This month’s Guest Blogger is Greg Kamp, Director of Marketing and Communications. He’s the #1 fan of Mary Cariola Center and the Boston Red Sox.
There is a line in my favorite movie, Field of Dreams, spoken by Terence Mann, the character played by James Earl Jones. He says to Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner), “The one constant throughout all the years…has been baseball. It reminds us of all that once was good and it could be again." So what does this have to do with a blog posted on the Mary Cariola Center website?
For marketing guys like me, I see a wonderful comparison that has come out of the darkness of the on-going COVID pandemic. In 2022, Mary Cariola Center will celebrate 73 years of serving the community in caring for and educating people with multiple complex disabilities. Since 1949, Mary Cariola Center has been the one constant. Constant and consistent in the services provided by the agency, constant through societal issues and constant as guidelines and regulations change almost daily.
Over the years, medical advancements and healthcare technology has improved tremendously--offering hope and in fact, life to thousands of children in our community. That is where Mary Cariola Center comes in by providing residential programs as well as schooling and clinical services for the children and youth who are unable to be served by traditional services. That has been a constant—when the community needs us, Mary Cariola Center is there.
So what about this part- “it reminds us of all that once was good and it could be again.” Let’s face it; it has been a very difficult 19 months. COVID has affected nearly every aspect of our lives. Our personal and professional lives have been turned upside down. We’ve been through lockdowns, masking, social distancing, testing, yes to vaccines and no to vaccines, booster shots, personal loss, job loss, rising prices at grocery stores, Zoom fatigue and so much more. Though all of this the staff at Mary Cariola Center has continued to provide the highest quality services with dedication and commitment to those we serve.
The fact is, it has been amazing that through COVID the staff has gone above and beyond their already above and beyond work. There was never a doubt that the services provided by the agency wouldn’t be offered because of COVID—it was just a matter of how. That’s where the innovation of the staff in the residences and in school proved once again that, nothing is impossible. Sure, it hasn’t all been easy and there were and continue to be challenges at every step—but that has not detoured an innovative and selfless team.
Battling through COVID, the team at Mary Cariola Center, from six residences and three school campuses reminds us all of “what was once good and could be again.” I truly believe that the good work being done here reminds us of all that is good and will be again in a post COVID world. Because of crisis, we’ve learned how to do things more efficiently and effectively, we’ve made an impact on those we serve through innovation and creativity and we’re all better for it. While there are many lessons to be learned through a global pandemic in the space that Mary Cariola Center occupies, the lessons are good and show us what could be again and even better. Cariola is shining brightly.
If any of this resonates with you I hope you will tell your family and friends. Let them know that they too can be part of a remarkable agency with a simple click on the jobs page. We welcome all and offer you the opportunity to transform the lives of people with disabilities.
