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 …
Hard work (and family) know no bias
Dan Cassell was born with a developmental disability, so he and his family understood from the very beginning that Dan would always have to work twice as hard as most people. He had to work twice as hard to walk, to talk, and to fit in with his peers. His mother instilled this hard work …
Partnership nurtures soft skills, promotes acceptance of those with developmental disabilities
It’s something that the Marion County Board of Developmental Disabilities (MCBDD) knows all too well. There is often a lack of understanding regarding the people that we serve. They are different and sometimes people do not embrace different as quickly as the organization would like. But when people do embrace those who are different, great …
Man with Asperger’s Syndrome aims high with college, career goals
Dalton Rogers is on his first step in a multilevel plan of eventually becoming a cybernetic engineer. He is currently successfully completing classes at Marion Technical College (MTC) and plans to continue on until he reaches his ultimate goal. The goal in itself is lofty, but Dalton feels very obtainable. Achieving it with a …
Man with Asperger’s Syndrome aims high with college, career goalsRead More