Thirteen Bluefish

#
Meyer aboard the Mijoy 747

Jim Meyer loves to travel to new places. He has traveled to Florida to visit Disney World. He has also visited Pennsylvania and New York City. Meyer regularly frequents places though out New England and enjoys a yearly vacation at Camp Harkness, a handicap accessible camp for physically or intellectually disabled individuals in Waterford, Conn.

During an Outcomes Interview with Meyer and Kim Turbak, his staff, he said he'd like to go on a cruise. Outcomes Interviews are part of Mosaic's Basic Assurances®, a program to ensure that individual's needs are met and dreams and goals are expressed. Turbak asked Meyer, "What is it about a cruise that you'd enjoy?"

Sometimes Meyer has difficulty verbally expressing himself, so Turbak listed some of the activities a cruise ship would have to offer. Meyer explained he would like to bring his fishing pole and "catch a big fish." Turbak let him know people are not allowed to fish from a cruise ship. When Meyer pulled out his wallet and showed the staff member his fishing license she realized that Meyer wasn't dreaming of a Caribbean cruise, he wanted to go deep sea fishing!

This past summer, with the aid of Mosaic's Wishes and Dreams Fund, a fund created by Mosaic in Connecticut from Employee Campaign dollars, Meyer was able to make this dream a reality. He set sail aboard the Mijoy 747, a charter fishing boat out of Waterford, Conn. He instantly became the star of the boat, catching 13 bluefish, totaling almost 33 pounds.

Meyer is 49 years old. He has received services from Mosaic in Conn. for 28 years and has lived at a group home since 1991 with three other individuals who receive services from Mosaic.