The Coshocton County Department of Developmental Disabilities held its annual luncheon June 17 to recognize community partners who support individuals with disabilities. This event honored organizations and individuals who contribute to making community connections and employment opportunities and providing essential services.

"This year we received a touching nomination that didn't quite fit into any other category, so we decided to create a category called the Volunteer of the Year to honor a very special person, Sandy Hess,” said Steve Oster, superintendent of Coshocton and Knox County Board of DD. “Through Sandy's dedicated work with the Fuse Network, lives are truly being changed.”

The Heart of Support Award recognizes an extraordinary professional who brings compassion, dedication and creativity to support people with developmental disabilities. It went to Raejean Sweeny.

The Lasting Legacy Award recognizes a person who dedicated his/her life and career to making the world a better place for people with disabilities, and it went to Keith Doren. His 40 years in the developmental disabilities field built trusted relationships. He gave his time freely and showed what true inclusion looks like.

The Community Partner Award was presented to the Coshocton Elks Lodge, and the Inclusive Employer Award was presented to Rural King for providing meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Brittney Coon presented the Good Neighbor Award to Lisa Reed from RHDD, Kim Foster and Melissa Snider from CRMC, and Christi Dolick from Hucks Tavern.

The Individual Spotlight Award recognizes an individual with a developmental disability who demonstrates determination and a commitment to achieving personal goals. This year the award went to Kimberly Foster and Jacob Yocum.