Logan County Board of Developmental Disabilities members and agency officials shared plans at their Thursday evening meeting for March as the organization celebrates 60 years of service and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.
Kicking off the month, Kelli Douglas Bader took several advocates to the Ohio Statehouse Wednesday to gather with hundreds of individuals around the state to mark DD Awareness Day and Advocacy Day. The event featured remarks from disability advocates Shari Cooper, Joseph Trisler, Nicholas Comstock, Patti Ruble, Marci Straughter and Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities Director Jeff Davis.
The LCBDD theme this year for DD Awareness is “Celebrating 60 Years, Creating a New View of the World.”
The board hosts the annual Elected Officials Breakfast at 8 a.m. Thursday, March 12, with Director Davis featured as the keynote speaker. Two short videos will be shared featuring the history of the Logan County Board of Developmental Disabilities, services to people with developmental disabilities and some of the longtime employees of the board.
Guest speakers also include Bridget Gargan, Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities executive director; John Bayliss, Logan County Commissioners president; and Logan County Sheriff Randy Dodds.
The agency’s annual flower sale will also kicks off with this event, with proceeds to benefit the Come Play at the Lake project to build an accessible playground on Fox Island with the ILDC.
Flowers are provided by local vendors. New Leaf Florist in Bellefontaine offers hanging baskets for $25 and choices include: Boston ferns, combination blooming basket, begonias, dragon wing begonia, fuchsia, assorted greens and mixed color million bells.
Hillside Greenhouse in West Liberty provides the geraniums and choices include a variety of colors including raspberry twizzle for zonal upright geraniums, $35 for flats of 10 4-inch pots.
The flowers will be available for pick up just before Mother’s Day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, May 8, at the Discovery Center. To place an order, call Becky Robison at 292-3008.
Also coming up this month, the Logan County Braves team participated March 14 in the Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge at Old Field Beach to support Special Olympics Braves athletes in the county.
Local coordinator Rose Canter is organizing the event. She expressed appreciation to the community for their support in of this yearly event, as funding supports 22,000 athletes of Special Olympics Ohio.
Funds raised locally support the Logan County athletes and individuals can donate at https://sooh.org/2020-polar-plunges/ by selecting “Indian Lake Polar Plunge.”
Superintendent Saul Bauer also discussed the returning Community Outreach DD Awareness Basketball game, slated for 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, at the Indian Lake High School. The Logan County Braves will play the Logan County first responders.
Half-time entertainment will be provided by the Discovery Center and Special Olympics cheerleaders.
“Proceeds from this event will be used to make Fox Island Park accessible to all children,” Superintendent Bauer said. “This is a wonderful event and we hope you can attend and show your support.”
The Kiwanians and Rotarians also have a competition to see which group provides the most donations.
Bauer offered the board training this month on strategic plan and goals. Board members are required to have four hours of annual training. Next month John Silfies will share DSP recruitment videos, history video and website updates.
In financial business, the board ended January with the general fund at 7.7 percent utilization and the Community Support Fund at 1.7 percent utilized. Revenues are 2.9 percent collected while the Community Support Fund is 0.2 percent collected.
In final business, the board approved $650 membership fee to the Ohio Self Determination Association, a $200 donation to the Synergy Conference and the donation of the inoperable van that was removed from our inventory to RTC Industries Inc. to use for parts or scrap.
The 2020-21 Discovery Center Calendar was approved, along with the waiver waiting list policy.
The finance committee will meet at noon Friday, March 27, in the board office conference room. The next board meeting is 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2, in the board office conference room. These meetings are open to the public.