APD > Special to the Democrat

Tallahassee Democrat -- October 13, 2009

Williams a dedicated member of team

For Robert Williams, clean floors mean good business. His job is to make sure the tile floor at the 24-hour Walmart in Marianna is bright and shiny every morning.

Williams is a member of the six-man overnight floor crew. The work involves running scrubbers and buffers over more than 200,000 square feet of retail space. It involves heavy labor and good old-fashioned hard work.

"No one wants to shop in a grocery store with sticky floors," Wal-Mart manager Mickey Gilmore says. "I have high respect for Robert and others on the floor crew because they have to get the job done with customers walking through the aisles. It is also a very technical job."

Williams has a disability. October is Disability Employment Awareness Month and Florida's Agency for Persons with Disabilities is highlighting the contributions of people with disabilities to the work force.

Williams feels a part of the store team. "I like it at Wal-Mart. The people are nice. I have quite a few friends there," he said.

Gilmore says he hires people who can get the job done and many times does not even know if a person has a disability when selecting them. He has high praise for his employees with disabilities. "They love having a job and are very dependable. They do not call in sick. They are extremely productive and have pride in their work," he said.

Having a job and reliable income has made a difference in Williams' life. He has matured and become a responsible, tax-paying citizen. He bought a car, got married and is now a new father.

APD supports people with developmental disabilities to live, learn and work in their communities. The agency annually serves about 35,000 Floridians with developmental disabilities. For more information about the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, visit APDcares.org.