Jim Przybylo once asked if he could wear rollerskates at work.
The request was denied, but Przybylo’s efforts (sans rollerskates) as the computer technician at the Community Education Resource Center haven’t gone unnoticed.
He was a district and county recipient of the Betty Campion Award this year, for distinguished support service. Przybylo was honored at the county level at a dinner on June 21.
‘You come in and you do your job, and you don’t expect to be singled out for anything special,? he said, noting that running around the building is just part of his job.
Before Przybylo started at the CERC building in 2000, computer problems in the building could take weeks to solve.
Now, workers send an email to Przybylo, and the problem is solved in minutes, even if he has to sprint from one end of the building to the other.
‘If anybody deserved credit, it was him,? said head custodian Joanie Curtis, who spearheaded Przybylo’s nomination campaign, which included several letters of support from throughout the building.
‘Unbeknownst to me, she solicited comments from the other staff members,? Przybylo said.
But perhaps more impressive than Przybylo’s selection from the many worthy district nominations, was his selection at the county level.
‘From what I understand, there are 29 districts in the county, and only four got picked (for the county award),? he said.
Apparently those at the county level saw the same things Przybylo’s coworkers saw.
‘He’s a great guy to work with,? Curtis said, noting that Przybylo’s work ethic sets him apart.
‘He goes from here to there, and there to here. You will never find him sitting still.?
Przybylo said people are still impressed by his quick response to problems, even after six years of working there.
He described his average day as ‘hectic,? but for as busy as he is at work, it’s his after-work activities that put him over the top as a Campion Award recipient.
Przybylo is a volunteer for Optical Illusions: The Michigan Blind Skiers Association.
‘It’s been at least 30 some years,? he said of his time working with blind skiers.
‘The first time I went out there, they gave me 10 minutes of instruction,? he said, adding that he was supposed to shadow another volunteer, but ended up working one-on-one with a blind skier on his first day.
The second time out, Przybylo was paired with 10-year-old Chuck, and his struggles with the boy were making him wonder if he was cut out for that type of instructional work.
‘All of a sudden, things started to click,? Przybylo recalled. ‘He skied down the hill on his own later that day.?
Przybylo has worked with blind skiers from under 10 years of age, all the way up to 65.
Their club meets on Sunday mornings during the ski season at Pine Knob, and has received equipment donated by Pine Knob.
He remembers one particular ‘slack day,? when he talked young skier Dawn into going down the hill without his instruction. Przybylo said he would instruct her only if she was going completely off course, as opposed to yelling out constant instructions.
‘She told me it was the first time in her life she felt free, and had a freedom of movement,? he said.
Przybylo also mentored a young boy in the Head Start program for a number of years.
The boy, 4 and a half years old when he came to Przybylo, was at least a year advanced in his thought process, and helped Przybylo do some tasks at work.
?(Przybylo) is just a well-rounded guy,? Curtis said. ‘He deals with so many different ages, from toddlers to adults.?