Volume 16, Issue 7 July 2015

The Madison Express

Visit us online at www.co.madison.oh.us/dd/

Madison County Board of Developmental Disabi l i t ies

On a Mission

Mission accomplished.

Michael Wilhoit now knows he can have an impact of others.

During the last week in June, (which led into the first week of July)

Michael was part of a contingent of youth from London’s First

Presbyterian Church to participate in a mission trip that took them to

Crown Point, New Mexico — the heart of the largest Navajo Indian

Reservation in the world. Michael is served by MCBDD.

While there, Michael and other kids from across the country

worked together on various job sites. For Michael in particular, his days

were filled with building a deck and putting wood on a previously

dirt-covered floor. See MISSION, Page 5

Tigers shine at State Games

A heavy medal performance.

While many athletes had to concentrate on dodging the precipitation during the annual Ohio Special

Olympics State Games, a group from Madison County took their talents inside and came away with a gold medal.

The State Games were held June 26-28 on the campus of The Ohio State University.

Inside OSU’s Recreation and Physical Activity Center (RPAC), the Madison County Tigers Unified

Volleyball team flooded the court with outstanding plays as they captured first place in a competitive division –

their first since 2011. The Tigers are affiliated with the Madison County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

Members of the triumphant squad included John Zeeck, Bryan Thompson, Mike Ellis, Shawn Stewart, Marley

Long, Megan Long, Chris Zeeck, and Lincoln Comer.

It was part of a successful weekend for the Tigers — one in which they

earned 37 medals and 19 ribbons.

After beating Westerville in two sets in the semi-finals, the Tigers then

played the Northwest Superstars for the title.

In the championship, Madison County lost the first set 25-23 but

bounced back to win the final two.

“After letting the first set get away the team really pulled it together,”

said Comer, Recreation Coordinator for MCBDD. “Everyone really

played well, staying positive after going down a set, making sure we

picked each other up after a bad play, and celebrating all the good ones.”

The Madison County contingent found success in various

venues across the Buckeyes campus. See STATE, Page 4

Laura Cotton (right) is on her way to a second place finish in the 100m walk

PAGE 2 THE MADISON EXPRESS VOLUME 16, ISSUE 7

Youth Program Works for All

To some people summer employment can be a chore.

In this case, it was an opportunity to get several needed chores done.

Again this summer, the Madison County Board of DD has teamed with

the Youth Works Program to offer

work to four area teenagers.

It has definitely been

mutually-beneficial.

Youth Works is part of the

Madison County Department of Job

and Family Services.

“We have established a great

working relationship with the

Madison County Board of DD,” said

Sherri Kronk, Youth Program

Coordinator for Madison County

DJFS. “They have provided

opportunities for our youth to gain

valuable work experience. In addition, (MCBDD Organization Services

Director) John LaCivita has been instrumental in assisting us to establish

other exceptional job placement opportunities for our youth.”

Chris Wilhoit, Thomas (TJ) Swindall, and Josh Stage have been

spending this summer with the MCBDD maintenance and custodial crews

cleaning and refurbishing. The assignment began in mid-June and it will conclude the last day of July.

The three young men have been doing a variety of work both inside and outside this summer, according to

Scott Duffey, MCBDD Maintenance Worker 2. The three have worked with Duffey and fellow MCBDD maintenance

worker Randy Redding throughout the community.

At Fairhaven School they have painted bathrooms, classrooms and entryways; washed windows (inside and

outside); hung cabinets, and water-sealed bricks on the roof. Additionally, they took care of the flowerbeds (weeded,

trimmed, mulched) at the majority of homes run by Madison Community Housing.

“They are very hard workers – doing whatever has been asked,” Duffey said. “They got a lot of things done

that would have been had to be put off or maybe not even done at all.”

Student Elexus Burks had been assigned within the MCBDD Administrative Office. Her primary duties have

included scanning and shredding as the agency has been striving toward electronic storage of documentation.

Burks, along with MCDJFS WEP Worker Jennifer Evans have been invaluable to this process, tackling (and

completing) a large amount of work over the past several weeks.

“Elexus is very energetic, a quick learner, and hardworking,” said Annette Clevenger, the MCBDD

Administrative Secretary who has been working closely with Burks. “She does a very good job with the scanning of

files and helping me with clerical duties.”

The Youth Works Program has been in existence for the past 15 years, matching a student’s interests with the

work placement, when possible. As of the beginning of July, the program falls under the new legislation of the

Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act.

Many of the students have the opportunity to participate in the program multiple years. While Kronk said

there are not necessarily any different or additional expectations of individuals after their first year, she added she

hopes they apply what they have learned the previous summers.

“Youth that have participated in the program for more than a year are expected to provide direction and

leadership to newer program participants,” Kronk said. “In addition, they continue to build upon their knowledge

based on the job and establish positive reference basis.”

MCBDD’s LaCivita concurs.

“TJ Swindall is a great example of this,” LaCivita said. “He worked for our program in 2014 and

demonstrates effective leadership skills daily, and has been instrumental in providing guidance to the other students.”

According to Kronk, in addition to MCBDD, students through the Youth Program have been placed this

summer at Spring Valley Stables, Madison-Plains Bus Garage, and Karn Garage.

PAGE 3 THE MADISON EXPRESS VOLUME 16, ISSUE 7

Reaching her job goals By Jenn Coleman

Amanda Turner calls Madison County home. As a wife and

mother, Amanda knows about responsibility and how vital

employment is to the success of her family.

The Madison County Board of Developmental Disabilities

(MCBDD) Vision Statement says, “We will foster the abilities and

dreams of people with developmental disabilities.” Our Mission is,

“To ensure supports for people with developmental disabilities and

their families in making choices which will enrich their lives.” Our

agency takes its Mission Statement seriously as each individual we

serve has a plan specifically tailored to support a person in attaining

important life goals.

Amanda dreams of owning a home with her husband and raising their daughter together with support

from family members. Working enables her to move toward that goal and increases her independence. It was

important for Amanda to obtain employment fast to help meet financial needs of her family and not experience

undue hardships. This is where services from MCBDD and Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD)

have been beneficial in assisting Amanda.

Her job search began in fall of 2014 when she discussed community employment with her MCBDD

Service Coordinator Mark Watson. He referred Amanda to Jenn Coleman (MCBDD Community Inclusion

Manager) to discuss her ‘Path to Employment.’

Jenn and Amanda met with OOD Counselor, David Cingle. The Ohio Department of Developmental

Disabilities’ Employment First initiative coordinates with OOD and MCBDD to fund all of the necessary

supports. These include job search and coaching, as well a vocational counseling and guidance. This helps

ensure that an individual with disabilities has the best chance of achieving community employment success.

David met with Amanda and her team to get started and identify Amanda’s needs and ‘must haves’ in a

future job. Amanda began working with Capabilities – an OOD provider -- and found a good job match at a

local grocery store while working with job coach Kim Smythe.

“Amanda’s positive ‘go-to’ attitude is evident when assisting customers while they shop,” Kim stated.

“As a courtesy clerk her number one concern is customer satisfaction.”

Although Amanda receives services locally from MCBDD and has accessed resources from both OOD

and the Employment First Initiative she stated she would not have been successful without the combined support

of her family and community.

Tigers Love a Parade

Several Madison County Tigers Special Olympics

athletes participated in the City of London’s Fourth of

July Parade, which traveled from Cowling Park through

the streets of Downtown. Athletes Brian and Keith Farris

(along with Stan Oliver) were on a number of vehicles

transporting the Tigers in the parade.

This was another opportunity to thank the

Madison County community for its support of the Tigers

throughout the year.

Photo by Gretchen Peters

PAGE 4 THE MADISON EXPRESS VOLUME 16, ISSUE 7

TRACK, from Page 1

Joining the volleyballers on the top of the awards podium were a quartet of Tigers bowlers – Paul Hiles,

Jeff McCarty, Virginia Smalley, and Mike Williams. Also gathering gold medals in individual events were

Shaundra Sayre (100m run), Marlyn Zeeck (softball throw), Brian Farris (softball throw), Connor Warnock (100m

run), Hunter Price (running long jump), and Bobby Higgins (200m run). The 4x100 relay team of Higgins, Kody

Price, Shawn Engle, and Nick Dummitt also placed first. The majority of the track and field events took place in

OSU’s Jesse Owens Stadium.

The tracksters remained strong despite the unpredictable weather.

“Many of our track athletes had to endure the wind and rain over the weekend -- which is no easy feat,”

Lincoln said. “But despite Mother Nature’s attempts I believe the athletes had a great time.”

Earning silver medals were Dummitt (shot put), Sayre (shot put), Keith Farris (softball throw), Laura Cot-

ton (100m walk), and Higgins (100m run). The bocce duo of Dale Jones and Jacob Kuhn threw their way to a sec-

ond place finish.

The bocce team of Debbie Lee and Chester Roberts were among the Madison County athletes who won the

bronze. Others included Engle (shot put), Brian Farris (100m walk), Warnock (running long jump), Kody Price

(shot put), Hunter Price (100m run), and Keith Farris (100m walk).

The Tigers earned a number of fourth through sixth place ribbons as well. Earning the ribbons were Dum-

mitt (100m run), Engle (100m run), Kody Price (100m run), Cotton (softball throw), and Charlie Gildow

(bowling), as did the bocce duos of David Howard/Rebecca Dozier and Dawn O’Neal/Leah McCarter.

Rounding out the ribbon recipients was the second of Madison County’s unified volleyball squads. Team

members included Geoff DeLong, Elle Scott, Basilia Gonzalez, John Todd, Logan Todd, Dominique Gonzalez,

Nick Brown, Kendra Chapman, Mike Long, and Mike Elfrink.

The coaches and volunteers for Madison County were Caternia Pierce, Wesley Pierce, Stan Oliver, Judy

Coy, Shanda Horace, Jessica Rutherford, Libby Johnson, Liam Comer, Jacey Hamilton, Darryl Brown, Bobbi

McCarty, Harold Stockman, and Linda Gildow.

The Tigers were just part of close to 2,700 athletes from Ohio who participated.

If you are interested in learning more about Special Olympics or volunteering, please contact Lincoln at

740-852-7052 x1917.

MISSION, from Page 1

“This was a huge eye-opening trip,” said Youth Group Leader Missy Glover. “The mission

trip provided opportunity for much growth in relationships — with God, with church family, with

new friends.”

The London group — Kids in Christ (KIC) — was part of a program sponsored by Next

Step Ministries and hosted by

Lighthouse Gospel Church.

Michael (back row, far left)

and others traveled by vans to

their New Mexico destination,

with overnight stops at church-

es in Springfield (Missouri)

and Amarillo (Texas) along the

way.

Images from Special Olympics State Games 2015 June 26-28 on the Ohio State University campus

Here are just some of the images from the 2015

Summer Games. From right (clockwise) —

Chris, Marlyn and John Zeeck show it is a

family affair; Shaundra Sayre, Rebecca Dozier,

Leah McCarter, Kendra Chapman, Dawn

O’Neal, Debbie Lee and Jacob Kuhn prepare to

lead the vans; Shawn Engle sprints in the 100m

run; Brian Farris walks 100m of the track on

his way to third place; members of the

volleyball team display their gold medals;

Conner Warnock runs toward takeoff in the

long jump, and Keith Farris proudly displays

his bronze medal on the 100m podium.

PAGE 5 THE MADISON EXPRESS VOLUME 16, ISSUE 7

Be Safe on the Internet

While the Internet can be a fun place to learn, it is also

something to take seriously.

DO NOT give any personal

information out over the internet.

PLEASE tell someone if you get

inappropriate messages or emails.

NEVER agree to meet anyone

face to face who you met on the

internet.

DO NOT clink on links or

unfamiliar email messages

DO NOT post photos of yourself online and DO NOT

send photos of yourself to people you don’t know.

Tips courtesy of Moose International

For more information, please visit:

MAP Meetings

Third Friday of each month 4:30pm

London Public Library

Upcoming Meetings

August 21 September 18

October 16 November 20 December 18

Parent Networking Interest Meeting

There will be an informal interest meeting for any parents who would be

willing to participate in a sample group for the purposes of networking.

Wednesday, August 12 at 5pm MCBDD Administrative Office

500 Elm Street, London (behind Fairhaven School)

If interested, please contact MCBDD Service Coordinator

AJ Bush at 740-852-7050 x1836

Tigers and Red Raiders Team for Car Wash

The Madison County Tigers received some help from their neigh-

bors recently for a car wash to support Special Olympics. Members of

London High School’s volleyball teams volunteered on July 11. The

event was held at Coughlin Automotive in London.

Using the combination of hard work (from athletes like Jacob

Kuhn, right) with near-perfect weather conditions, the car wash earned

close to $1,600 for Madison County’s Special Olympics program.

Madison County Board of

Developmental Disabilities

Superintendent

Jim Canney

(740) 852-7050 x1819

(740) 852-7051 FAX

jcanney@co.madison.oh.us

Organization Services

John LaCivita, Director

(740) 852-7050 x1816

jlacivita@co.madison.oh.us

Business

Susan Thompson, Director

(740) 852-7050 x1820

sthompson@co.madison.oh.us

Family Support Services

Carol Ansel, Director

(740) 852-7050 x1838

cansel@co.madison.oh.us

Children Services

Mike Mast, Supervisor

(740) 852-7052 x1910

mmast@co.madison.oh.us

I Scream, You Scream

On July 22, First

Merit Bank

brought ice cream

to the MCBDD

Office to thank

county employees

for their service.

Liz Blakeslee (left)

and Melody

Williams were

among those who

enjoyed the treats.

Photo by:

Susan Thompson