Thursday, October 22, 2009

Woman Thrives In Her 'Dream Job'

ST. LOUIS -- A Cardinals tote bag sits at Libby Waddell's feet as she pulls a sticker off a large roll and places it on one of the hundreds of bottles of antiseptic spray. The bag holds some of her favorite things, including a crumpled picture of her and her co-workers.
The picture was taken three years ago, when she first worked at the warehouse as part of a summer program for high school graduates with disabilities. Waddell, who has Down syndrome, adored the job, where she labeled medical supplies. She begged the manager to let her stay.
Manager Jan O'Connell, long an advocate for hiring the disabled at St. John's Mercy Medical Center, also didn't want Waddell to leave.
"It worked so well," O'Connell said. "I thought, we need to make this a permanent thing."

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