Verna Morris made a career out of helping individuals with disabilities, of mentoring employees, of placing others ahead of herself. As she encountered challenges and triumphs, Morris fought the good fight and went as hard and as long as she could.
Read More: Verna Morris is on a quest
But now, she’s taking time for herself.
Morris recently retired from her position as QUEST’s (Quality Employment Services & Training) executive director. She leaves behind countless friends and acquaintances and a legacy that includes helping thousands of Lebanon County residents with disabilities.
“I feel very blessed,” said Morris. “I’ve had a most satisfying career. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. You don’t get rich working in social services, but the individuals and staff made it all worth it. I made friends through my career choice. I can say wonderful things about the path I chose. It hasn’t all been a bed of roses. There have been challenges. I’m happy I could make a difference in other people’s lives.”
“My emotions are all over the place,” continued Morris. “Even though I was the executive director, I was always a person you could talk to. I always felt family came first. We’ve always been about what the family needs. I’ve had people move on and better their careers. I never wanted to stand in anyone’s way.”
After contemplating retirement for about three years, Morris, a 72-year-old resident of Sinking Spring, made it official on July 12. Morris spent 36 years in the social work field, the last 16 as the executive director at QUEST, 704 Metro Drive, Lebanon.
Lancaster resident Rachel Vucic has been hired as Morris’s replacement.
“Our mission is to help individuals be all they can be and to provide opportunities for people to grow, learn, maybe get a job and become contributing members of the community,” said Morris. “People can come here as a safe haven. We want them to live a normal life, lead an everyday life.
“We’re dedicated to the people we support here,” she said. “It’s about the people and they need to feel welcome.”
At any one time, QUEST serves about 100 local residents with intellectual disabilities like autism and Down syndrome, physical disabilities, deaf people and blind people. QUEST supports its clients with programs like home and community-based services, mobile work crew, employment services and its adult training facility.
“Some of our program participants live in group homes or don’t have families,” said Morris. “They might live with family members. They’re like you and I. Some of them are independent and drive and need a little help managing.”
“When our clients come to us, they may have an exercise goal,” she added. “They may have financial goals. They may want to learn how to ride a bus. They may want to learn to read ‘Stop’ signs. We have a lot of activities they can engage in. Hopefully, we’re covering everyone’s interests. We have to take into consideration their goals, their interests.”
Overseen by a board of volunteer directors, QUEST employs about 40 individuals, 23 on a full-time basis and 17 on a full-time basis. QUEST collaborates with and cooperates with many Lebanon County nonprofits and some of its clients take advantage of volunteer opportunities in the community.
“There are agencies across the state that do what we do because their families can’t or won’t support these individuals,” Morris said. “They may not have the understanding how to give that support. The family may just need a break. My staff gets a lot of training in those areas. We want to help people get jobs in the community. It’s about how to navigate your world. Everyone wants to be as independent as possible.
“I truly believe people have to work at a job they like, and they have to follow their hearts. No job is perfect, but I worked hard to make sure my staff knew they were appreciated. I’ve grown really close with the staff and I’m going to miss people.”
QUEST was formerly the Lebanon County Workshop, which was founded on May 17, 1970. When Morris arrived in 2008, clients were already receiving community-based training.
“At the beginning, individuals came here like school,” said Morris. “They learned some skills and they were paid piece rates, a few pennies to do some work. And companies got good work done for a small cost. When the thought process changed, they started charging higher prices. When I came here, we had about 80 people in the workshop and gradually we started trying to get people jobs.”
A native of Denver, Colorado, Morris graduated from Rockford University, just outside of Chicago. After raising a family and teaching for a while, she worked at Threshold Rehabilitation Services in Reading, before coming to QUEST.
Morris said she is not worried about staying busy during her retirement and that she anticipates staying active with volunteer work, friends and family, music and theater.
For additional information about QUEST, go to www.paquest.com.
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