Dan Ottke, Superintendent, 2040 U.S. Highway 50 Batavia, OH 45103

Phone: 513.732.7000

Self Advocacy at Clermont DD

The Aktion Club of Clermont County, Ohio is a self advocacy group that works in partnership with the Clermont County Board of Developmental Disabilities and the Kiwanis Club of the East Fork Region.

Self advocates exercise their rights as citizens by communicating and representing themselves.  They have a say in decision-making in all areas of their daily lives and in public policy decisions that affection them.

Meet our officers and learn about upcoming meetings by clicking our link to the Aktion Club of Clermont County, Ohio’s brochure.

Pictured at right:  Scott Baker, Aktion Club President, presenting David Pursley with the Self Advocate of the Year Award at the 2025 Good Fortune Award Dinner.  

2025 Self Advocate
of the Year

David Pursley

David has been a member of the Aktion Club self advocacy group for just over two years.  He attended many events to support Clermont DD in the community and helped organize a Car Wash for the Basketball is Life program, raising over $1500 in just one day.

David has also volunteered at Empower Youth and worked hard to recruit more members for the Aktion Club.  He has also participated in fundraisers and involves his family in as many events as possible. 

David was honored with the self advocate of the year award at the 2025 Good Fortune Recognition Dinner in October.  He is pictured above with Aktion Club President Scott Baker, who presented the award.

Congratulations, David!

 

Self Advocates of the Year
Previous Years

2011 – Amy Jones

2012 – Megan Purtell

2013 – Matt Strickland

2014 – People in Action Group

2015 – Gail Troxell

2016 – Ben Blizzard

2017 – Ethan Stuempfle

2018 – Austin Porter

2019 – Ellen Thompson

2020 – Scott Baker

2021 – John Hicks

2022 – Abby Minardi

2023 – Mark Iles, Jr.

2024 – Lindsey Wright

2025 – David Pursley

History of Self Advocacy at Clermont DD

People In Action was the first self-advocacy group at Clermont DD.  PIA was made up of people who supported each other to speak up and learn to discuss issues that are important to them.  They worked cooperatively with the Clermont County Board of DD to share ideas, promote advocacy education, and improve the quality of services in our county.

In 2017, Clermont County Voices became the new self advocacy group.  In 2018, the name was changed to Clermont County Turn Up the Voices which reminded members to “turn it up” as much as possible!  In December, 2019, the name was shortened to Turn Up Clermont. On March 16, 2022, the group became the Aktion Club of Clermont County, Ohio.