Everyone who walks into the The Wave is welcomed with a cheery “Hi, welcome to The Wave.”
There is contagious excitement once inside, as individuals with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities eagerly encourage customers to try a taste of one of the many gelato flavors before placing their order.
“It’s so fun,” said Joey Conover, taking a break from working behind the counter. “I’m so very excited to be working at this place.”
This is the first job for this 23-year-old Guilford resident who floats between working on the cash register and scooping gelato.
He was confident after just working for two days.
“Joey sets the bar high for himself, and he always reaches it, exceeds it, I should say,” said Keri Climie.
The name Wave is an acronym for Work Advocate Value Empower.
Beau Kellogg works the register at The Wave as Mary Beatty looks on. (Contributed photo)
The café, located at 116 Whitfield Street in Guilford, is the brainchild of Climie and Tara Beatty.
The Guilford residents are employees of the Guilford Public School system, Beatty as a special education teacher and Climie, a speech and language pathologist.
Three years ago, they created Sound Life Connections, Inc., offering socialization and work skills classes to individuals with disabilities, 16-years-old and older. In addition, they debuted their very popular karaoke night which takes place once a month. Sound Life Connections Inc. a 501-c3 non-profit.
Two years ago, they found space for the gelato shop, appealing due to the existing handicapped ramp on the north side of the building.
Last summer they launched their gelato truck, serving their first customers at the St. George’s Italian Festival and continued this year at the Christ Church of Guilford Vacation Bible Camp and Friday Night Lights for youth football.
Funding for the trailer and gelato shop startup came from a $65,000 Innovative Employment Opportunity Grant from the Department of Developmental Services, plus donations from community members.
An Oktoberfest fundraiser is planned at New England Brewing Company in Branford this fall.
Juggling between their education jobs, families and Sound Life Connections, Climie said, “as exhausted as we are and as much energy that we keep putting into this, there’s something always that shows you why.”
Beatty noted the importance of this work for individuals who age out of the public school system at 22 years old.
“They’ve really connected in high school, we really push inclusion all the way through school, and they have great peer opportunities and then a lot of those peers move away,” she said.
“It’s sort of finding that new social group and activities,” she said. “It kind of that hard age as they come up into adulthood there’s not as much opportunities.”
Young adults discover Sound Life Connections via word-of-mouth and also referrals from DDS. They come from Guilford, Branford, Madison, East Haven and New Haven.
Working side by side with the employees are mentors.
“Being able to model has been the biggest thing,” said Climie. “We’ll develop checklists for opening and closing and different job tasks.”
Hanging out with Scoop outside The Wave are, left to right, Faith Tremblay, Scoop, Sofia Rake, Kyan Steinnagel and Lilah Steinnagel. (Sarah Kyrcz)
“But what we have found is the best approach…is having the person right next to you, that you’re modeling with them, that you’re working in concert with them. They’re watching you and then they can practice.”
She stressed, “First and foremost, we are a training café, we are a classroom. The bonus is you get wonderful treats.”
As a training café, Climie said, “our goal is to build up these skills that if you want to stay here and work here wonderful, bur for all the other merchants in this town to see we have a wealth of individuals here that can work. So, that’s the hope.”
Gus Kellogg is grateful that his 22-year-old son, Beau, has this opportunity.
“It’s incredible,” he said, visiting the café. “I’m get a little choked up.”
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for our kids to get a foothold in the job market.”
Scout Climie, Keri Climie’s daughter, worked at The Wave during her summer break from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass.
She said she has watched her mother do her work over the year and “It’s always been really inspiring.”
“I love the teaching aspect,” the 20-year-old said. “It’s a very rewarding experience because I have to learn to adjust my language, I have to learn how to speak to customers and help these young adults learn the work also because everyone needs to learn how to work at some point.”
“It’s definitely difficult at time because I have to make sure I’m doing everything I can to be the best advocate, best teacher, best peer I can be,” she said.
All decked out in their Wave merch and working together as a team at The Wave are, left to right, Scout Climie, Sofia Rake, Mary Beatty, Beau Kellogg and Noah Doucette. (Contributed photo)
Mike Song was “thrilled” to visit The Wave.
“From the second I heard about it, I thought what a great way to provide meaningful work for this great group of people, in a really safe environment, in a beautiful location,” he said.
“I walked in and was just blown away by what they’ve done to create an environment where they can train young people who may have some special needs or considerations and I just thought it was great,” he said.
Song left with a pint of fudge brownie gelato to serve at a dinner party. He said it was “absolutely delicious.”
Other choices available, include cappuccino, coconut, peanut butter chocolate and mint stracciatella among the choices of gelato. In addition, there are topping, M & Ms, chocolate sprinkles,eanut butter chops and salted caramel toffee cookie crunchy crumble topping made right around the corner at Hen & Heifer.
“We found an immediate connection with food, loved the engagement with families and peers with whom we already interact, and were motivated to help shine a spotlight on a cause that everyone is aware of, but is easily overlooked without the relationship with or visibility to persons with special needs,” Whang Suh, owner of Hen & Heifer, wrote in an email.
There is also sorbet, espresso, cappuccino, lattes and affogato, a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with a shot of espresso, cookie-wiches and a wall of candy with old time favorites wax lips, Black Cow chewy chocolate caramel candy, Aftershocks popping candy and bottle pops, “nostalgia, like old penny candy,” said Beatty.
Sofia Rake is assigned to the toppings station and said she likes “helping people out and serving gelato.”
This is the first job for this 19-year-old, a student at the Guilford Transition Academy.
“I really like having you guys as a boss,” she said, looking at Keri Climie, sitting beside her.
“We’ve known Sophia since she was in kindergarten,” said Climie.
This is true for many of the eight employees currently employed at the shop.
Laurie Iaterza, Rake’s mother, is thrilled to have her daughter working at The Wave. She said Raze has been working with Climie and Beatty since she was 4 years old.
“For me, the fact that she has confidence and independence and a job to go to, like we all aspire to have, it’s great for the community, they built that for her and she’s embracing that full on,” said Iaterza.
“She’s so proud of herself,” said Iaterza. “They had her working on the scooping and she said to them ‘I’m getting my master’s degree in scooping.’”
“Every person has a place, every person has a skill that they bring to the table,” she said. “Given the opportunity is what matters and they’re right now given the opportunity to shine.”
The Wave, 116 Whitfield St., Guilford, 203-710-0588; info@soundlikeskills.com; Instagram @thewavegelato; Facebook Thewave.
