2006 Business of the Year Awarded

Pleasant View, Inc. is a nonprofit organization serving adults with developmental disabilities. It was founded in 1971 by members of the Virginia Mennonite Conference out of a concern for people within the church and the wider community who have mental retardation. John R. Mumaw and other leaders of the church and community saw that people with developmental disabilities were living with aging parents who were concerned about what services would be provided to them after the parents were no longer able to care for them. Reaching into the church’s long history of caring for others, these concerned citizens opened the first group home for 6 people, now known as the C. C. Turner House (Timberville, VA), in March 1971.

Pleasant View currently services 126 clients within Rockingham County, Shenandoah County, Augusta County and City of Harrisonburg. Eighty-two (82) live in Residential Placement and 104 attend Day Support Services, including Supported Employment which provide training in self-care, home-care, social skills, communication, vocational skills, academics, and behavior management. Many of those served attend 2 or more programs or services.

Residential services provided range from structured home based care on the intermediate care level for people with severe and profound disabilities to independent apartment living and home living. Residences include larger living arrangements such as the 15-person Harrison Residence, small community based homes for 4 to 6 people, and 10 apartments.

We are pleased to welcome you to Pleasant View’s newest addition, the Harrisonburg Day Program Services Building, 151 Commerce Drive, Harrisonburg. Services provided such as day support services including highly structured center-based programs for people with severe needs, community based programs of volunteer service, employment enclaves in which staff members and 2 or more clients fill jobs in the community, and individual supported employment.

2006 Person of the Year Awarded

John Radosevich

I am John Radosevich. I was born in a little coal mining town called Edenborn, Pennsylvania, on December 23, 1943. Out of high school, I was fortunate enough to get a scholarship to attend West Virginia University and play baseball. During the summer months of my college career, I came to Harrisonburg to play for the Turks in the Valley League. Graduating from college in 1965, I was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers to play professional baseball. However, in 1968, my baseball career was cut short due to a shoulder injury.

In 1968, I found myself back in the valley, and had an interview for a teaching position at Broadway High School. The principal, J. Frank Hillyard, hired me on the spot, and I have been at Broadway ever since. I have never taught any place else, never wanted to teach any place else. I feel that the Broadway/Timberville area, and the feeder areas, have the best students that a high school could possibly have. This is a reflection of the parents and people we have living here. However, after thirty nine years of teaching, I am going to retire at the end of this school year.

I have been married to the same lady, Diane, for forty years. We have one son, Brad. He and his wife Teri live in Engllishtown, New Jersey. They have blessed us with four grandchildren. I have developed a new love for photography. I make note cards and framed prints of the photos I take, and sell them at craft fairs and festivals. I have been a vendor at the Broadway/Timberville fall festival the past two years, and look forward to being a vendor this coming year. I enjoy being a part of the festival, it is like homecoming week to me.