Enthusiastic birthday greetings for Ellen from WAE Center members and staff
Linda Press, JSDD Executive Director, opens the video with heart-felt wishes for JSDD President Ellen Goldner’s birthday. She speaks from the WAE Center art studio, which stand empty during the current shelter-in-place.
“When we think about Ellen’s leadership of JSDD, we think about a vibrant, people-filled WAE Center,” says Linda. “Ellen is a regular at the Center and loves to showcase the talents and abilities of the people we support.”
There is no one more genuine in their admiration for WAE artists and the accomplishments of WAE members than Ellen. “She touches and shapes the self-esteem of our members and their sense of belonging to something bigger. Ellen’s presence, enthusiasm, encouragement, warmth, and pride are infectious and inspirational,” notes Linda.
JSDD was supposed to be celebrating Ellen at a gala at the Morris Museum this month. “We’re going to do that next year,” says Linda. “But there’s no need to wait to tell Ellen how incredibly fortunate we are at JSDD to have her at the helm and how grateful I am to have her as my partner.”
Watch and listen as WAE Center members sing special birthday greetings to Ellen in this wonderful video.