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It has taken time, perseverance and
patience, but 15 months after her release from SCI
Cambridge Springs Donna Sollers has her new life in
order.
“It’s tough, but it’s worth it.
You just have to hang in there,” she says,
in talking about what it has taken since July 2007,
for her to get a job that she wanted and a place of
her own to live.
She left prison with the promise
of employment after completing her required
rehabilitation program. Before incarceration, Donna
worked at a garage as a mechanic’s helper and body
shop assistant. One of the customers was pleased
with the work that Donna had done on her car.
This customer’s husband owns a
construction company. At the time Donna never
imagined that this would play a part in her life.
As she neared the end of her two year sentence, her
Unit Manager at SCI Cambridge suggested that Donna
consider the OOR program.
Donna said that she didn’t want to
go to OOR, but the Unit Manager said that she needed
more job skills and urged her to try it.
“I wasn’t into it at first,” she said, “but when we
started doing dry wall [at the My Father’s House of
Erie project] I started getting into it. The
finishing reminded me of auto body work and I liked
that.”
As her release time neared, she
contacted Mike Shimp, owner of Shimp Remodeling. His
wife was the satisfied customer whose car Donna had
worked on.
Shimp offered her a job when she was released. When
she left rehab, Donna tried to get temporary jobs
until she could arrange her start at Shimp
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