When we started Shockles in 2003, we were looking for a local manufacturing facility to build our products.  Luckily for us, we stumbled upon the Columbia Gorge Center right here in Hood River.

The Gorge Center was created in 1967 and now cares for over eighty disabled and mentally challenged people throughout the Columbia Gorge area.  It is governed by a volunteer board of directors; their mission is to help people with disabilities achieve control of their lives and integrate with the community.  The Center provides work training, education, and sheltered employment.

Each day up to eighty people are brought in to partake in various activities, depending on their abilities.  Some can do little more than sit and watch.  Others can do some basic tasks, while a few are able to work in a casually supervised environment.

The jobs they can do include some assembly and benchwork, folding, packaging and shipping, cutting and sewing-perfect for Shockles!  Working with Executive Director Rita Rathkey and her staff, we formed a partnership with the Gorge Center to produce several Shockles products.  We purchased sewing, assembly, storage, testing and manufacturing equipment, and trained several people to cut, assemble and sew.

We’ve been working with the Columbia Gorge Center for five years now and hopefully we’ve made a difference in a few lives.  Since we are a part of the Columbia Gorge community (and the Gorge Center relies substantially on private donations and commercial partnerships) we’re happy to use and support this facility.

www.columbia-gorge-center.org