Customer Service - sponsored by W.C. Duke Associates, Inc.

Sunnyside Farms Designated Disability-Friendly Business

by Jeanne Spath

Walking into a place of business and being able to talk with clerks is something many take for granted.

However, when someone uses a wheelchair, has to rely on a seeing-eye dog or cannot use their voice to communicate, the obstacles of day-to-day shopping can become overwhelming.

For consumers at the Sunnyside Farms, LLC markets in Rappahannock County, those obstacles are not present according to The Virginia Business Leadership Network (VABLN) as they were awarded the local business with the distinction of being one of Virginia's Disability Friendly Businesses on April 4 during the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors meeting.

Sunnyside Farms, LLC manager Tamera Waldo was on-hand at the meeting to receive the prestigious award.

Receiving a seal of recognition is based on meeting any of the following: accessibility, customer friendliness: commitment of promoting awareness among its employees of the needs of people with disabilities and employment-friendliness whereby having a commitment to hire persons with disabilities or aiding employees with disabilities in furthering their careers.

"We put groceries in the vehicles of many of the elderly, especially people with canes," said Ruth Purnell, clerk at the Washington Sunnyside Market.

Both the Washington and Sperryville locations have wheelchair ramps for easy access to the market as well.

In the letter of recognition, The Honorable John H. Hagar, spokesperson for Disability Friendly Business wrote of Sunnyside Farms, "This seal serves to identify your organization as a role model for business excellence in meeting the needs of employees and customers with disabilities in terms of accommodation and accessibility in the workplace."

The local business will be able to proudly display the disability friendly business logo on any of its business sites.

"There's no way to count how many people with disabilities you employ or the true impact you are making on the community or in the marketplace," said Dana Rosanelli, VABLN's manager of business development, "That's very hard to do. So businesses like to see these awards because it's a way for them to kind of count, to be recognized."

Published - 04/06/2005
http://www.timescommunity.com/site/tab4.cfm? newsid=14299152&BRD=2553&PAG=461&dept_id=506086&rfi=6