WORTHINGTON -- For 50 years, the Nobles County Developmental Achievement Center has provided vocational services for the region's disabled residents.
To celebrate the milestone, an open house is planned for 2 to 5 p.m. today in the newly remodeled DAC facility, located at 2121 Nobles St.
"We're an adult service provider for people with physical and mental challenges," explained DAC Director Bob Schreiber. "We provide vocational training and teach skills along those lines so they can grow in their abilities and earn a paycheck."
Typically, the DAC consumers work a six-hour day, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Transportation is provided, bringing the workers from the region around Worthington, not just in Nobles County.
"We have contract work we bring into the center, and we also have a community-based employment program," Schreiber said.
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The in-house work is generally assembly-type tasks, contracted by area industries. For the community-based employment, the DAC workers go out into the community to do janitorial and housekeeping duties, including at local motels and businesses.
"We start them with in-house work, and as they grow in the program, then they work into community-based employment at some juncture," Schreiber said.
During the open house, attendees will be able to see some of the tasks that get completed at the DAC, as well as the results of the recent remodeling.
"We've added new doors and windows, and painted the entire inside of the facility," noted Schreiber. "The staff has just gone hog wild over it, and we've gotten good comments from the social workers. It's really remarkably different."
