'Someone to stand me up'
<p>After suffering from a traumatic brain injury a few years ago, Tim Wilhite has been given a fresh start in the work world at Ground Force World Wide Manufacturing where he has been employed as a maintenance worker for over four months. After connecting with Ability Works, a branch of Tesh Inc., Wilhite acquired a full-time position at the manufacturing plant, earning a good wage and benefits which he says has greatly helped him provide for his family.</p>
<p>Tim Wilhite gives a tour of his workplace to Idaho Representatives Frank Henderson and Bob Nonini along with members of Tesh and Ability Works who connected Wilhite with Ground Force World Wide, providing him with a job in maintenance after struggling to find a full-tim job due to a traumatic brain injury he sustained several years ago. According to the plant manager Tom Hamilton, Wilhite has thrived in his new position.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Tim Wilhite's pride in and gratitude for his job was evident Thursday as he helped lead two state legislators on a tour of his place of employment.
"This is a 52,000-gallon water tank," Wilhite said, pointing to huge pieces of metal being welded together at Ground Force Worldwide's Post Falls facility.
Sen. Bob Nonini and Rep. Frank Henderson visited the heavy mining equipment manufacturer as part of Disability Awareness Week in Idaho. They toured the plant with Wilhite, Ground Force managers, representatives of Tesh Inc., and one of its divisions, Ability Works, a Coeur d'Alene employment service agency that provides job placement services and benefits counseling for people with disabilities.
Wilhite, 55, started working at Ground Force four months ago, after being referred there by Ability Works. He previously spent several years struggling to find and keep full-time work after sustaining serious injuries after he "slipped and fell in front of a vehicle." He says he was dragged 173 feet down the street.
He said his doctors wanted him to stop working, to go on Social Security, but Wilhite refused. He said he didn't want to be dependent on the government.
Wilhite, of Rathdrum, spent more than two years looking for full-time work with benefits so he could take care of his family. He has two children who still live at home.
"I think I just felt kicked a few times. I just needed someone behind me to stand me up," Wilhite said. "Tesh gave me confidence to keep moving forward."
In addition to keeping the manufacturing shop and grounds meticulously clean, Wilhite now assists, under supervision, with shop equipment safety checks and other types of maintenance.
"We hired him as a custodian, but it was obvious he wanted more," said Tom Hamilton, Ground Force plant operations manager.
Colleen Krajack, Ground Force human resources director, said it's a pleasure to have Wilhite as an employee.
"He's been very, very committed to his work, so he can provide a better life for his family," Krajack said.
Russ Doumas, CEO of Tesh, Inc., said that census records show that 70 percent of people with disabilities are unemployed.
This week, other local legislators are visiting businesses that have hired employees through Tesh and Ability Works. State representatives Vito Barbieri and Ed Morse visited Esterline Advanced Input Systems in Coeur d'Alene, and Rep. Luke Malek visited Coeur d'Alene High School, which is cleaned by a Tesh custodial team.
"We want people to see how this works from the employer's perspective, and from Tim's perspective, that people with disabilities have a contribution to make in the community," Doumas said.
Linden Custer, program manager at Ability Works, said they have 100 people at various skill levels who want to go to work.
"If we had more businesses like this, we would be able to help many more people," Custer said.
Ground Force CEO and president, Ron Nilson, said he admires the work done by Tesh and Ability Works.
"I love to see people stepping up like that," he said. "We'll do whatever we can to help."
Rep. Nonini said the lawmakers also need to support agencies like Tesh. "Tim's self-sufficient and he's got a good job, and we want to do anything we can to encourage that."