At its monthly meeting on August 22, 2022, the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities recognized the following staff members and community members and organizations.
- Staff Persons of the Month: Priscilla Green, Deb Staccone, and Molly Montgomery, Custodial Workers in the Capital Projects Department
- Special Recognition: Daniel Wright, an individual served by the Board, Dana Incorporated, for its support of Lucas County Special Olympics, and Dr. Rebecca Monteleone, Associate Professor of Disability and Technology at the University of Toledo.
Priscilla Green, Deb Staccone, and Molly Montgomery
The Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities is proud to honor three members of our Capital Projects Department this month.
Priscilla Green is exemplary in keeping the staff safe, which was critically important during the heart of the COVID pandemic. She has gone above and beyond what has been asked of her to do, coming up with ways to keep the Administration and Children’s area safe. Additionally, Priscilla has been performing her duties in the Children’s area until the job descriptions were updated, which was just recently.
Deb Staccone and Molly Montgomery are both very committed to their responsibilities. They ensure that when a meeting is finished, the room is sanitized and safe as quickly as possible so it’s ready for use for whomever needs it next. You can find them in the building, always hard at work.
The Provider Support unit had some little friends (also known as mice) visit us this past winter. Deb and Molly determined that a more in-depth cleaning was needed. They both jumped in and assisted staff to clean and sanitize the areas. This was a huge undertaking and they didn’t hesitate to assist.
When Provider Support was making bags to deliver to DSP’s, as usual, our friends in Capital Projects answered the call, helping bring in supplies and filling bags whenever they had a spare minute during the day.
No matter what you need, they are always friendly and willing to assist. Thank you, Deb, Molly, and Priscilla, you are very much appreciated! Congratulations! The Board is pleased to recognize you with the August 2022 Staff Persons of the Month honor!
Daniel Wright
Editor's Note: Daniel was to be recognized as the June 2022 Special Recognition award winner but could not make the June meeting. With no meeting in July, we held the presentation until our August meeting.
When I first met Daniel Wright in 2017, he was a very shy and soft spoken 11-year-old. I had to coax him into telling me about his Guinea pig, cats and dog. He quietly told me about how he takes care of his pets but as he spoke his face lit up and you could tell just how much he loved his animals.
Fast forward to 2019 and a conversation with his mom about connecting Daniel with some new friends. Coincidentally, LCBDD was getting ready to host its annual ice-cream social for families. Daniel attended the event and he hit it off with another young man his age. Their friendship continues to blossom and is still going strong today!
In the five years I’ve known him, Daniel has become an active young man, participating in summer camp at Courageous Acres, Special Olympics, a volunteer at his church, and, of course, given his love for animals, a volunteer in our Zoo Teens program! With the support of Employment Navigator Lisa Saunders and the encouragement of his Zoo Teen Mentors, Daniel has gone from someone who was present at Zoo Teens to someone who engages and educates young guests.
Daniel’s love of animals is at the forefront of his life. When choosing a summer youth work site, we all assumed that he would choose the zoo as it is where he’s most comfortable. Instead, Daniel independently chose a doggy daycare, to gain more experience trying something new. As a 16-year-old who previously was timid and leery of new people and places, his courage to try a new experience was amazing to see!
Although still soft spoken, Daniel has grown into being a confident young man ready to start his own business. Lisa Saunders and I are excited to be a part of the team that gets to watch him grow and achieve all of his goals. We can’t wait to see what the next 5 years brings for Daniel!
Congratulations Daniel! Please come up and join us as we honor you with this Special Recognition Award from the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities!
Dr. Rebecca Monteleone
We are honored to present Dr. Rebecca Monteleone, Assistant Professor of Disability and Technology at the University of Toledo, with the August 2022 Special Recognition Award.
After speaking at a SALUTE meeting this past spring, Becca came to us with an awesome idea for an Adaptive Storytelling Workshop. She volunteered her time and always positive energy to work with our self-advocates on telling a story of a difficult life experience that they were able to overcome. The group met weekly for six weeks here at the Larc Lane Center, working on finding their voice through the artful craft of storytelling. Becca educated our individuals about public speaking, taught them relaxation techniques should they get nervous while speaking, and how to have fun while presenting. Most importantly, she taught them what it means to be a strong advocate.
The workshop concluded with each individual presenting their story on stage before a live audience. It was so well received that UT wants to host the next workshop on its campus. That will start next month and conclude in October as part of the university’s Disability Awareness Month celebrations.
Becca embodies the Board’s mission by believing in our individuals and helping empower them to live their best lives. She goes above and beyond by assisting individuals with transportation, support in their home, and being a friend when needed. Becca also supports our staff with a strong partnership, education, and commitment to the programs and people we support.
Much like the Rocket that her university is known for, this partnership has already taken off and our future with Becca is wide open for more opportunities to collaborate and help our individuals reach their full potential.
The Lucas County Board of DD is pleased to recognize Dr. Rebecca Monteleone with the Special Recognition Award for August 2022.
Dana Inc.
Before we recognize Dana Incorporated, a quick little history lesson.
Dana was founded in 1904 and has become a global leader in drivetrain and e-Propulsion systems in passenger and commercial vehicles. We are truly blessed that this global company has called Lucas County home since 1928.
Having a company like Dana headquartered here is a benefit to the entire community. One such example is when it became the title sponsor for the American Junior Golf Association Junior (AJGA) Open three years ago.
The tournament is held annually in July at the Sylvania Country Club. Since becoming the title sponsor in 2019, Dana has been kind enough to donate $119,000 in proceeds to our Lucas County Special Olympics program. These donations were critical in allowing us to build an additional Bocce Court on campus and purchase new Lightning golf, basketball and softball uniforms. They also allow our golfers the opportunity to play at a discounted rate.
The AJGA Dana Incorporated Junior Open received the 2021 Charitable Giving Award. This award is not to be taken lightly. With more than 120 tournaments on the AJGA schedule each year, the Charitable Giving Award is one of the greatest honors the organization bestows upon a tournament.
Thank you doesn’t even seem adequate. We are truly grateful for Dana Incorporated’s incredible generosity toward our Special Olympics program. You have touched hundreds of individuals by bringing pride and joy to their lives. You have empowered us to live out our mission to improve LIFE and help individuals with developmental disabilities reach their full potential.
The Lucas County Board of DD is pleased to recognize Dana Incorporated with the Special Recognition Award for August 2022 for its generous and on-going support of individuals with developmental disabilities.