By Pat Hickey

December 22, 2023

We have no end of demons in our lives. Some are imagined but far too many are flesh and blood monsters who were birthed by parents, certified at birth as human beings, schooled and matriculated out into the breathing world. These demons have social security numbers (if citizens), phones, billing addresses, records of employment, or incarceration and people who knew them when they were babies. Time and temperament taught them to get away with taunts or blows to others.

In no time at all, these demons tossed poles into the face of a 22-year-old stewardess, fired guns and murdered a woman who spent decades caring for special needs children, or some demons taught students that the means to power is always justified by the desired outcome. Demons teach school, beat innocent women and drive-by shoot anyone. Some demons are members of the clergy. Some demons hold political office and legislate greater opportunities for other demons. One thing is certain; all demons are clever.

Theologically, demons choose to serve the side of darkness. The Arch-demon is often called Satan. The opposite of a demon is an angel. An angel is an incredibly limited or challenged creature. Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and their cohorts can only do the bidding of God, the Prime Mover. An angel is a messenger from God to Man (both genders). An angel can only serve the light, the good and truthful. They are not clever like demons. Demons are creatures with free will. Men and women are creatures with free will. Saints are people who listen to the messages of angels. I see saints every day and do not give them much thought, as I am too busy, crabby, or lazy with all of the quotidian, messy and slothful things that I hold to be important.

I have tons of free will. As of this point in my scribblings, you encounter only saints and angels. The saints I can name. The angels, I, may not name. That is policy – state, school and sound. Today, I chose to write about saints and angels that I encounter in my work week. The angels are people with autism and downs syndrome students that I help as a job coach. The saints are the people who not only listen to these angels but behave accordingly.

For the last four years, I have worked as a job coach for LaPorte County Public High School. The Work Experience Program run by Mrs. Melinda Sell prepares high school students with Autism and Downs Syndrome to gain real life experience in the workplace.

LaPorte City businesses have been generous to this program and students learn to present themselves and their gifts to businesses like Al’s Foods, Little Chocolates, Lady Bug Laundry, LaPorte County Animal Shelter, Pet Supply Plus, Church of God, the Pax Center and at Handley Elementary School and LaPorte High School Cafeterias. Students pack groceries or greet customers at Al’s Foods. They learn to sweep and mop floors at Lady Bug Laundry and Pet Supply. One young lady, has learned to present high quality candies and hand dipped chocolates under the tutelage of chocolatier Tina Little.

Mrs. Melinda Sell, director of the Work Experience Program, reaches out to every business in the city of LaPorte for placement opportunities for the students. Large corporations like McDonald’s and Burger King have been disappointing and seem averse to using young people with special abilities, but smaller corporations like Marco’s Pizza are not so challenged and will gladly welcome sophomore, junior and seniors in the Special Education programs to fold pizza boxes. The work taken on by young men and women with Autism and Downs Syndrome are the repetitious, simple, but necessary tasks that too many American youngsters shun. Once students pass out of high school and into the post-secondary Aspire Program, they come armed with three years real work experience and a sense of confidence in their ability to meet any task head on.

Three years ago, Mrs. Sell sent me to Winn Machine, a small precision metal manufacturing plant on south Boyd in La Porte. There I met Damon and Dina Gasaway, the owners of Winn Machine, a precision metal parts manufacturing concern that makes metal parts for all industries.

Damon Gasaway began as a 19-year-old working at Winn Machine Shop in Michigan City, Indiana. Damon emptied metal shavings barrels, mopped up oil and eventually learned the sorcery of tool and die-making: “After a few weeks, I was shown how to use a grinder and sander, then drill press, and finally how to run a manual Warner & Swasey turret lathe. Eventually, Winn purchased some automatic screw machines, which I learned to operate, and then investing in CNC. At 22, I became shop foreman, then Dina and I bought the business in the mid-nineties. We operated in Michigan City, IN until 2012, when we moved to our current location in La Porte.”

Damon Gasaway introduced me to Jim, a Marine Corps Sergeant, who ran the packing and shipping department at the old Winn Machine works on Boyd. Jim taught me and my seven teenagers how to wash parts in the solvent machine to eliminate sharp shavings, laser etch parts and oil and pack parts for delivery. One of my charges is so physically challenged with cerebral palsy, Jim thought “No way.” LR, has no sense of quit. LR is all heart. He had a job to do and after twenty minutes of watching LR wrap three metal parts, the tough Marine veteran wept like a little girl, or a LaPorte HS jobs coach.

Jim died during the transition from WINN Machine to merger completed Winndeavor operation on Gensis Drive in the Thomas Rose Industrial Park of LaPorte, Indiana. Jim, I have no doubt is guarding the streets of Heaven. LR is still working at Winndeavor.

LR was also afflicted with microcephalism at birth, along with a score of other challenges. I needed to get him a protective helmet and I went to Lowe’s in Michigan City. I asked Therese Hoffmaster, the lovely lumber manager, about getting headgear for LR, she handed me a 3M plastic helmet. She paid for it. I handed LR the white plastic helmet and he glowed. All the other kids wanted helmets.

I went back to Therese Hoffmaster and put on my best hairshirt-mendicant beggar’s mug. It worked. Ray Garcia, Therese’s boss, made me an offer and I bought twenty helmets. During that time Winn Machine merged with a South Bend fabricator called Endeavor. Winndeavor moved to a 30,000 square foot facility in an industrial park on the north side of LaPorte.

Every Winndeavor operator from LaPorte HS Work Experience team sports a gift from Lowe’s and Ray Garcia, store manager, and Therese Hoffmaster, lumber manager. The helmets are a sign of pride for kids who want to work and love to go to work.

This year the white helmeted members sport Winndeavor decals, as well as work for a new Shipping Foreman, Mrs. Rita Morales, a lovely lass from Canaryville in Chicago. Rita and her family moved to Indiana twelve years ago, has over thirteen years’ experience in industrial distribution and has worked at Winndeavor for a year. Rita Morales is a natural teacher and patiently works with each student on a shift to understand and deliver a shipping need. Work Experience members place parts in the washing solvent machine and air-dry parts for packaging, oil and wrap some parts in bubble wrap or in newspaper, weigh and count parts and laser etch parts that require identification stampings.

“Take your time and ask for help, if you are having trouble, Sweetie!” purrs the mother of five and shop foreman who understands and listens to each student. “These angels know no evil.” Rita takes time with every student, and they love her.

Damon Gasaway provides not just a workplace, but a home for his people. At time of writing Winndeavor is making plans to provide a 50/50-day care support for workers. In the past, Damon and Dina Gasaway bought a property in LaPorte and made it available to a needy employee at exceptionally low rent. The gentleman had a drinking problem and walked from a motel in Michigan City to LaPorte for work – a distance of eleven miles. Gasway saw him walking and picked the man up and learned about his situation. On the condition of sobriety and solid attendance the Gasaways made the housing happen. “If someone needs help, how can anyone say no, “ said this successful capitalist. Damon Gasaway tries to hire young people as often as possible. “I want them to bring their soft skills with them. Get to work on time and work the tasks given,” says the man who began his path to CEO by emptying scrap barrels and mopping floors.

Damon Gasaway was 19 years old when he started working for Winn Machine and he learned the job by doing the tasks that came his way. One 2022 graduate of LaPorte High School, Junior, works in shipping with the special education people he knew before graduation. My kids are delighted to see one of their own every day. Junior helps point out the best ways to approach a job and then drives packed and approved parts to local concerns. At the end of the standard 90-minute shift at Winndeavor we are returned to the high school by the City of LaPorte transit drivers. LaPorte Transit drivers Richard, Danny, Jeannie, Brenda, Daryl, Mike and Homer greet the kids by name and always ask if their crabby coach treated them well. I never get a bad rap.

Angels are incapable of gossip, or character assassination. They do not have the capacity for malice. These angels don’t have wings. They wear white helmets from Lowe’s. Saints do not wear hallows, but they do treat angels as messengers of God and behave accordingly. Leave the demons in the newspapers where they belong. Use your eyes and your hearts and witness the saints who walk among us every day. The demons will bother us less.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!

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Born November 8, 1952 in Englewood Hospital, Chicago Illinois, Pat Hickey attended Chicago Catholic grammar and high schools, received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Loyola University in 1974, began teaching English and coaching sports at Bishop McNamara High School in Kankakee, IL in 1975, married Mary Cleary in 1983, received a Master of Arts in English Literature from Loyola in 1987, taught at La Lumiere School in Indiana from 1988-1994, took a position as Director of Development with Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond, IN and then Leo High School in Chicago in 1996.  His wife Mary died in 1998 and Hickey returned with his three children to Chicago’s south side. From 1998 until 2019, it became obvious that Illinois and Chicago turned like Stilton cheese on a humid countertop. In that time, he wrote a couple of books and many columns for Irish American News. When the kids became independent and vital adults, he moved to Michigan City, Indiana, where he job coaches Downs Syndrome and Autistic teens in LaPorte County.  He walks to the Michigan City Lighthouse every chance he gets.