Another Year Begins for Citizens Options Unlimited
Members of community share their 2024 victories, hopes for 2025
The beginning of the year is often a time for listing goals, creating vision boards, and reflecting on the previous year. For many members of our Citizens Options Unlimited community, this past year was filled with growth, self-discovery, accomplishments, volunteering, friendship, and positivity. To see highlights from last year, check out our 2024 Year in Review.
In 2025, our community members look forward to continuing their volunteer work, jobs, and vocational opportunities, decorating their house, advocating for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, maintaining positive relationships, enjoying day trips and vacations, and even taking it easy.
At the start of the year, Jonathan Drexler, who resides at William Street in Glen Head, was feeling relaxed and content, as he’s led quite a busy life in his 33 years.
Jonathan can say he’s done everything from skiing in the Berkshires to recently celebrating his Bar Mitzvah. He’s also added traveling to his roster, visiting places like California, Florida, and Israel.
These days, Jonathan enjoys working at the Nicholas Center, which provides vocational training and supported employment. Working as a team, Jonathan assists with chocolate decorating as part of the Chocolate Lab and hand-pouring candles as part of the Candle Lab.
“It’s really great,” Jonathan said. “I love it.”
April Kloepfer, an agency volunteer and Camp Loyaltown camper, looks forward to another year of community service, such as assisting with the annual AHRC Foundation Walk, growing fresh produce to give to people struggling with food insecurity and wrapping presents for families who need extra support during the holidays. April enjoys working alongside Volunteer Coordinator Jerri Walker.
“I like helping people,” April said. “It’s fun, and I get a lot out of it.”
In 2025, April shared that her goals are to continue volunteering and to seek employment.
In addition to volunteering, members of the Citizens Options Unlimited community take pride in advocating for supports and services for people with I/DD. Among these dedicated advocates are Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) liaison Noah Probert and his mother Sandra.
“I just think it’s important for the disabled community to be considered,” Sandra said.
Sandra hopes for a happy and healthy year and looks forward to advocating for increased funding from New York State.
Robyn Lipschitz, who resides at West Seamans Neck Road in Seaford, is proud to continue her preschool job.
Robyn’s responsibilities include playing games with the children, reading books, assisting with arts and crafts, and chaperoning outdoor recess.
“I want to continue working with the kids, which I find very rewarding,” Robyn said.
Outside of work, Robyn enjoys shopping, dining, watching baseball games and spending time with her boyfriend, whom she met two years ago through a speed-dating event. In 2025, she plans to join her boyfriend for a trip to Graceland, The Home of Elvis Presley, in Tennessee.
Residential Manager Tammy Valancourt, who supports the men who live at Ontario Avenue in Plainview, is excited to maintain the calm and serene energy in the home that provides comfort and fosters a family-like environment.
“I would describe the housemates at Ontario as very caring for each other, a family,” Tammy said. “They’re a riot, comedians galore. They love to make people laugh. They like calm and quiet. They’re very relaxed, very much at home.”
A priority for 2025 is undoubtedly to keep the men happy and healthy. Lucky for Tammy and the staff at Ontario, housemates John Volpe, Richard Krinsky, Robert Behrendt, Randy Cosby, Patrick Black, Frank Billadello enjoy going on local adventures and making their house a home by decorating inside and in the backyard.
While we all have our own goals and wishes for 2025, we are all united in our goal to uplift and empower people with I/DD. We are excited to see what this year has in store for us.