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Patrick Wirth honored for 18 years of service

MELBOURNE — For 18 years, Patrick Wirth has been a familiar face that greets customers at the Goodwill store in Melbourne. He was recently recognized with an award for his longstanding service to Goodwill.

Wirth is described as a fun-loving, pleasant guy by his supervisor, store general manager Lee Ciccone.

"Patrick likes to joke around. He is very helpful and wants to make sure the customers find what they need. He is also mindful of how the store looks and its upkeep," Ciccone says.

Wirth has developmental disabilities and is a customer of Florida's Agency for Persons with Disabilities. October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a time when APD and other agencies highlight the contributions of people with disabilities to the workforce.

Wirth is responsible for the Goodwill store's appearance. He does sweeping, dusting, vacuuming and other custodial tasks. He uses the alarm on his watch to help keep him on task.

"I love this job and the people here a lot. The reason is I am an important part of the team. I love my boss also. I like experiencing work each day," Wirth said.

When not working, he enjoys bowling, baseball and football. He likes to attend high school and professional sporting events when he gets a chance.

APD supports people with developmental disabilities to live, learn and work in their communities. The agency annually serves about 50,000 Floridians with developmental disabilities. For more information about the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, visit APDcares.org.