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| Clay works with a client to ensure she receives a wheelchair that is right for her. |
This month, the
Utah Assistive Technology Program’s Logan coordinator leaves us for North
Dakota. The program will continue, but his departure leaves a hole in a lot of
hearts—not just among UATP staff but the many people he has served along the
way.
Whether he
was working with a client or giving a presentation to a US representative, one
thing was clear: Clay was invested in his job, not just as a means to a
paycheck but as a way to make people’s lives better.
“Watching
someone achieve their personal goals because of a little help we gave them is
an emotional experience,” he said following one of his early projects: building
a device that helped a six-year-old boy steady himself while he used his Wii
gaming system. The stand allowed the boy to steady himself while he played with
family members or used Wii Fit to exercise and work on balance.
“This was the first project I ever accompanied Clay on,” said
Storee Powell, social media specialist for the Center for Persons with
Disabilities. UATP is located in the CPD at Utah State University. “I remember
it because it was a such a unique but simple device that enabled this child to
be included and get the therapy he needed. Clay wasn't afraid to get his hands
dirty or get out in the community. I remember Clay always saying he'd try
building or adapting anything at least once, and I believe that was true.”
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| A young client tries out a new device in one of Clay's earlier projects. |
As a
coordinator who runs a fabrication lab for assistive technology, Clay was
always trying new things. People would come to him with a need for a device
that either didn’t exist or wasn’t in their price range. Sometimes they had
already purchased equipment that needed some adjustments before it would work
for them. Clay kept working with them until the need was met.
“Clay has a very creative mind,” said Lois Summers, UATP
business assistant. “He can resolve simple and complex issues, without getting
frustrated or giving up. He has deep compassion when serving everyone,
regardless of who they are or what they need.”
It was
a pleasure to watch him at work. (I do PR for the CPD, and in
writing Clay’s goodbye blog post I’m speaking in first person for a minute.)
The fabrication lab was a favorite place to visit because it had happy people
in it. They were busy on projects that would help other people reach a goal.
Those happy people were there because Clay hired them or invited them to work
as volunteers. He supported them and helped ensure the things they made would
work for the client.
I’d go into
the shop, breathe in the smells of welding smoke or sawdust, take my notes, and
leave reassured that there are people in the world who work hard to help other
people, every day.
“What I
saw with Clay was the direct impact he had with families and individuals with
disabilities,” said Sachin Pavithran, UATP’s program director. “He was able
to relate to them in a way that made them more comfortable to talk about what
they were going through, so that Clay could get them what they needed.”
We will
miss you, Clay!
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| Clay introduces US Representative Chris Stewart to the Utah Assistive Technology Program. |
