Tag Archives: summit county

Celebrating John Trunk’s Legacy: Happy Retirement!

For the past 8 years, Summit DD has been lucky to call John Trunk their Superintendent. From the first moment we welcomed him to our county, we knew we were in good hands. In July, John announced his retirement and since then we’ve known that the final day would soon come. Over the past several weeks, the community has echoed our sentiments. Summit County Council recently presented John with a commendation, recognizing his work to make this community a more inclusive place for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Earlier this month, OACB presented John with the Kenneth Legats Award for Visionary Leadership in administration. Just last week, several staff and community partners gathered to say goodbye and good luck to John.

John is closing out a four-decade career in the developmental disability field! See the impact he’s made on those around him in the tribute video below. And be sure to check out the slideshow below of recent celebrations for John. Read More ›

Jessica’s Story: The Future of Inclusion

“Disability is a natural part of life. We all have to learn how to get along with people who have different abilities. We need to find ways to make them feel a part of the community just like everyone else. In my new position, I share my story and experiences as a person with different abilities. And if I can achieve the things I have, then so can others,” shared Summit DD’s new Inclusion Advocate staff member, Jessica. Read More ›

Summit DD Eat Safe Campaign Recognized by State

Summit DD’s Eat Safe campaign is designed to educate, support and help implement a safe eating culture for those with developmental disabilities in Summit County who are at risk for eating/swallowing difficulties. Research indicates that individuals with developmental disabilities are up to 3 times more likely than those in the general population to experience trouble eating/swallowing and die from respiratory disease. Read More ›

Inclusion Day a Big Success

The first week of 2021’s Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month is almost in the books…and our Inclusion Day celebration on March 1st was a massive success! It was amazing to see the community come together to spread awareness, even though most of the activities were virtual due to the pandemic. Altogether, we had thousands of community members and close to 50 Summit County businesses and organizations join in the celebration, including nine Akron-Summit County Library branches, City of Stow Mayor John Pribonic, Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro, Summit County Probate Court, and dozens of local disability service providers. Read More ›

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