Opportunities workshop still here
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We live in a changing world. Those who have lived through most of the last century saw a greater change in our world then perhaps anyone has ever known. My dad was born in 1902 and died in 1998. Almost a whole century! I often thought of his life and what he saw come into reality. It boggles the mind.
Dad saw man’s mean of transportation changed greatly. I have heard him talking about his family taking trips from McMinnville to Manchester and it would take all day by horse and wagon. Now the trip can made in just a few minutes because of the automobile and better roads.
We have heard people talk about “industrialized nations.” America has for a long time been known as a leader among the Industrial Revolution. She took pride in the fact, as well she should. “Made in the USA” meant quality in workmanship and value. But we are seeing a change in the trend that was once the mainstay of American life. We are seeing more and more of our plants moving to Mexico or other countries for cheap labor.
How long has it been since we have seen employees out striking for higher wages and better benefits? I have thought many times that there would have to come a time when a limit for higher wages must be reached. Wages can’t keep going up and up and up. There has to be a limit to this madness.
With the closure of plants locally, there will be a domino effect on other institutions or businesses. Businesses which take pride in what they do. I have worked in such “business” for 35 years. The business really started more or less as an afterthought. Rayford Davis, then editor of the Southern Standard, was in conversation with a person from Century Electric. Davis asked Herbert Klasek if he could find some work at the plant that they could bring over to Gribble School for handicapped individuals who had finished school could do.
Klasek said would look into it and see what he could find. A few days later, Klasek phoned Davis with the news that he had found something handicapped could do. It was a salvage job. Pulling tape off plastic bags and putting them in packs of one hundred.
Century paid 80 cents a hundred for new bags, they paid us 40 cents a hundred to salvage them.
The workshop has moved several times and jobs have changed, but we continue to get work from the plant on Red Road. Their name has changed several times, the last name change was to A.O. Smith.
We at Opportunities, Inc. have been truly thankful for this plant and for the way they have stuck by us through the years. We would like it to be known that if there is any business that has a salvaging, sorting, or packaging done, please phone 474-8735. Or come by 105 Magness Drive. Hours: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday through Thursday.