At its Nov. 25 meeting, the Board of Directors of the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities gave a Special Recognition award to an individual served by the Board, and recognized a Data Analyst in the Children's Department as its Staff Person of the Month.
Special Recognition
When Mahlique Keith began receiving services from the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities a little more than a year ago, he had recently moved from Indiana and was physically and mentally in a much different place than he is now.
Meetings with Service and Support Specialist Candice Landrum had to be done in short spurts, often by his bedside, because he lacked the physical strength to be up and about for more than an hour a day. His was struggling, mentally and physically, due to issues with the caregivers he had in Indiana. Mahlique was not happy about moving back here to live with mom at first and it proved to be a difficult transition.
While we don’t want to focus on a less happier time in his life, it is important to talk about it because it highlights the resiliency that has gotten him to where he is now.
These days, most meetings occur outside of Mahlique’s favorite coffee shop, The Flying Joe in downtown Toledo. It is there that most of his best planning and ideas have been brought to light. Plans and ideas like sharing that he was going to work extra hard in Occupational Therapy to strengthen his fine motor skills. Why? So that he could go to his little brother’s graduation ceremony and the party that followed so that he could independently hold the celebratory shot glass. And he ended up doing just that, by the way. The coffee shop is also where he first spoke about his collaboration with Jupmode to sell his LiQo branded clothing. LiQo, Mahlique’s nickname, stands for Liberation, Inspiration, Quality, and Optimism. These are all qualities that Mahlique exemplifies every day.
It was also outside of the Flying Joe that Mahlique said he went to the Dean Davis Exhibit at the Toledo School for the Arts. He spent the evening talking with a woman that turned out to be the artist’s mother. Dean Davis then gifted him a Jackie Robinson painting because of the connection he quickly built with Mahlique. It was outside the Flying Joe when Mahlique and his mom shared that they bought a van and planned to convert it to go camping out West all summer to do coffee reviews and see a bunch of concerts. And they did just that. While traveling, they met former Pittsburgh Steeler (and Superbowl winner) Tom Newberry. He even got to wear his Superbowl ring! Most recently, The Flying Joe is where iDance participants, who recently moved into their new studio across the street from the Flying Joe, came up and fist bumped and eagerly said hello to Mahlique, who was at the coffee shop for his morning coffee, a daily ritual for the better part of a year now.
Mahlique always shares how thankful he is for his SSA Candice Landrum and his Employment Navigator Mark McKee. Mahlique, the Board is honored to help you reach your full potential and tonight we are pleased to present you with the November 2024 Special Recognition Award. Congratulations!
Staff Person of the Month
In 20 days, Olga Melendrez will celebrate her 21st year at Lucas DD. She has spent the last 18 of those years as a Data Analyst in the Children’s Department.
Not only is Olga the data and analysis guru, she has become a mentor for the new data analysts in both buildings on the Lucas DD campus.
She is always willing and excited to help, whether it’s in her department or outside of her department. She enjoys coming up with ways to make tasks less time-consuming and as efficient as possible.
Her smile and pleasant demeanor make her very approachable. In addition to her official duties, she will cover the front desk in the lobby of the Children’s Department entrance to ensure the phone is answered and visitors are greeted. She even helps clean when necessary. She is always ready to step in wherever and whenever there is a need.
If you call her with a question, she’ll answer, or she’ll come to you to help, or even set up a zoom meeting! No matter the method of communication, if you go to her with a problem, she’s going to figure out a way to help.
Thank you, Olga, for your dedication to your work and your colleagues. The Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities is pleased to present you with the November 2024 Staff Person of the Month Award. Congratulations!