Wood County Commission declares March Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
Doug Hess, chief operations manager for the Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley, spoke Thursday before the Wood County Commission, including Blair Couch, Robert Tebay and Jimmy Colombo as well as Wood County Administrator Marty Seufer, about services provided locally for people with developmental disabilities as the commission signed a proclamation recognizing March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Representatives of the Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley, SW Resources and Goodwill Inc. appeared before the Wood County Commission Thursday for the signing of a proclamation recognizing March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Front row, from left, Wood County Commissioner Blair Couch, Doug Hess, Morgan Spicer, Danielle Hickey, Wood County Commissioner Jimmy Colombo and Wood County Commissioner Robert Tebay. Second row: Alex Ullmann, Michelle Curtis, Sarah Cordell and Katheryn Mathers. Back: Josh Hawes. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Doug Hess, chief operations manager for the Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley, spoke Thursday before the Wood County Commission, including Blair Couch, Robert Tebay and Jimmy Colombo as well as Wood County Administrator Marty Seufer, about services provided locally for people with developmental disabilities as the commission signed a proclamation recognizing March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Representatives of the Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley, SW Resources and Goodwill Inc. appeared before the Wood County Commission Thursday for the signing of a proclamation recognizing March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Front row, from left, Wood County Commissioner Blair Couch, Doug Hess, Morgan Spicer, Danielle Hickey, Wood County Commissioner Jimmy Colombo and Wood County Commissioner Robert Tebay. Second row: Alex Ullmann, Michelle Curtis, Sarah Cordell and Katheryn Mathers. Back: Josh Hawes. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
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PARKERSBURG -- The Wood County Commission is recognizing March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.
Representatives of The Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley, SW Resources and Goodwill Inc. appeared before the commission Thursday for the signing of the proclamation and to talk about how different people in the community with disabilities are served and their importance to the community.
"We want people with developmental disabilities to live in this community just like everyone else,'' said Doug Hess, chief operations manager for the Arc of the Mid-Ohio Valley. "There isn't any 'us' and 'them,' it is everybody.''
People don't walk around with signs on themselves saying they have a disability, he added.
"It is one of those things where it is not just an awareness; we want people to do things to take action,'' Hess said. "People are aware others have disabilities, whether it is friends or family members. It is 'what can we do about it?'''
The recent merger of Goodwill and SW Resources was discussed, with officials saying both groups do a lot of work with people with developmental disabilities around the community in job training and more to help them be able to succeed on their own.
"This proclamation is a way to let people be aware there are people with disabilities who live in the community who want to be a part of the community just like everyone else does,'' Hess said.
Officials talked about different programs and organizations, like People First which is an organization run through the Arc that helps individuals with disabilities advocate for themselves out in the community.
Many groups have helped people be able to engage with others in conversations with lawmakers and other officials in person.
"It helps people be able to stand up for themselves,'' Hess said.
SW Resources/Goodwill Mission Services Program Manager Josh Hawes said SW Resources is considered a subsidiary of Goodwill, but maintains a lot of its organizational structure.
"With Goodwill, we now have more opportunities, more connections and more resources to use to fulfill the programs we want to do and expand them,'' he said.
They still receive grant funding and are still able to rely on the community quite a bit.
"I think people are aware there are people with disabilities, but I don't think there is awareness of all the things many take for granted like jobs, transportation and being able to take care of yourself on a daily basis,'' Hawes said. "There are so many things a person with a disability can use assistance with.''
The commission unanimously approved the proclamation,
"… This year's theme is 'A World of Opportunities,' celebrating people and working together to remove obstacles,'' the proclamation said. "Our goal is to build a community that's committed to creating a world where everyone can do well and succeed. People are invited to join in making a world where all kinds of people have the chance to thrive..."
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com