He's 37 years old, has blonde hair, and wears a blue autism cape as he soars through ServiceNet's Autism Services play group area. Who is this mysterious "super hero?" It's none other than our IT Department's Randy Benoit.
Randy spends a couple of hours every Friday morning volunteering during play group at our Autism Services program. Play group consists of a few staff members (Kiah, Lindsey, and Chelsea) and three to five kids each week.
I recently had the opportunity to watch Randy in action with the kids, and it was very rewarding. In his own words, Randy "enjoys becoming one of them." And it couldn't be more obvious how true that is. He builds relationships with the kids. He plays at the sand table with them. He sings with them. He paints. He plays with the toys. Essentially he does anything the kids want to do. I am convinced, however, that his favorite part is running around the room in circles with the kids.
When I asked Randy how he got involved, he said that Katrina Menagio, the program's director, "suggested" he come work there. This got Randy to thinking, and after a brief email exchange and some paperwork, he began volunteering.
When he's not soaring through ServiceNet's play group area, Randy is soaring through our IT department. He combines his passion for working in the IT world with his passion for living life to its very, very fullest. He has worked for ServiceNet for almost seven years, starting out as a computer support technician and moving up to his new role as network administrator. He is responsible for creating backup systems for our servers, maintaining our network area storage, helping to centralize all of the agency's technology, and responding to internet and network emergencies. In between all of this, he still does some end user support, account creations, back office support, and Ehana support.
When I asked Randy what he enjoys most about working at ServiceNet, he responded with the old saying of "if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life." While every job has its ups and downs, Randy says he loves working here at ServiceNet and that he "only wishes he would have found ServiceNet a long time ago."
When I asked what his biggest challenge is about working here, Randy said that working in the IT world is a constant challenge. "Things are always changing, and at any given moment of the day there is always something to learn."
Thank you, Randy, for being such a valuable member of our IT department, and thank you for faithfully volunteering at one of our programs. ServiceNet is lucky to have you!
