“Hey, what are you working on?” is something that Rey Casillas hears over and over during his days as Hephzibah’s Building & Grounds Supervisor. He has 26 “baby ducklings” following him as he goes through his days repairing and maintaining things at the Group Home.
A father of two children, ages 7 years and 3 months, Rey thought he’d be escaping the hustle and bustle of having a newborn at home when he began his role with Hephzibah. Little did he know the impact that the Hephzibah kids would have on him; and the impact he’d have on them.
“I try to be a good role model for them,” Rey said. “With twenty-six active kids in the Group Home, something is always broken or not working; the kids like to learn about all the things in the home and like to get involved in things like changing the lightbulbs.”
Rey, who commutes from Carol Stream, just finished installing a new foam, floor-puzzle with his helpers and he also showed them how to repair the vacuum cleaner by installing a new motor.
He went above and beyond his typical daily tasks recently when he helped drive a U-Haul all over the Oak Park River Forest area to pick up furniture and small appliances that had been donated to a family in need. Caseworker Dana Vykouk was so glad Rey was there to help.
“I had driven to about 8 houses to collect things before we got the U-Haul,” Dana said. “I drove to the Group Home to pick up Rey but when he started to get into the passenger side, I was like ‘uh, uh, buddy’ and asked him to drive because I was pooped!”
Dana and Rey ended up making three trips with the U-Haul and were both pooped by the end of the day after lifting couches and moving furniture.
“I couldn’t have done it without Rey,” Dana said. “He’s the best. We hope he stays with Hephzibah forever.”