Developmental Disabilities Acceptance Luncheon

On June 17, 2026, approximately 225 people joined us for our Developmental Disabilities Acceptance Luncheon at the Community Room!

We typically host a DD Awareness Month Luncheon during the month of March and a Direct Support Professional Appreciation Luncheon in the fall - but this year we decided to combine them into one event to celebrate the community that comes together to make Coshocton County a wonderful place to live, work and grow.

The theme of this years event was “The Power of Being a Good Neighbor,” inspired by the legacy of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. We started with a brief overview of our program and all the departments that come together to make the supports a reality for those in our program. We talked about Help Me Grow, Early Intervention, Therapy, Hopewell School, Service & Support Administration, Provider Relations, Special Olympics and all the other ways we support people. We then had our “From Awareness to Action: Building Inclusive Neighborhoods Panel” where we heard from:

  • Christi Dolick, Manager of Huck’s Tavern

  • Kim Foster, Self-Advocate

  • Melissa Snider, Coshocton Regional Medical Center

  • Lisa Reed, RHDD

Sherrie Simmons, our Provider Relations Manager shared about the different ways Providers support people in our community and why their work and dedication is imperative.

We also gave out awards to some very deserving people!

  • Volunteer of the Year Award: Sandy Hess

  • Community Partner Award: BPOE Coshocton Elks 376

  • Inclusive Employer Award: Rural King

  • Heart of Support Award: Rae Jean Sweeney

  • Individual Spotlight Award: Kim Foster, Jacob Yocum

  • Lasting Legacy Award: Keith Doren

9 people lined up against a wall, each holding an award and smiling at the camera
photo of man with white hair on a stage, holding a microphone speaking to audience. Coshocton DD logo on podium.
photo of two people standing on a stage. the woman is behind a podium speaking into a microphone. man is standing off to the side looking at her.
photo of two women standing on a stage. woman on the left is looking at the woman on the right, woman on the right is speaking into a microphone and looking happily at the woman on the left.
image of two women on a stage. woman on left is smiling and looking at the audience. woman on the left is putting a microphone on a stand, smiling.
image of a woman in a black dress on a stage behind a podium. she is speaking into a microphone.
image of 4 people on a stage. woman on the left is looking at the other three people. woman in black dress is holding an award and looking at the man on her left. First man is looking at woman in black dress, man in orange is looking at the group.
image of a woman on a stage behind a podium. she is speaking into a microphone.
image of two woman standing next to eachother, holding an award, smiling at camera
image of people on a stage. two woman on the left are seated behind a table. Woman in the middle is standing behind a podium gesturing to those two seated women.
image of three women on a stage. Two women on the left are seated behind a table, third is standing at a podium. Woman on the far left is speaking into a microphone.
image of three women on a stage. Two women seated behind a table, third is standing behind a podium. Podium woman is speaking into a microphone and looking at those two women by table.
image of three women on a stage. woman on the left is standing behind a podium. the other two are to the right seated behind a table.
image of three women on a stage. woman on the left is laughing, standing behind a podium. two women on the right are seated behind a table. Woman on the right is speaking into a microphone.
image of a woman on a stage, speaking behind a podium
image of two women on a stage. woman on left is speaking at a microphone, woman on the left is watching the woman on the left.
image of people sitting in the audience -- special highlight on a person in a wheelchair laughing and smiling while watching people on stage
image of two women standing on a stage. woman on left is smiling and looking at woman on right. woman on right is behind the podium and looking out at the crowd.
image of man standing on a stage, speaking behind a podium.
image of two people standing on a stage. man on left smiling, woman on the right speaking into a microphone.
image of woman speaking at a podium
image of two people standing on a stage. woman smiling and looking at man to her right. man is smiling and speaking into microphone.
image of man on a stage, speaking into a microphone
image of three people on a stage. two women on the left are looking at the man on the right. Man is holding an award and presenting it to the two women.
image of three people standing on a stage. woman on the left is holding an award. woman in the middle is speaking into a microphone, accepting an award on behalf of her father. man on the right is looking at the crowd.
Brittany Coon