County group focuses on developmental disabilities awareness in March

The Knox County Board of Developmental Disabilities was busy in March, the 35th anniversary of Developmental Disabilities Awarness Month.

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan declared the month of March as Developmental  Disabilities Awareness Month. 

Knox DD aims to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental  disabilities in all areas of community life, as well as awareness to the barriers that people with disabilities still sometimes face in connecting to the town in which they live. It is a chance to be more empathetic and to focus on the challenges all face in their own lives. 

Last month, Knox DD went  to the city council meetings for Mount Vernon, Fredericktown, Centerburg, Gambier and Danville to do a proclamation declaring March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.  

It did its annual coloring and essay contest with local elementary schools in Knox County. To view photos, check out its blog post for March 22 by visiting www.knoxdd.com/stories and scrolling down. 

Paragraphs Bookstore read four books to preschool classrooms at Head Start on March 15: "Strictly No Elephants," "You Are Enough," "When Charley Met Emma" and "My City Speaks." The children loved the books and having visitors in their classrooms again. 

The Centerburg Library and the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County developed programs and displays to celebrate DD Month as well. The Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County did virtual story times weekly during the month to ensure all children could participate if they wanted to. 

A small, scaled-down version of Knox DD's annual luncheon took place on March 31, where six different people were honored for their dedication, determination and willingness to make Knox County a place for everyone to live, work and thrive. 

• Dedication Award: Allyn Frye and Sally Myers (Gantt Homes) 

• Local Hero Award: Anna Frazier (Independent Provider) 

• Community Partner: Dr. Amy Teleron-Khorshad, American Health Network 

• Employer Award: Ajodhya Dining Concepts (Half Baked Café, Georgetown Caribbean  BBQ, Cindy’s Pierogis) 

• Individual Spotlight: Meralyse Dessert and Ben Frazier 

For more information or for photos, visit www.knoxdd.com/stories/2022/3/2/developmental-disabilities-awareness-month.