• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Getting Started
  • Contact Us
  • Search
  • DONATE

Marion County Board of Developmental Disabilities

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Mission and Values
    • In the News
    • Community Report
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Contact Us
  • Meet the Team
    • Leadership
    • Early Intervention
    • Service and Support Administration (SSAs)
    • Investigative Agent
    • Staff Directory
  • Services Offered
    • Early Intervention
      • Child Safety Seats
    • Investigative Agent Services
    • Partner Providers
      • DODD ICF Search Tool
    • Service and Support Administration (SSA)
    • Special Olympics
    • Background Checks
  • Governance
    • Board Members
    • Board Meetings
    • Policies
  • Resources
    • OACB Life Map
    • Changing Station Lending Programs
    • Community Resources
    • Financial Summary
    • Notice of Privacy Practices
    • Residential Options Counseling Guide
    • Resolution of Complaint
    • Stable Accounts
  • Search
  • DONATE
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Mission and Values
    • In the News
    • Community Report
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Contact Us
  • Meet the Team
    • Leadership
    • Early Intervention
    • Service and Support Administration (SSAs)
    • Investigative Agent
    • Staff Directory
  • Services Offered
    • Early Intervention
      • Child Safety Seats
    • Investigative Agent Services
    • Partner Providers
      • DODD ICF Search Tool
    • Service and Support Administration (SSA)
    • Special Olympics
    • Background Checks
  • Governance
    • Board Members
    • Board Meetings
    • Policies
  • Resources
    • OACB Life Map
    • Changing Station Lending Programs
    • Community Resources
    • Financial Summary
    • Notice of Privacy Practices
    • Residential Options Counseling Guide
    • Resolution of Complaint
    • Stable Accounts
  • Search
  • DONATE
You are here: Home / News / Marion County Sheriff’s Department “Walks the Walk” of Community Involvement

Marion County Sheriff’s Department “Walks the Walk” of Community Involvement

March 30, 2023 //  by MCBDD

Sheriff Bayles has created a community culture within the walls of the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, and the Marion County Board of Developmental Disabilities (MCBDD) felt this firsthand.

Service and Support Administrator, Amanda Blackburn, was on a mission to help someone she supports with transportation needs. Jesse Demico is twenty years old and wants to gain more independence. He does not have a license, so transportation challenges made it hard for Jesse to reach this goal.

When Blackburn brought this to light within the agency, Cheryl Plaster, Superintendent of MCBDD, reminded Blackburn of the prison program to fix bikes retrieved by the Sheriff’s office. Blackburn followed the lead to discover that this program no longer existed.

Left to Right: Rob Morgan, Jesse Demico, Sheriff Bayles pose with Jesse’s new bike

MCBDD then reached out to the Sheriff’s office to see what they do with those repossessed bicycles, hoping the agency could get one for Demico. Unfortunately, the Sheriff’s office had some bikes that needed work and were unfit. Rob Morgan, an employee at the Sheriff’s office, used to work at the prison. With this connection, he immediately asked if he could help get Jesse a bike. Morgan got Marion Correctional Institution (MCI) to help with the project but decided it would take too long. The next day, Demico had a brand-new bike purchased by Morgan to help him achieve his independence.

“The kid needed a bike – NOW,” Morgan said. “I felt like I could help him out. So, I did. It was no big deal.”

Of course, Blackburn was thrilled and couldn’t wait to share the news of Morgan’s generosity with Demico. “The first place that I will go is my mom’s house. Then maybe my aunt’s,” Jesse said when asked where his first ride would take him. “It feels great to be helped like this, and I can’t thank Rob enough for the bike,” he added.

When Sheriff Bayles was asked what he thought about the compassionate exchange between Morgan and Demico, he simply said, “Rob’s generosity was not a surprise to me at all,” he said. “That is the type of person that he is. He is the first to volunteer if something is needed, and he truly cares about people. I am proud to have him at the Sheriff’s Office.”

Bayles adds, “A goal of mine has been to have more community involvement between our office and the community. While at the Marion Police Department, I saw what the MPACT program did for this community and was determined to bring that same type of involvement here”. I think we are well on the way to doing that. We have developed programs towards that goal.”

Morgan used his connections at MCI to resurrect the bike refurbishing program to help those with developmental disabilities receive them to support transportation goals for independence. MCBDD is feeling the reward of the Sheriff’s plan, and we are grateful for the bike and the future partnership.

Category: News

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

Dawn holding her twins for the first time.

A Mother’s Strength: Dawn Wolfe’s Journey of Resilience and Love

Open Heart Livestock Show

Open Hearts Livestock Show

Situational Awareness Square Graphic

Situational Awareness Class

Marion County Commissioners Appoint Olson to MCBDD Board of Directors

Just Like Us Countywide Basketball Game

Just Like Us

We're Hiring!

​SERVICE AND SUPPORT ADMINISTRATOR

We're Hiring!

EARLY INTERVENTION SPECIALIST

We're Hiring!

Early Intervention Service Coordinator

Sibling Story

Marion County Board of DD Golden Gala Event

Golden Gala

Akers Sworn in as New Board Member

Online Auction - Bid Now!

Online Auction

Previous Post: « This is Me. More Than DD
Next Post: Garrison Carp achieves goals thanks to valuable support Garrison with his family - mom, Leslie and sister, Briley»

Primary Sidebar

A Mother’s Strength: Dawn Wolfe’s Journey of Resilience and Love

Dawn holding her twins for the first time.

At just 19, Dawn Wolfe’s life took an unexpected turn—she became pregnant with twins. Then a college student, she realized she needed to shift focus and build a life that could support her children. She made the difficult decision to leave school and take a job at a local factory. At 25 weeks pregnant, Dawn …

Open Hearts Livestock Show

Open Heart Livestock Show

LOVE ANIMALS? HAVE A DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY? WE WANT YOU! REGISTER HERE! WHAT IS IT?Open Hearts Livestock Show is specifically designed to allow those in our community with developmental disabilities to show rabbits, goats, and/or pigs at this year’s fair without being obligated to own or purchase an animal! WHO’S INVITED?We are looking for community members ages …

Situational Awareness Class

Situational Awareness Square Graphic

Registration is required! Click here to register now! This Situational Awareness class will teach individuals how to recognize and respond to their environment, helping them stay alert and make informed decisions in various scenarios. Participants will learn to be more mindful of their surroundings, improve their ability to spot danger, and enhance their safety. The goal is for …

Click Here for More Stories

Footer

Marion County Board of Developmental Disabilities
2387 Harding Highway East, Marion, OH 43302

Main Line (740) 387-1035
Crisis hotline (740) 225-9310
Fax (740) 387-1159

info@marioncountydd.org

Latest News

A Mother’s Strength: Dawn Wolfe’s Journey of Resilience and Love

Open Hearts Livestock Show

Situational Awareness Class

Click Here to View More News

Copyright © 2025 Marion County Board of Developmental Disabilities · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Neighborhood Image