Summer is such a fun time of year in Central Oregon. After what felt like a long winter, warmer days and sunnier skies get everyone excited about the changing seasons. We especially love summer because it means we get to resume some of the activities we don’t get to do during the colder months! Giving our clients the opportunity to enjoy their community and try new things is what makes being a part of Central Oregon Collective such a fun and rewarding experience for everyone.
Our residents and those who participate in our Community Inclusion Program (CIP) love the activities they get to do with our amazing staff! Helping our clients see that they are an important, intricate part of the community is a top priority for us. We do this by offering lots of different activities that get them out and about in Central Oregon. We interact with other community members, practice hobbies we enjoy, spend time creating, and have a ton of fun in the place we call home.
To kick the season off, we started with one of our favorite hobbies – gardening! We were so excited to set up our community garden plot at Miller’s Landing Park. There is so much we can learn from planting a garden. It’s a great way for us to practice important skills while having fun in the sunshine. We learn patience as we wait for harvest time, commitment to caring for our plants, and independence as we learn to grow food for ourselves. Clients also get to build relationships with other clients and staff as we all work together toward a common goal of creating a flourishing garden. We planted spinach, cilantro, and green beans to get things started and it’s been so fun watching everything come to life over the past few months!
Another favorite activity of ours is visiting animals! We love pets of all sizes and this spring we got to see some furry, feathery, and scaly friends we’ve never seen before! We took a trip to Prineville, Oregon to visit Gramma Rose’s Petting Zoo and it did not disappoint! From kangaroos to wallabies it’s like taking a trip all the way to Australia. All of the animals are so sweet and friendly and we couldn’t get enough of their cuteness. They’ve been so accommodating to us and we’re so grateful to be able to visit throughout the year.
There were lots of other fun activities we got to experience this summer. We went to the Deschutes County Fair, cooled off in the river on hot days, and spent lots of time riding bikes in the park. Check out all the fun photos from the rest of our summer!
We’re so lucky to live in such a beautiful place where we can find fun and adventure just about anywhere. Getting to experience it with our clients is always such a blast. This is one of the best things about the work that we do – getting to empower others to do the things they love through access and support. Because of Central Oregon Collective, they get to experience a full, enriched life and we’re so honored to be able to provide that for them. It’s what makes working with us so much more than just a job.
The time we spend together fosters meaningful relationships between caregivers and clients that leave our employees feeling a sense of fulfillment from the work that they do. We have an extensive training program to help you feel fully equipped to do that work, and we ensure that you’ll feel completely supported along the way.
If you’re looking to get away from a desk or a typical 9-5, we encourage you to consider working with us. The sky’s the limit when it comes to the activities we are able to offer our clients, and you could be going on all our awesome adventures with us! We’ve gone to local concerts, traveled to Disney, skied and snowboarded at Mt. Bachelor, and so much more. Browse our current openings and see if it sounds like the right fit for you! We’d love to have you as a part of our family.
We had an amazing Summer and we can’t wait to share what we’re up to this Fall! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on all things Central Oregon Collective.