09/18/2026
💙 Celebrating the Heart Behind the Support — Happy DSP Week! 💙
This week, we honor the compassionate, dedicated, and extraordinary Direct Support Professionals who show up every day with kindness, patience, and heart. Your support empowers lives, creates meaningful connections, and makes a lasting difference.
Here are some shout outs from the individuals, families and staff for our DSP’s in our CPS program, Thank you for all that you do, today and everyday!
❤️Don has been part of the PathWays family for an incredible 33 years, originally beginning his journey in residential services. Through changes and transitions over the years, Don found his way to our CPS family and loved it so much that he decided to stay with the Day Out Program.
Don has a unique personality and an incredible ability to work with every individual with patience, creativity, and absolutely no reservation. His ability to problem-solve, think outside the box, and overcome whatever situation comes his way makes him an invaluable member of our team. No matter what the day brings, Don has a way of figuring it out.
Of course, I can’t talk about Don without mentioning his sarcasm and humor, which keep us laughing and always keep us on our toes! He is dependable, always on time, and gets his paperwork done; which, in this field, deserves a celebration all on its own! Whew, go Don!
Above all, our clients love Don, and it is easy to see why. He brings consistency, laughter, creativity, and genuine care to the people he supports every day.
Don, thank you for 33 years of dedication, for all the laughs, and for being someone our team and clients can count on. We are so grateful to have you as part of our PathWays family.
❤️Melodie has dedicated an incredible 27 years of her life to PathWays, and her impact can be seen throughout our CPS program and beyond. She has been a staple in the day-to-day running of CPS, a driving force behind countless activities and experiences, and someone who has helped guide PathWays through both the highs and the lows.
What makes Melodie so special is her genuine desire to give back to our clients and help prepare them for the real-world situations they encounter in life. She finds purpose in helping others grow, gain independence, and experience meaningful opportunities. Her advocacy for our clients helps her CPS team deliver quality services while staying informed and focused on what matters most; the people we support.
Melodie is a strong DSP III whose versatility and experience extend across multiple programs, including residential. She has continuously demonstrated her ability to adapt, grow, and embrace change while keeping up with the ever-changing needs of our clients and our organization.
Her wit, creativity, innovative ideas, and ability to bring something new to the table add so much to both our clients and her teammates.
Melodie, thank you for your 27 years of dedication, advocacy, creativity, and your heart. It has been such a pleasure watching you evolve and grow. Not only in your position, but personally and emotionally as well. I cannot wait to see you continue to crush your goals and discover what is next for you. We are incredibly lucky to have you.
❤️Elizabeth has been part of the PathWays family for 21 years, and today I want to take a special moment to recognize her for the incredible work she has done, especially over the past three months.
Elizabeth has navigated an incredible amount of change with grace, patience, and a positive attitude. Even when things have been challenging, she has remained receptive to feedback, willing to adapt, and committed to finding a way forward. I am genuinely impressed by the way she has handled everything that has been placed in front of her.
With the loss of the Lebanon office as her usual landing space, Elizabeth could have easily allowed that disruption to become a barrier. Instead, she continued to maintain her paperwork and documentation, provide uninterrupted services, and find creative ways to make things work. She has also embraced working with a new manager and has seamlessly risen to new expectations.
As her manager, I know I have thrown a lot at Elizabeth over these past few months, and she has handled it all with grace and a willingness to learn. She has accepted feedback, implemented changes, utilized new resources, and continued to move forward without losing sight of the quality of support she provides.
Her calm approach, ability to collaboratively problem-solve, and willingness to keep growing make Elizabeth a tremendous asset to our CPS team.
Elizabeth, your dedication to our clients, PathWays, and your role as a DSP does not go unnoticed. Thank you for everything you do, for the effort you continue to put forward, and for the positive attitude you bring even when things are changing around you. You are valued, appreciated, and doing an amazing job. We are so grateful to have you on our team.
❤️Marie has graced us with her presence at PathWays for 13 wonderful years, and her dedication reaches far beyond her daily interactions with our clients. Marie understands the importance of building relationships not only with the people we support, but within the community around them.
She is a strong force when it comes to building and fostering community relationships that create meaningful opportunities for our clients. Whether she is advocating for their health and well-being, encouraging them to stay active, or helping them become more connected to the world around them, Marie consistently looks for ways to make their lives richer and more meaningful.
Marie thrives on the genuine relationships she builds with our clients and within the community. Her leadership style is warm, wholesome, and centered around connection. That approach shines through in the beautiful relationships she has created over the years.
And, of course, Marie brings something truly special to our Day Out Program, her happiness, singing, dancing, laughter, and joy! She has a wonderful way of bringing energy into a room and helping our clients feel included, valued, and excited to be part of the day.
Marie, thank you for 13 years of dedication, advocacy, compassion, and joy. You are a valuable part of our team, and the relationships you have built will continue to make a difference for our clients and our community.
❤️Beth has found her way back to us after taking some time away from PathWays, and we are so happy to have her back! Over her 4½ years with PathWays, Beth has proven herself to be a tremendous asset to our CPS team.
Beth brings great ideas, initiative, creativity, and genuine relationships with the people we support. She is always looking for new and innovative ways to involve our clients in the community and create experiences that are meaningful, engaging, and fun.
Beth has also been there through some of our tougher moments and has proven to be a strong backbone for CPS. There was a time when we were down to just one employee, and Beth and I tag-teamed to make sure our clients continued receiving services. Somehow, we even managed to pull off a major field trip to the fair! That kind of dedication says a lot about who she is.
Her unsolicited humor and sly jokes add to our days, but her heart is what makes her admirable. That she chooses to be here at PathWays at all “costs” and I mean that literally.
Her willingness to step up, her go-getter attitude, and her commitment to making things happen have contributed greatly to her continued success. One of my favorite things has been watching Beth's confidence grow as she challenges herself, takes on new responsibilities, and continues to grow into her role as a DSP II.
Beth, thank you for coming back to us, for believing in yourself, and for continuing to challenge yourself to grow. Your creativity, courage, dedication, and heart make a difference every day. We are so happy you are here, and I cannot wait to see where your continued growth takes you.
