Come FLY with us at the Flying Pig Marathon!

February 2011
“LIGHTING THE WAY TO BETTER
COMMUNICATION”
Clermont County Board of
Developmental Disabilities
The Beacon
Come FLY with us at the Flying Pig Marathon!
Clermont DD and Clerco are teaming up to get in shape, train, and compete in the
Flying Pig Marathon. We are participating in the Charity Group Category, which
means consumers, families, friends, and the community can sign up for one of the
events listed below and help raise money for Clermont DD. All you have to do
is:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Sign up for one of the events listed below.
Pay the entry fee (according to the event you choose).
Collect pledges from your friends and family.
Walk or Run at the events below.
THAT’S IT! Ten percent of your entry fee will come back to Clermont DD, and
your pledges will go directly to our agency. If you participate in the 5K event
on April 30, you can meet up with your friends at the Clermont DD booth inside Charity Village and meet others
from agencies who are participating in the Flying Pig.
For more information or to register, contact Suzanne Diesel at (513) 732-5028 or sdiesel@clermontdd.org. We
hope you’ll join us for this exciting event!
5K Information
Flying Piglet Kids’ Fun Run
$25 Registration Fee, due with Form
Saturday, April 30
6:30 Registration Begins
10 a.m. Event Starts
Yeatman’s Cove, Sawyer Point, Cincinnati
$10 Registration Fee, due with Form
Saturday, April 30
12:30 p.m. Event Starts
Yeatman’s Cove
Sawyer Point, Cincinnati
Participating in this event means you will be walking with people
from the Cincinnati area who are participating in the Fleet Feet
Sports 5K, Lord’s Gym Pump N’ Run, and Hope & Possibilities
Walk. Afterwards, you can find the Clermont DD/Clerco Tent in
the Charity Village to enjoy music and fun with us!
Adults are welcome to participate in this event (especially those
who come to our workshops or attend other day programs in the
county). Participants actually walk the miles of the marathon route
over a several-week period of time. This can be done within all
Clermont DD Programs or on your own. Each person keeps track
of his/her miles walked on a Fun Run sheet. The participant can
either complete all miles before April 30 OR complete 25 miles at
Clermont DD, then travel to Sawyer Point to complete his/her final
mile on the marathon course. Afterwards, you can find the Clermont DD/Clerco Tent in the Charity Village to enjoy music and fun
with us!
2
From the Superintendent
Sharon Woodrow
What can we call a woman
who spends a great deal of
her life caring deeply about
other people’s children who
have disabilities? We call
that woman, Wanda Downey.
Wanda Downey retired from
the Clermont County Board
of Developmental Disabilities
in October of 2010 because of
term limits. She had served
this board passionately,
professionally and caringly
for the past twelve years.
And, before taking the then
required one year leave of
absence, she had served the
board for eight years before
that. All in all she has spent
twenty years as a board
member, helping to ensure
that
people
with
developmental disabilities in
this county have access to
services that make them more
independent and safe! And,
it’s important to note, that she
has spent most of those years
as board president.
As board president Wanda
has made sure that she
attends meetings, trainings,
events and celebrations. She
has known many of the staff
over the years and she is
always interested in talking to
them, asking about their lives,
supporting them – much as
she does for the people we
serve.
Everyone knows
Wanda!
As Superintendent, I have
enjoyed working with Wanda
– her interest in what we do
and how we do it is
unflagging. Wanda is a good
listener and a wise counsel.
She has helped us weather the
various storms that pop up
periodically and she has been
right there to help us
celebrate the good times. The
people we serve are her
passion, her friends, her
children, and her charge.
They have been well served
throughout her tenure with
this board. Proclamations
honoring Wanda from State
Representatives Joe Uecker
and Danny Bubp, the
Clermont County Board of
Commissioners,
Ed
Humphrey, Bob Proud, and
Archie Wilson, the Ohio
Association of County
Boards of Developmental
Disabilities and the Clermont
County Board of DD were
read at our January 2011
Board meeting.
Lots of
people know of Wanda’s
good work with our mission.
Luckily for us, Wanda allows
us to support her daughter so
we will continue to see and
interact with Wanda and her
husband John. I know that
we will continue to have her
love, support and dedication
to all we do. And if in two
years she decides to reapply
to be a board member, we
will welcome her back
gladly!
Happy Valentine’s Day –
Happy President’s Day and
let’s hope that Spring is not
far away!
3
2/8
Movies
TBA
$15
Meet at Milford
Cinema
2/9
*Lunch on the
Road
11:30-1:30
$15
Meet at
Butterbee’s
Beechmont Ave.
2/15
Valentine Dance
7-9
FREE
Withamsville
Elementary
School
2/17
*Omnimax
Theater
(Hubble)
1-3:30
$15
Meet at
JcPenney
Parking Lot
2/23
*Cincinnati History
Museum
10-2
$25
Meet at
JcPenney
Parking Lot
2/24
People
In Action
10-12
FREE
Meet at
Grissom
Building
* Limited Space Available. RSVP to Joan Arthur
513-732-4923.
4
Respite Corner
Robin Cooke
Respite Coordinator
Healthy Kids. Are you
plagued with too many sick
days? Teaching your
children to practice healthy
habits will combat germs and
bacteria.
Consistent school attendance
helps our special kids create
a routine in which they can
learn. However, colds and
flu can hinder even the best
plans.
Avoiding colds and flu
completely is difficult, if not
impossible. However, here
are some helpful tips from
Patti
Ghezzi
of
www.schoolfamily.com.
1. Wash hands with soap
and water using proper
techniques or use hand
sanitizer.
2. Cough and sneeze into a
sleeve.
3. Use tissues only once
before tossing.
4. Avoid sharing cups or
water bottles, even for a sip.
Parents should keep in mind
to model good habits and
update vaccinations.
Additionally, serving a
balanced diet and making
sure everyone gets enough
sleep will further decrease
chances of catching a cold or
flu.
Finally, help your child's
teacher by sending tissues,
hand sanitizer, wipes, and
other supplies to keep the
classroom as healthy as
possible.
Source:
www.schoolfamily.com
February 12, 2011. Mark
your calendar for our next
Gift of Time Respite Day at
Wildey, noon until 4 p.m.
Your child can enjoy an
afternoon of crafts, cooking,
games and swimming fun.
Think about taking a break
that weekend by bringing
your CC/DD qualified loved
one as well as their siblings
to an afternoon at Wildey!
Reservations are required.
Please call 513-732-5037 for
reservations or email
robincooke@zoomtown.com
Your reservation will give
me the opportunity to plan
appropriate activities and
secure volunteers for the day.
Volunteer Credit. What
makes GOT Respite Cooperative so special? Our
family support!
Your
continued support and
volunteer hours make it
possible to give co-op
parents/families time to
themselves to run errands or
simply relax. Volunteering
comes in many forms:
working with participants at
the respite, helping serve
lunch, calling parents with
reminders, and so much
more. What are your skills?
Update your volunteer hours
at the January respite. Check
your volunteer account at the
registration table.
Questions. If you have any
questions about this
wonderful FREE program,
please call our voice mail,
513-732-5037. Voice mail is
checked several times a day.
However, if you need a more
immediate answer, contact
me directly. My cell phone
number is 513-602-8049, or
send an email to:
robincooke@zoomtown.com
5
A Round of Applause To…
Many thanks to the
following area businesses
who donated to Clermont
DD holiday parties. These
gracious
donations
sponsored the Community
Employment Party at
Pattison Park Lodge and the
S h e l t e r e d Wo r k s h o p ’ s
Thanksgiving and Christmas
parties.
Pam Baron (GM) Pizza Hut
Amelia, Gerry Sparks
(Manager) Skyline Chili
Amelia, Gary and Kim Slone
(Owners) Central Repair
Service Inc., Harold Bryant
(Executive Manager)
Frisch’s Batavia, Scott
Mangold (Regional VP)
Enterprise Rental Car, JAGS,
Meijer Eastgate, and Sam’s
Club Eastgate.
Thank you for making our
holiday season bright!
Mark Your Dancing Calendar
The second annual
Dancing with the Stars
event will be held on
March 11 at the Holiday
Inn Eastgate. Starting at
6:30 p.m., local celebrity
couples will take to the
dance floor to compete are interested in being
for the coveted Mirror part of this exciting
Ball Trophy.
event,
specific
information is below. We
Just who will win? Only hope to see you there!
the audience can
determine that! If you
Clermont County
“Dancing with the Stars” Extravaganza
March 11, 2011
6:30-9:00 p.m.
Holiday Inn Eastgate
Tickets are $50 each
Open Dancing from 9:00-Midnight (included in ticket)
For more information, call (513) 732-5028.
6
Wanda Downey—A Woman of Integrity
Do you know someone who has
been a volunteer for twenty
years?
We do…it’s Wanda
Downey. Those years weren’t all
c o n s e c u t iv e , b u t s h e h a s
accumulated twenty years’ worth
of volunteer time as a Board
member for the Clermont County
Board of DD.
Quite an
accomplishment, isn’t it?
Wanda served an eight-year term
as a Board member in the early 90s
and left the Board when her term
expired. She was re-appointed
after a one year absence; during
her second term in office, laws
changed to allow DD Board
members to serve a twelve-year
term.
Throughout the years,
Wanda has attended events, held
the position of Board President
(more than half of the years she
was on the Board), and been an
advocate for people with
disabilities in our county. She
attended Commissioners meetings,
public forums, and various
speaking engagements on behalf of
the individuals served by Clermont
DD.
To honor Wanda, a reception was
held on her behalf before the
January
27
Board
meeting.
Administrators, staff,
retirees, and Wanda’s family were
present to watch as she was
presented with various accolades
that included: a certificate from
the Clermont County
Commissioners, presented by
Commissioner Ed Humphrey; a
certificate from the Statehouse,
presented by new Clermont DD
Board President Harry Snyder and
signed by State Senator Tom
Niehaus,
State
Representative Joe
Uecker,
and
Representative
Danny Bubp; a
plaque from the
Ohio Association of
County Boards of
DD, presented by
Board member Laurie Benintendi
(who serves on the OACB Board
at the state level); and a plaque
from Clermont DD presented by
Superintendent Sharon
Woodrow. Sharon also presented
Wanda with an engraved jewelry/
music box, which plays the song
“Unforgettable.”
Wanda, we wish you much
happiness in the years to come, and
we know you will continue to
volunteer in your spare time at
events and activities. Just like the
words
of
the
song,
“Unforgettable…that’s what you
are.”
7
Oath of Office
Ed Humphrey, President of
the Clermont County Board
of Commissioners, was
present at the January 27
meeting of the Clermont
County
Board
of
Developmental Disabilities
to administer the Oath of
Office to members for the
2011 calendar year.
The Clermont DD Board
uses its January meeting to
reorganize by accepting
nominations for officers and
to determine the date, time,
and location of future
meetings. After nominations
were closed, the following
members were elected as
officers:
Harry Snyder,
President; Laurie Benintendi,
Vice President; Jennifer
Mailloux, Secretary.
The
following members will
serve on the Ethics
Committee: Harry Snyder,
Greg Carson, and Laurie
Benintendi. It was approved
that all 2011 meetings will
be held on the fourth
Thursday of each month at
5:30 p.m. at the Thomas A.
Wildey
Center
in
Owensville.
Pictured are Commissioner
Ed Humphrey (far right) and
members of the Board from
left: Greg Carson, Laurie
Benintendi, Harry Snyder,
Sheila Madden, Kim
Pellington, Jennifer
Mailloux, and Garrett Slone.
FYI
The following events/
meetings are scheduled at the
Families with ASD Resource
Center, 5989 Meijer Drive
Suite 9, Milford, OH 45150.
All are free unless otherwise
noted.
Feb. 15 Facial Expessions
and Body Language Class,
7 p.m. Families with ASD
Resource Center
Feb. 19 Single Parent
Support Group, 12:30 p.m.
RSVP to
Janis.hastings@gmail.com
Feb. 19 Father’s Support
Group, Flipdaddy’s,
8 p.m. 7453 Wooster Pike
Cincinnati, OH 45227. Please
RSVP to helping
familieswithautism@yahoo.com
Join us if you can!
8
Clermont County
Board of DD
P. O. Box 156
Batavia, OH 45103
Board Members
Wanda Downey
Greg Carson
Sheila Madden
Jennifer Mailloux
Harry Snyder
Laurie Benintendi
Kim Pellington
Superintendent
Sharon Woodrow
Sponsor of Clermont
DD’s
One Call Emergency
Phone System
Learn to Sign
Sign Language Class
February 17 and 24
7-8 p.m.
St. Andrew Church
Parish Center Meeting Room
560 Main Street
Milford, OH 45150
Classes are $15.
Contact Kathy Rinn to RSVP and for payment options
krinn@bizcinci.rr.com
THE BEACON is published monthly by the Clermont County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
Please direct any questions or send your press releases to: Lisa Davis, Community Relations Director
Clermont County Board of Developmental Disabilities P. O. Box 156 Batavia, OH 45103
513/732-4921 ldavis@clermontdd.org
www.clermontdd.org