Our friends at the different Adult Day Programs in Knox County put together a collaborative Summer Sizzle event at Foundation Park on Friday August 22! The weather was perfect and the company was even better! Everyone had a fantastic time listening to music, dancing, getting their pictures taken, temporary tattoos (that seem to never come off!) and they got to Dunk some of their favorite people in a dunk tank! We can’t wait to see what fun ideas you guys come up with for the next Summer Sizzle event!
We always appreciates everything that Direct Support Professionals (DSP) do every single day to improve the lives of people with developmental disabilities in our community. This year we hosted a DSP Appreciation Luncheon on August 26th where approximately 150 people joined us for a short awards presentation where we gave out awards in four categories; Administrator of the Year, DSP of the Year, Independent Provider of the Year and Lasting Legacy.
The Administrator of the Year award recognizes an outstanding agency administrator who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation and dedication within the DD field. This years winner was Crystal Qualls with ViaQuest. One of her many nominators said, “Crystal has been in this field for over 10 years, and every bit of those 10 years have been dedicated to ensuring that our folks are included, cared for, and genuinely loved. For as long as I’ve known her, Crystal has done nothing but advocate for the people that we serve. She is so much more than a manager, she is truly an inspiration. Those who know Crystal, and most of you probably do, know that she has the biggest heart imaginable. She loves this job, she loves these people, and it’s evident in everything she does.”
The Direct Support Professional of the Year award recognizes a DSP that works for an agency in our county. They are a remarkable human being that has a clear love for their profession. This year we had two winners in this category; Aaron Kessler with Independent Beginnings and Micah Grashel with Gantt Homes. One of Aaron’s nominators said, “Aaron works with a person who can be challenging at times. Aaron is very dedicated to his job. He is conscientious about showing up and will assist in covering open shifts if his busy family life allows. Aaron truly cares about his individual and tries to always do the best for him. His client looks up to him and considers him something between a friend and a father figure. Aaron has developed a great rapport with his client, advises him and keeps him safe, and has empathy for him. Not only is he an asset to the team working in this home, he is also a good communicator with me, the Program Manager, bringing new ideas to me, and willing to explore and discuss anything pertaining to his person. I am very happy to have Aaron on my team!” One of Micah’s nominators said, “Micah has only been with Gantt Homes for about a year and a half, but you’d never guess it by the way he has jumped right in and made such a difference. He’s been in this field longer, and it really shows.
Micah is truly amazing. He works at The Hive, our Adult Day Services program, and also supports people in our group homes and out in the community. No matter where he is, you can count on him to be dependable, positive, and all-around fantastic. He has worked in almost every one of our homes, and he’s loved everywhere he goes. One of the best things about Micah is that the individuals we support absolutely adore him. When someone is planning a trip, whether it’s Myrtle Beach, Gatlinburg, a cruise, or a Special Olympics overnight, Micah is almost always their first choice to go along. That says everything about the relationships he builds and the trust he earns. Micah also does a great job helping individuals work on their health and fitness goals. He’s active and fun, and he’s there to encourage and cheer them on at the gym!”
The Independent Provider of the Year award recognizes an Independent Provider that makes a real difference in the lives of those they support. This years Independent Provider of the Year is Edna O’Bryon. Edna’s nominator said, “Edna is so gentle with her client. She is soft spoken and also firm when needed. She will take a phone call from her client at any time of day and always with a smile. Edna has helped her client to become more healthy by diabetic diet, and also more active. When she goes on a vacation. She provides ahead of time and also is fine with FaceTime or phone communication.”
The final award we gave out was the Lasting Legacy Award. This person has dedicated their life and career to making the world a better place for people with developmental disabilities. The winner of this award is someone that has been in the DD field a long time, retired, or has passed away. During their time, they inspired independence, embraced diversity, were leaders, mentors and made monumental differences for people in our program. This years Lasting Legacy Award Winner is Linda Kerr and her late husband Ron Kerr. Their nominator said, “Linda and her late husband, Ron started Knox County Special Olympics in 2006. Linda spent every Thursday evening holding practices for the athletes until 2022. Every June, Linda spent a weekend at the Ohio State University for the state games. She spent so many hours behind the scenes gathering paperwork for the athletes and staying current on trainings/updates from the state. At the end of the year, Linda would create a picture book for every athlete of the events they competed in throughout the year. She would also order trophies for every athlete to present to them at the year end banquet. Both Linda and Ron made sure the banquet recognized all the athletes for their achievements. The individuals and their families were a very important part of Linda's life for many years. Linda volunteered so many hours and always put the individuals and their families first to give them so many opportunities throughout the years.”
As we celebrate these five outstanding Direct Support Professionals, we are reminded of the compassion, dedication, and tireless commitment that define this vital role. Their work not only uplifts the individuals they support but strengthens our entire community. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to this year’s award recipients and our deepest gratitude to all DSPs who make a difference every day.
On August 7, 2025 we were able to celebrate the accomplishments of our Special Olympics Athletes, Coaches, Volunteers and partners that have helped us make this year so successful and fun! Thank you to everyone that helped make this season and event so wonderful!
Ansley Daubenmier, recent graduate of Mount Vernon High School, brought the Limitless Livestock Show back to the Knox County Fair! The Limitless Livestock Show allows an opportunity for children with developmental disabilities to show an animal without the obligation of purchasing the animal.
There were several children that participated in the program with mentors that showed horses, cows, pigs, goats and sheep.
Thank you, Ansley for putting together a wonderful and memorable event. Thank you to all the mentors, friends and family that also made this event so wonderful. Congratulations to Layna, Ciarra, Alex, Dalton, Ayden, Annie, Wyatt, Phoenix and Makenna! You all did a fabulous job showing the animals!
During the week of July 7-11, 2025 we were able to partner with iCan Shine, Kenyon College, and Get Healthy Knox County to bring the iCan Bike program to Knox County! iCan Bike uses adapted bicycles, a specialized instructional program and trained staff to empower kids and adults with disabilities to ride a conventional two-wheeled bicycle.
Thank you to all the volunteers that made this program a reality:
Alexandria Magers, Jessica Parker, Bridget Lomax, Tami Ruhl, Jennifer Kennedy, Heather Neipling, Pat Heithaus, Elizabeth Lebold, Darya Aminia, Lucy Rush, Rebeka Lebold, Keiran Hoffman, Walt Lewis, Brody Boggs, Sophie Taylor, Kristina Hagermann, Abby Gantt, Molly Taylor, Starr Roden, Sala Glandon, Abby Taylor, Dani Korman, and Erin Humphrey.
1st Session
2nd Session
3rd Session
On May 23rd the Knox County Eagles hosted a fun community volleyball game against our friends the Freemason’s! Part of the fun of this game was that people in the stands could bribe the officials to make athletes and volunteers do some fun and goofy things during the game! Thank you to everyone that participated, cheered on, and donated to the benefit of our Special Olympics program!
On March 7th and 8th many athletes went to Ohio State University to compete in the Winter Games! Congratulations to everyone that participated!
Each year in March we celebrate Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! On March 12, 2025 we held our 17th annual DD Awareness Month Luncheon and had almost 240 guests join us at MVNU!
During our luncheon, we reviewed all the wonderful projects we were able to do for our community using ARPA funding. We had a panel of people that are involved with our Special Olympics program to share about their experiences!
Matt Royer, Freemason’s, Volunteer
Blake Berger, Athlete
Calli Finnell, Athlete
Erin Tenney, Bocce Coach, MVNU IGNITE program
We were also able to give out awards to seven different people/groups!
Employer Award: Wishmaker House Bed & Breakfast
Community Partner Award: YMCA of Mount Vernon
Local Hero Award: Retired Sheriff David Shaffer, Tina Davis & Brandi Swingle of Creative Foundations
Individual Spotlight Award: Cheyenne Proper & Sabrina Wilson
“Located in a restored storefront in downtown Mount Vernon, The Annex is an extension of Kenyon College's teaching museum, The Gund. Through programs informed by The Gund’s growing permanent collection, we reimagine what it means to "learn with art” as a community. We invite neighbors, families, students, and lifelong learners to discover new connections to art, ideas, and each other through free workshops, creative activities, and events.” - Kenyon College
John Paul is an avid photographer, always looking for new ways to grow his skill and enhance his creativity. He thoroughly enjoyed learning about creating Photograms during an “Alternatives in Photography” session at The Annex!
