MO State HS Sports

KWOS Person You Should Know

KWOS / UNITED WAY / Jefferson Bank Person You Should Know /Austin Petersen & John Marsh  

October 22, 2021

  • THIS person has lived from coast to coast! Born in New York, moved to California, moved to Missouri to attend a NEW college / Evangel College in Springfield, Missouri at the age of 25. Finished with a BS at Drury College with a degree in Elementary Ed with emphasis in Special Education.  AND … a Masters in Elementary Administration.  Married 53 years … YES … 53 years … has three married sons and five grandchildren.
  • This person worked for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for 32 years. AND prior to that was a teacher and principal at the State School for Severely Handicapped in Springfield, Missouri.  AND later moved to JCMO to the Central Office as Supervisor and was privileged to serve on a committee to establish Sheltered Workshops in Missouri.
  • Favorite quote, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone was as happy to go to work as the special needs workers are?”
  • **Little known fact … this person not only worked with BUT was instrumental in the hiring of the first Executive Director of the JCMO Sheltered Workshop. (see note below)  OH … and THIS person donned the RED SANTA suit for the Capital Projects Christmas season for around 15 years … and he LOVED to keep it secret … he did not want the employees to know it was him.
  • Favorite part of this person’s day is interacting with the workers at the Sheltered Workshop … “they brighten my day!”
  • This person’s primary duties include working with teachers to prepare students for Sheltered Workshops and has been doing this since 1973 when first established here in JCMO.

WHO IS THIS PERSON YOU SHOULD KNOW?  It is Arthur “Alex” Alexiou , volunteer, Capitol Projects, Capitol Projects is a United Way Partner Agency. 

Tami Bock, current Capitol Projects Director remembers Mr. Alexiou as Santa. He would dress at the WORKSHOP and make his grand entrance.   Mr. Alexiou talked to each and every employee and took time to listen to what they had to tell him!  Many of the students had attended the State School where he had been Principal, so he knew many things about their lives … making him a MORE believable Santa.  His heart is huge and he would do anything for the Capitol Projects employees.

 

What is a Sheltered Workshop?  Captiol Projects is a sheltered workshop located here in JCMO at 2001 East McCarty Street – it was established in 1973. (**ON the 50th anniversary of Capitol Projects, the building was renamed, the Kenneth Wagner Building – Ken Wagner was the original Executive Director for 35 years / referred to by Alex above.) Their mission is to provide meaningful and dignified employment for people with disabilities in Cole County and surrounding communities.

 

Scholastics is a primary “client” of Capitol Projects and utilizes their services to shrink wrap new books and pack boxes of books for shipping.  Capitol Projects employs around 100 people with mental and physical disabilities and contracts with more than 25 local businesses for their services.  If you wish to learn more, contact Capitol Projects at 573-634-3660.

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