sept_2017

SEPTEMBER 2017
Bringing about a vibrant community where people lead fulfilling lives and make meaningful contributions.
Cordle Cares Gives Hope, Opportunity to Athletes
The generosity of the Cordle Cares Foundation Inc. played
an enormous role in the success of Fairfield Athletics Association/Special
Olympics over the past year, allowing dozens of
local athletes opportunities to compete in a variety of team
and individual sporting events.
The Foundation, which believes that “support gives hope, is
committed to serving those in need, supporting other nonprofit
organizations, encouraging youth to give back to their
community and providing scholarships to student athletes
with a commitment to community service. It was started by
Lancaster native Jim Cordle, a former OSU Buckeye Offensive
Lineman and
member of the
NFL’s New York
Giants, in an
effort to give
back to the community.
Cordle Cares recently granted more than $2,300 for entry fees for
the 2017-2018 sports season and for basketball referees. IN the past
year, Cordle Cares also assisted Special Olympics with equestrian
fees, basketball fees, 35 basketball uniforms, new basketballs, powerlifting
wrist wraps and power belts, and a variety of track and field
related items.
“We cannot thank the incredible
people at Cordle Cares
Foundation enough for all that
they do to help athletes and
youth in our community,” said
Fairfield DD’s David Baum. “They
have been a great partner to
help our athletes prepare and
compete for practice, games
and statewide events.”
Cordle Cares Foundation is
funded largely by monies raised
during the annual Bowling with Buckeyes fundraiser, as well as through the generosity
of local donors. For more information, visit www.cordlecares.org.
“Once you Choose Hope,
Anything is Possible.”

On Your Mark, Get Set, SWIM!
Many who know me know
that I have an affinity for Albert
Einstein. (Some people
even see a slight resemblance
in our physical appearance!)
My office walls is
graced with several of his
prolific quotes that inspire
me. But I recently stumbled across a quote from
him with which I simply cannot agree.
“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology
has exceeded our humanity.”
In the world of developmental disabilities, that just
isn’t the case.
In the past few years I have watched, sometimes
dumbstruck, as advancements in technology have
opened doors for people where there previously
were none.
Because of technology, people using mobility devices
no longer must rely on someone to push
them—they can navigate themselves using buttons,
joysticks, even their heads.
Because of technology, people with transportation
issues can order their groceries online and
have them delivered.
Because of technology, people who are confined
to their homes can socialize with their families
and friends through email or social media.
Because of technology, people who have yet to
obtain a driver’s license can drive cars and fly
planes through virtual technology.
Because of technology, students on the Autism
Spectrum are learning from and interacting with
sensory-friendly robots. (More about this later!)
Because of technology, people are communicating
their wants and needs through augmentative
communication devices—when previously their
voices could not be heard.
And as for humanity, well, I can tell you that were
it not for the generosity of others, the determination
to keep looking for better ways and the desire to
never settle—it would be much more difficult for
Fairfield DD to assist people with disabilities in exploring
and communicating with the world around
them.
- John Pekar, Superintendent
The Fairfield Athletic Association Special Olympics
will begin Swim Team practice on September
8 at 4:45 at the Robert Fox YMCA, 465 W.
Sixth Avenue in Lancaster. For information, contact
Andrea Headley at 740-652-3225.
Art & Clay
Receives
Awards
Congratulations to Art & Clay on Main on being
voted Runner Up for Favorite Art Instruction, behind
the Columbus College of Art and Design and
ahead of the Columbus Academy of Art in the
central Ohio publication Columbus Parent. In addition,
again this year, Art & Clay on Main was voted
Favorite Drop-In Art Studio.
Visit http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODN/
ColumbusParent/Default.aspx to see the e-edition
of the magazine.
Help Fairfield DD surpass our 2017 giving goal and
give back to the county. Pledge forms will be distributed
during the all-staff training day. Plan now to
make a difference! You could win a 2018 Bennington
Pontoon Boat, donated by Dave Levacy!

FAIRFIELD DD EMPLOYEE PICNIC
All Family Support
Services requests forms
must be submitted on
or before October 31.
Call 740-652-7220
with questions.
Fairfield DD Fall
In-service Day
Just a reminder to Fairfield
DD employees that
the fall all-staff in-service
day will begin at 8 am on
September 15 at the Pickerington
Regional Office.
See your supervisor for further
details.
Fun for Free
The Ohio Department of
Natural Resources will host a
Free Fall Event Saturday, September
9 from 10 am to 3 pm
at Fairfield Fish and Game,
2270 Bickel Church Road in
Baltimore.
The day will include instruction
on fishing, archery, air
guns, rifle shooting, skeet
shooting, and canoeing.
Lunch is free for all and the
children leave with a book
bag and goodie bag at the
end of the day.
Families may register the day
of the event between 8:30-
9:30am at Fairfield Fish and
Game. All equipment is provided!
Medicaid Managed Care Forum Scheduled
In conjunction with the Ohio Department of Medicaid, local county
boards, and five of Ohio's managed care plans, Ohio Association Of County
Boards is organizing a series of regional forums for county board professionals
and the public on Medicaid managed care. The Southeast forum will take
place on September 28 at the Athens County Board of DD Beacon School,
801 W. Union Street in Athens.
Managed care is a term used to describe the coordination of health care
benefits offered through Medicaid. This coordination is undertaken by companies
called managed care organizations (MCOs). In practice, managed
care often results in more efficient health care and offers additional benefits
to those enrolled (including reduced costs and access to new health and
wellness programs).
As of January 2017, all people who receive services through a state-funded
developmental disabilities waiver in Ohio became newly eligible for voluntary
enrollment in managed care services.
To help county board employees and the public better understand this
new option, OACB is organizing six regional, in-person information forums.
Each forum will feature speakers from the Ohio Department of Medicaid and
Ohio managed care organizations.
Each location's program will be split into two sessions: one for county board
professionals (during business hours) and one for members of the public
(after business hours). Each program will last about one hour.
Session for Board of DD Staff: 4:30 p.m. Session for the public: 6 p.m.
Admission is free and registration is NOT required.

SPEED
Staff from DiscoverU
and the Department of
Quality & Innovation
recently conducted
their first "Virtual Reality"
day at River Valley Mall.
Participants had an
opportunity to fly an
airplane, drive cars
through crowded
streets, and create
three dimensional art.
The event was a test
to see whether this new
technology could be
used to provide a controlled
environment for
people to learn new
skills, and to experience
things that would be
difficult or impossible to
experience in real life.
The people who participated
that day
adapted to the technology
very quickly. The
driving simulator was a
particular favorite, with
the computer tracking
various traffic violations,
and the participants
changing their behavior
as they were coached
by the computer.
“It’s just so real,” said
one participant.
“Everything is like it is in
real life. I’m going to do
a little fly by on the people
of San Diego right
now. Some residents
might be upset!”
There is a real possibility that this kind of technology could
be a training tool for people with and without disabilities to
help student drivers practice the skills they will need in a safe
environment. Research already is being conducted at several
universities around the country using virtual reality driving
simulation with people on the Autism Spectrum.
According to Ray Schmidt, Director of Quality & Innovation
at Fairfield DD, who provided the equipment and software,
future efforts will help to flesh out the possibility of incorporating
virtual technology into programs, plans and therapies
benefitting people with developmental disabilities.

K of C Helps Purchase Augmentative Communication Devices
The Knights of Columbus St. Mark Council
15447 of Lancaster donated $500 to Forest
Rose School in August through the Fairfield
County Society for Children & Adults with Disabilities.
The funds will be used to assist in the
purchasing of augmentative communication
devices for students. The Knights, who have
made generous donations to Fairfield DD in
the past, hold charity as a primary principle of
their organization.
The donation money was collected as part
of the Knights of Columbus’ Measure Up campaign.
Funds were raised from the organization’s
Gimmie Five fundraiser.
Forest Rose School works closely with students
who are non-verbal by using augmentative
communication devices that are programmed
with dozens, then hundreds, of
words and phrases that the student can select
manually or, in some cases, by using their retinas.
This technology enables children to not
only communicate their wants, needs, likes
and dislikes, but to select their own music
playlists, play games and connect with their
peers.
Pictured [from left] Grand Knight of St. Mark Council 15447
Randy Tipple presents a check to Jodi Blais, Director of Educational
Services, and Megan Rowles, speech pathologist, at Forest
Rose School.
ACC App Available
Proloquo2Go (ACC aid)
Compatibility: iOS (iPhone, iPad,
iPod Touch)
This app is an Augmentative
and Alternative Communication
solution for students who suffer
from speech difficulties due to autism, cerebral
palsy, Down syndrome, apraxia, aphasia or
traumatic brain injury.
The main aim of the app is to give children
and adults with speech impediments a voice.
Its visual vocabulary allows creating sentences
of varying complexity to communicate wants,
needs and messages that are more advanced.
The app is flexible and customizable and allows
choosing from a range of realistic accents for
children and adults to match their “inner
voice”.
Proloquo2Go combines unique features, such
as research-based vocabulary levels, (activity)
templates to support motor-planning, ExpressivePower
to express yourself and full bilingual
support.
Proloquo2Go is designed to ensure growth of
communication skills and to promote language
development. It covers all users, from beginning
to advanced users, while catering for a wide
range of fine-motor, visual and cognitive skills.

Local Volunteer
Recognized
Many of us donate our time to help others
here and there, but for some serviceminded
people, 35 years of serving flies past
in a hurry.
For Judy Willoughby of Baltimore, organizing
a monthly dance and cooking wonderful
food to serve those who attend is routine.
And yes, she has been involved with the
dances and cooking in some capacity for
35 years.
To recognize Judy for her commitment to
enhancing the lives of people with disabilities,
The Fairfield County Board of DD selected
Judy to receive the very first “Make a
Difference Community Service Award”. The award was sponsored by Fairfield Federal Savings and Loan
Bank and Standing Stone Bank and presented by John Pekar, Fairfield DD Superintendent, during the August
volunteer appreciation cookout and community dance.
Should you want to make a difference for people with disabilities, join the Fairfield Connect network of
community friends by emailing or calling Julie Bruckelmeyer, Community Connections Coordinator, at 740
-652-7220 or jbruckelmeyer@fairfielddd.com. - Julie Bruckelmeyer
The Frontier Spirit 1799
Festival will take place
September 24 and 25 at
Alley Park in Lancaster
and is a free event.
A tent village shows the life of the
early settlers with demonstrations
by skilled craftsmen of cooking, soap
making, blacksmithing, spinning,
weaving and more. The large marquis
tent provides a place for music
by many musicians on various period
instruments, speeches by local
dignitaries and various skits. Games
and activities for children are also
part of the village entertainment.
Concessions are available at very
reasonable prices, with snacks,
drinks and food-including bean soup
cooked in iron kettles over an open
fire. The village is open from 11 am to
4 pm both days. A church service by
a circuit preacher is featured at
9:00am on Sunday morning. Bring
the family and enjoy a little bit of living
history. Admission: Free
(Donations accepted)
Hours: 11:00am-4:00pm

Taken Fairfield DD parking lot.
History is
happening in
Lancaster,
Ohio! Join
the community
"in the
room where
it happens"
for a singalong
to the
instrumental
recording of Hamilton, the hit
Broadway musical.
If you would like to solo, please
contact Marilyn at
msteiner@fcdlibrary.org to reserve
your part.
If you don't want to sing a solo,
anyone may sing from the audience
at any time, including when
soloists are onstage.
The Library will close at 6
pm. Doors will re-open at 6:15 pm
for Hamiltunes guests only...no material
checkouts will be possible.
The event will begin promptly
at 6:30 pm. This event is free and
open to everyone who loves Hamilton!
Children under age 13 must be
accompanied by an adult. Costumes
are encouraged, but prop
weapons are not permitted. Light
refreshments will be provided. Visit
www.fcdlibrary.com for more information.
EVENT BENEFITS TWO CHILDREN SERVED BY FAIRFIELD DD
http://www.ds-stride.org/columbusbuddywalk

795 College Avenue
Lancaster, OH 43130
Contact Us
Temple Custer Montanez, Editor
www.FairfieldDD.com
Administration ...................................................... 740-652-7220
Superintendent ..................................................... 740-652-7220
Services and Supports ......................................... 740-652-7220
Family Support Services ....................................... 740-652-7220
Department of Quality .......................................... 740-652-7235
Forest Rose School .............................................. 740-652-7225
Early Intervention/Birth to 3 ............................... 740-652-7225
Opportunity Center ............................................... 740-652-7230
Art & Clay on Main/Square 7 Coffeehouse ......... 740-653-1755
JobFusion ................................ 614-835-2700 or 740-652-7235
Transportation ...................................................... 740-652-7228
Pickerington Regional Office .. 614-835-2700 or 740-652-7235
Volunteer Opportunities ....................................... 740-652-7220
Our Mission
To bring about a vibrant community
where people lead fulfilling lives and
make meaningful contributions.
Superintendent
Board Members:
Mark Weedy, President
Theresa Nixon, VP
Linda Barber, Sec.
John R. Pekar
Robert Competti
Sharon Scruggs
Sharon Murphy
Elizabeth Burwell
“I have not failed, I’ve just found
10,000 ways that won’t work.” - Thomas Edison