We are telling a lot of really great stories lately, stories of our people rising above their disabilities and finding their abilities to be successful in this community. We are telling stories of the strong family support behind their success. These are stories our community needs to see. These are GREAT stories and I am …
April 2018 Message
What do you get when you combine the Marion County Board of Developmental Disabilities with our families, our advocates, our providers, our partners, our schools, our board members, and our wonderful staff? Collaboration. It’s the act of working together to produce something great. And that “something great” is more inclusion for those we serve through …
March 2018 Message
March is a rewarding month for me because it is the month to celebrate those we serve in the shape of Developmental Disabilities Awareness month. We did this in several ways this year. The commissioners got to hear from Travis and Tom at their open meeting. Both shared the reasons that they like receiving services …
February 2018 Message
There is a momentum around developmental disabilities. Not just in Marion, but across the country. More than ever, I have noticed the DD world is not its own island. Toyota has included those with disabilities in their new campaign, “Start Your Impossible,” Dwayne Wayne (The Rock) is staring in a new thriller called Skyscraper where …
December 2017 Message
We’ve seen a lot of change in the developmental disabilities field during my tenure. This year was certainly no different with budget challenges and privatization, but through it all, I’m always amazed at how our organization works holistically to provide those we serve the support and resources they need to meet their goals and become …
November 2017 Message
It’s November. During this month, I can’t help but count my blessing and be thankful. I’m thankful that I have the opportunity to make a difference in Marion County. I’m thankful that I have an incredible staff to carry out the work, the advocacy, and the values and mission of the Marion County Board of …
October 2017 Message
Just like that, October is nearly over. The saying, “time flies” is so true. As the time quickly passes, our organization continues to soar. This is a great time to remind those who have a history with our organization – as well as introduce new staff to the words that we live by – our …
September 2017 Message
Phew! September has been quite a month for us. We had a parade that required several hours and lots of manpower to produce a nice looking float for the Popcorn Parade. It’s been a long-standing tradition for us to have a presence in the parade and we didn’t disappoint this year with our Vegas-themed float. …
August 2017 Message
We have something great to celebrate! This year marks the 50th anniversary of the creation of county boards of developmental disabilities, which were implemented under state law to better serve people with special needs. The primary function of the board is to ensure that those we serve in Marion County are receiving appropriate services, including …
July 2017 Message
Change. It’s hard. It’s different. It’s uncomfortable. And we have had a lot of it recently. Because of this, I wanted to communicate a few things and expand upon the reasons behind some of the change and decisions that have been made and the vision moving forward from my point of view. Let’s start with …