The Clermont County Board of Developmental Disabilities attended the 50th Anniversary Celebration at the Ohio Statehouse on October 24. The celebration was coordinated by the Ohio Association of County Boards to commemorate 50 years of service to people with disabilities in Ohio.
Each of the 88 county board programs gathered information from their respective counties for a time capsule that will be opened at the 75th anniversary. Those presenting the time capsule contents from Clermont County were Superintendent Dan Ottke, Activity Coordinator Angie Stanton, and Self Advocates Shane Smith and Brittany Hauser.
Hauser represented Clermont County by attending a special ceremony in the House Chamber. She, along with a representative from each county board of developmental disabilities in attendance, sat in the Gallery viewing box for the presentation. House Resolution 278 was presented to honor the Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities on their 50th anniversary of services in Ohio. Speaker of the House Cliff Rosenberg (R-District 91) and Representative Mike Duffey (R-District 21) sponsored the resolution; it was cosponsored by Representatives Fred Strahorn (D-District 39), Nickie Antonio (D-District 13), Louis Blessing (R-District 29), Kristin Boggs (D-District 18), Andrew Brenner (R-District 67), Nicholas Celebrezze (D-District 15), Sarah LaTourette (R-District 76), Scott Ryan (R-District 71), Gary Scherer (R-District 92, and Emilia Strong Sykes (D-District 34).
The Ohio Association of County Boards planned lunch for the event and afternoon meetings with senators or state representatives from each area of the state. Although the attendees from the Clermont County Board of Developmental Disabilities did not plan meetings with any state officials, they were able to have lunch with Senator Joe Uecker (R-District 14), who invited them for a tour of his office. The group also had the opportunity to visit with Representative Doug White (R-District 66) who was waiting for his first appointments in the Atrium of the Statehouse.
Before leaving for the day, Smith and Hauser participated in a statewide video project that will complete the 50th anniversary year and will be available sometime before the end of 2017.
As the group was leaving the Statehouse, they talked with former State Senator Tom Niehaus who was in Columbus on business.
“Today, I had the opportunity to meet a State Senator, a State Representative, and a Former State Senator,” said Self Advocate Shane Smith. “I’ve really enjoyed my day at the Statehouse.”
For more information about this event and or other 50th anniversary celebrations, visit www.clermontdd.org.
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