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Timothy and Rachel Long are a Power Team

By Carolyn Sutton

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Timothy and Rachel Caylor Long – not just any couple, but a couple who has excelled in the workplace and community with a stellar and dedicated call to service. Timothy and Rachel have accomplished more in one month than many of us have done in a year's time. Timothy and Rachel are proven movers and shakers for equality and ensuring essential provisions are met for the Special Needs communities of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

Congratulations to Timothy for being named the August 2020 Global Connections to Employment (GCE) Employee of the Month. In July, he had an opportunity to prove himself to be a leader. In the absence of the Scullery Supervisor, Timothy accepted the temporary vacant position with selfless professionalism and showed the ability to lead his team with excellence and pure enthusiasm.

Timothy achieved work production successes, despite this difficult time of COVID-19. He dealt with manpower shortages and many changes in personnel scheduling, not to mention equipment hiccups. His GCE Supervisor, Paul Markham, told Timothy's Job Coach Carolyn Sutton that he consistently demonstrated his ability to handle himself in adverse situations. He is also on the Emergency Safety Team, a selected position he qualified for by logged in 10 training hours. The galley is very impressed and proud to announce him as their Employee of the Month.  Markham said, “Timothy is a true team member who carries lots of positive energy. The way Timothy has performed throughout August 2020 shows his hard work, sincerity, and perseverance. Timothy has proven he’s ready for future added duties and responsibilities.”

Rachel has been employed by Walmart for nearly 13 years and has received many job recognitions of her own. In 2019, she was recognized by the President and CEO of Walmart! He made a local store visit, when he personally awarded her with a “Lifetime Ambassadorship” for being an Advocate for Persons with Disabilities. Also, congratulations to Rachel for being elected as the 2020 President of the Kiwanis Club of Santa Rosa County. She will be responsible for conducting meaningful club meetings with an agenda, membership drives, retreats, and reporting to the District and National Kiwanis Club offices for further guidance and quality assurance reporting. Rachel has an unquestionable zest to see that all people have the highest quality of life despite their disability or as she would call it, their “cool abilities.”

Some of Rachel’s most notable accomplishments include: Co-Founder and past Administrative Assistant for Empowerment Parent Resource Center, past Board member and Vice Chair of Project Empower (a faith-based resource organization), children's church teacher, persons with disability teacher church group leader, Project Search Board member, Special Olympics Vice-Chair (local chapter), tutor assistant for Pensacola State College Adult Education department (of which she is also a part-time student), various speaking engagements advocating for special needs citizens across the state, and, lastly, she is currently a Mentee-in-Training while she works toward her long-term goal of becoming an entrepreneur.

Timothy and Rachel say they are made whole and are better people due to the faith they have in God, and the respect and adoration they have for each other. They also give credit for their success to a strong personal support team, to include their parents, pastors, employment supervisors, Job Coaches, and their most trusted friend and Life Coach, Paul Vincent. Both say it is their faith and spiritual belief that keeps them grounded and still together, advocating and assisting in making their workplace and community a better place for all. 

APD supports people with developmental disabilities to live, learn, and work in their communities. The agency annually serves more than 55,000 Floridians with autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, intellectual disabilities, Down syndrome, Phelan-McDermid syndrome, and Prader-Willi syndrome. For more information about the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, visit apdcares.org or call toll free 1-866-APD-CARES (1-866-273-2273).