The College Experience would like to offer our congratulatory wishes to the participants of the Day Community Opportunities Program (DCOP). They had their annual awards ceremony on the date of Friday, June 3, 2022, at the large pavilion located within Elm Avenue Park; 261 Elm Avenue; Delmar, NY 12054. This event is quite special not just because it honors those participants who have made strides within the DCOP but because this is the first time in two years this event has been held. It is just another harbinger that things are inching back to the Old Normal with continuous momentum. Living Resources continues to take all the necessary precautions in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The case and hospitalization numbers have been low enough throughout New York State to justify this event returning like a summer phoenix!

It was not possible for every one of the College Experience employees to attend the festivities at Elm Avenue Park. On the other hand, it was feasible for one of the staff to come down to Elm Avenue Park toward the end to present a bouquet of yellow roses to hand out to the DCOP participants. It was requested that special priority be given to those who did not receive an award this year despite their incremental improvements. We will have this ceremony every year, and chances are that the remaining participants will eventually be recognized for their hard work with public acknowledgment. But these roses are just a reminder that all the participants have something to be proud of and celebrate!

We have presented photographs of the DCOP staff of (from left to right) Heather Gregory and Jessica Spencer accepting this token of our appreciation from the College Experience and handing them out to deserving individuals in the van. We hope the DCOP participants and everyone at Living Resources has a beautiful summer! This counts as a good start, however.