflect on the memories made and appreciating just how many lives he has touched.
I had many questions for Tom about his experiences over the years. He was gracious enough to answer them and allow me to share them with you:
Me: Tom, what does Danville mean to you?
Tom: Danville means family. I have worked with and supported so many great people over the years.
Me: What have you learned about yourself after doing this job the last 30 years?
Tom: Patience. I learned to be patient with myself and others. It’s the little things in life that make a difference and matter. Sometimes we get caught up in the big things that don’t make the difference we think they do.
Me: What is one of your favorite memories?
Tom: I will never forget the first Halloween party. When we had moved into the neighborhood, there was a lot of trepidation and concern from the neighbors. They were not excited to have a home with people with disabilities in their neighborhood. We did a lot of work to change minds and perceptions. We invited the entire neighborhood to that first Halloween party and were in complete awe when 165 neighbors showed up to support us! We had changed their minds and their hearts.
Me: How do you feel about this amazing legacy you have created?
Tom: I never had any kids of my own, but I like to think of the lives I’ve tried to impact in this job and hope that I would’ve been a pretty good parent.
Tom, you inspire us! Thank you for the incredible work you have done over the last 30 years. You are a phenomenal human being with a huge heart. You are emblematic of the spirit that each of us strives to embody every day here at Danville. Tom, you have had a remarkable impact on the lives of so many that have had the privilege of working with you – the same type of impact the best of parents have. Congratulations on 30 years!