PORTSMOUTH– Scioto County Developmental Disabilities hosted an employee recognition banquet at the Scioto County Welcome Center on Sept. 22 to honor their employees’ years of service. Among the recipients was Brenda MacDonald, who has worked with the organization for 40 years.

“This is an opportunity for us to recognize people, not only for their longevity but also for the quality of their work,” said SCDD Superintendent Matt Purcell. “We employ about 150 people full- and part-time, and we serve close to 900 individuals and their families throughout Scioto County. Our greatest assets are our experienced employees, and as they go through their careers and learn more they become assets to other employees as well.”

Honored for 40 years of service during the banquet was Brenda MacDonald.

MacDonald said even as a child she used to dream of being a teacher at Vern Riffe School, which was then known as Happy Hearts School. She has been an Intervention Teacher at SCDD for 18 years, but she started as the first agency’s first behavior management specialist in 1983.

“I’ve done a little bit of everything, but the last 18 years I’ve been back in the classroom and it’s been wonderful,” she said. “When I worked upstairs in administration, I wasn’t with the adults or children all that often and I really missed that. I think God put this kind of work on me. People ask me when I’m going to quit – well, whenever He has something else for me.”

Also honored was Nancy Sand and Cindy Corielle (30 years); Becky Mault and Cindy Kayser (25 years); Leslie Weddington (20 years); Paige Donini and Jessica Hoffer (15 years); Beth Arthurs, Tom Sherman, Jeff Horner, Melissa Gampp, Carlisa Baker, and Pam Thompson (10 years); Cassie Clark, Andrea Dryden, Angie Taylor, Bill Adams, and Sherri Adams (five years); Eddie Davis, Bob Shultz, and Emma Journey (three years); and Travis Turner, Austin Hoople, Brooke Rosenagle, Amanda Literal, Bill Tackett, Kalyn Eastwood, Alexus Hart, Thomas Book, Morgan Weaver, April Kozee, Brian Holbrook, Kim Sturgeon, Breanna Broughton, Jamie Chamberlin, Andrea Valdes, Cynthia Carter, Sarah Huffman, MaKayla Coffey, Amy Kline, and Abigail Keathley (one year).

Employees were each given a pin to commemorate their years of service to SCDD.

Following the awards ceremony, keynote speaker Rik Roberts entertained the audience with his portrayal of Barney Fife from “The Andy Griffith Show” as he showed them “The Mayberry Method.” The goal of the keynote was to provide staff with actionable steps to improve leadership, productivity, and service-recipient relationships. The focus is always to find better ways to serve others.

For more information about the programs and services at Scioto County Developmental Disabilities, call 740-353-0636 or visit online at www.sciotocountydd.org, and like and follow them on Facebook and TikTok.