GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Much like he has done for the past 50 years, Chuckie Pakanich showed up for work .
He works for ASPIRO, which provides employment for people with cognitive disabilities, but Thursday wasn’t a normal day at the office.
Every year, just before the holidays, Paul Cantwell, ASPIRO Vice President of Manufacturing, tells Fox 11 they honor one of their own.
“We celebrate service awards for individuals that have been with us five years, up to 55 years plus in our organization.”
Chuckie Pakanich has Down syndrome. He celebrated a half-century of work on Thursday.
“It’s amazing. I don’t know that there are a whole lot of people in the world today that have been 50 years on the same job,” said Gary Drzewiecki.
Drzewiecki is Chuckie’s brother-in-law.
“He looks forward to going to work every morning. He reminds us every morning, he’s a working man, and he’ll say tell the whole family, have a great day.”
For most of those 50 years, Chuckie worked in a manufacturing setting.
People in the Green Bay facility make disposable jumpsuits for the U.S. military. State case managers refer the people to ASPIRO.
Cantwell says the workers are hired and paid according to their abilities, and production level.
“This is an amazing work environment. Amazing program, where with the supports that they are offerend and receive, with our staff, and as well as their friends. It’s a great group of individuals that come together as a social group. Of course, they talk about the Green Bay Packers, the weather, so every day is something different.”
ASPIRO serves about 1300 individuals and their families each year. including Chuckie, who says he isn’t retiring any time soon.
The non-profit group ASPIRO is celebrating a milestone itself.
It has been serving people in the Greater Green Bay area for 60 years.
