Gateway Resources welcomed the community through its doors on Thursday, May 29, for its annual Open House, Art Show, and Bake Sale — an event that shines a spotlight on the creativity and talents of its participants while offering a behind-the-scenes look at the organization’s daily operations.
The bake sale was made possible through the generosity of the community, staff, and their families.
“We have such an amazing community. That we just put out the request for bake sales and items just showed up, and a lot of staff and a lot of families helped to bake for our bake sale,” Nelson explained.
Proceeds from the bake sale go directly toward supporting Gateway’s operations.
“These funds go into Gateway’s operations to be able to replenish supplies or activities that we might need,” she said.
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Hidden talents on display
The art show featured a diverse range of work created by Gateway’s participants, including paintings, paper birds suspended from the ceiling, papier-mâché pieces, and other mixed art.
“We have so many talented and creative participants that we want to be able to showcase their work. As staff, we get to see their art and their creativity all the time, and we use this as an opportunity so everyone can see the creativity that comes out of people,” said Nelson.
She emphasized that the event gives staff a chance to “embrace everybody’s abilities” and offer an outlet for talents not often seen in day-to-day activities.
“We want to have the opportunity to showcase everyone's talents. Often, we do a lot of recycling, we do a lot of building of pallets and crates. We are in the community supporting people every day, walking alongside them, doing everything that we do, but we don't get to showcase the creativity very often. And so, this is the one time of year that we can really do that,” she said.
A cherished day in the facility
For participants, the day is more than just a celebration — it’s something they look forward to long in advance.
“Next week they're going to start thinking about what they might do next year, and then I usually only get told later so that I can be surprised, just like everybody else,” Nelson laughed.
A chance to learn about Gateway
Tours of Gateway’s facilities were also part of the day’s events. Guests visited the main building’s recycling processing area, day program rooms, and woodworking space.
“We toured our main building, which shows off the recycling processing area, our day program space where we offer educational opportunities and life skills opportunities, and then we went to our wood recycling depot... where we make pallets and crates for a variety of businesses,” she said.
Growth in the wood program
The wood program has seen steady growth, prompting a recent expansion to meet demand and ensure a safe, spacious environment.
“Our wood room program continues to grow... It was getting to the point where it was just a little bit too full to be able to continue to offer these opportunities as new people were starting to join our program, and we wanted to be able to keep up with the demands of our customers and maintain a space that wasn't overcrowded for safety," said Nelson.
The expanded space includes new tools and increased production capacity.
Thanks to the community
Nelson expressed appreciation for the community’s involvement in the event and emphasized the importance of continuing to open their doors for others to see the meaningful work happening at Gateway.
“We love hosting the open house because it gives a chance for the community to come in and see all of the things that we do, and the participants love to showcase and tell everyone about what they do at Gateway. So, if you didn't come this year, come next year,” she said.
Learn more about Gateway Resources here.
