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The Story Behind the Store

Meet Colin!

Colin Shetter, 21, has a new job and big dreams. He’s saving money to buy a car so he can take a girl on a date, buy a house with a fence, a couch, a big TV and a push mower for yardwork.

In his last year of high school, Colin enrolled in Project SEARCH in Ocala, a program that provides on-the-job-training for high schools students with disabilities. Project SEARCH is a partnership between Goodwill-Suncoast, Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Marion County Public Schools and host sites Hilton Ocala and Bridgewater Park Health and Rehabilitation Center.

“It’s just cool,” Colin says. “I thought I’d do a great job.”

And he has. During the program at the Bridgewater Park host site, Colin rotated through housekeeping, floor technician and touched briefly on maintenance before the coronavirus struck and the program was cut short.

But because of his work ethic and positive attitude, Colin made a lasting impression and was offered a position as floor technician at Bridgewater Park.

“I like doing floor tech and I like that it’s a career,” he says.

Colin has progressed to the point that he is now mentoring other Project SEARCH students, and he looks forward to moving up to a maintenance position.

“Project SEARCH trains you how to do the job, get the job, and it shows you things in life,” he says.

To make a financial donation to help others like Colin, click HERE.