The retirement party for Karen Simmons was thrown on Wednesday September 23, 2009 in the Freedom Acres cafeteratorium. The breakfast brunch “surprise party” was planned by Karen’s co-workers. It was used to celebrate her fifteen–plus years of working at Freedom Acres School as the lunch person, as well as various other clerical “duties as assigned”.

Terry Platte and Mike Keast honored Karen with tributes about her hard work and dedication to the programs in the school. Also present at the celebration were the staff and students from the SCI Classrooms, A2 class as well as a few students from the SEI program. Karen’s husband, Carl, also took part in the celebration.

Karen was presented with tickets to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Show starring the Rockettes by her co-workers. She also received a quilt top with squares created by members of the staff at Freedom Acres and the ISD.

“This is just an awesome crew to work with and (they are) so sneaky”, stated Karen. “The tickets to the Rockettes are so awesome; and the quilt top symbolizes everything near and dear to my life.”