Little City would like to congratulate Jim VanCleve on an amazing 24-year career at the Lakeside Center and wish him all the best as he prepares for retirement.
Jim started at the Lakeside Center in 1998 in the maintenance department and quickly became a favorite among staff, participants and their families. After the merger with Little City in 2016, Jim took on the role of Support Services Manager where he continued to be a jack of all trades, especially in transportation. No matter the task, Jim was always willing to take it on with his trademark sense of humor and sincere love for the people at Lakeside.
Jim developed his extensive skill set in all things maintenance thanks to his 20 years at Arden Shore Child and Family Services where his passion for helping others first blossomed. He said seeing firsthand how he could make a difference in others lives led him to Lakeside where he was more than happy to stay for as long as he could.
“When I come home at the end of the day I feel good about myself and not everyone can say that,” Jim said. “ Every morning when I came in, no matter how tired or worn out I was, the adults we served were always happy and thrilled to be here. We gave them some place where they are truly happy and that made me happy. I’ll take that with me the most. It’s been a great experience.”
He said he’d also always remember the annual Fourth of July parties where the participants would always be thrilled with what he cooked up on the grill and everyone always had a great time.
Jim’s last day at Lakeside Center will on Friday, June 3 and then he will be off to a well-earned retirement where he plans to work on his golf game, tackle some house projects and spend as much time as he can with his grandchildren and entire family.
Thank you Jim for having an incredible impact on so many people!
“Jim VanCleve personifies everything that is great amongst Little City staff. He is so kind, generous, hard working and genuinely cares about our participants and their families. Jim will be missed by all who were fortunate enough to work with him. I will truly miss Jim, his always positive attitude, his chuckle, and his demeanor.” – Bill Brennan, Director of Facilities & Maintenance
“Jim VanCleve is a can-do man. If there is an extra chore it will probably end up on his agenda. Floor buffing, lawn mowing, putting miles on a vehicle to get it ready for emissions testing, picking someone up at the farthest stop on the route, responding to those great, late-night alarms…Jim has done it all.I will miss Jim’s spirit as he put his heart behind everything he did.” – Wendy Mayfield, Director of Community Day Services
“I have worked with Jim for most of my time at Little City. As a safety officer, he always made training fun. As a transportation manager, he was very flexible and willing to work with families to provide the best services to individuals. Jim, I hope you enjoy playing golf in your retirement. I’m going to miss all the donuts you would surprise the staff with!” – Gregory Halloran, Assistant Director of Adult Residential Services
“I have worked with Jim for more than a decade and have always admired his hard work. He always put safety first and took great care of the Lakeside Center. Jim, your hard work has been an inspiration and I wish you the best of luck and good blessings to come in retirement. Your amazing ‘salad’ will be missed by all of us.” – Abel Cabreros, Family Services Coordinator
