Locals recognized for Disability Employment Awareness Month

FINDLAY — Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn and the Hancock County commissioners offered a proclamation in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month at recent city and county meetings. Nadine Weininger, Hancock County Board of Developmental Disabilities director of public relations, said National Disability Employment Month is celebrated annually in October "to bring attention to equal access to employment opportunities and to remove any remaining barriers that prevent the full participation of people with disabilities in the workforce." Weininger said there are 460 people aged 16 and older receiving support through Blanchard Valley Center, 102 are employed. Twenty-three people have full-time positions, 77 have part-time positions and two work in seasonal positions. Weininger received a proclamation from the city Tuesday with Jackson Doll, and Thursday from the commissioners with Jaycie Kinn. Both Doll and Kinn are employed at local businesses after receiving support from the Blanchard Valley Center. "As written in the proclamations, 'we encourage all citizens to join in this observance and to embrace the talents and skills of workers with disabilities,'" Weininger said.