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MAY 2026
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A "Wicked-Good Time" at the Spring Formal |
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Franklin County Recreation’s Annual Spring Formal Dance for Adults with Disabilities was held Friday, March 27, from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at Capital University’s Koinonia Center. This year’s event, themed “A Wicked–Good Time,” was a tremendous success, bringing members together to celebrate community while highlighting the importance of inclusive recreational opportunities.
Guests arrived dressed to impress and enjoyed an evening of great food, a sundae bar, a Wicked-themed raffle featuring gift cards from local vendors we partner with throughout the year, a photo booth, and lively music that kept the dance floor full. A special appearance by Brutus the Buckeye energized the crowd and added to the festive atmosphere.
The Spring Formal was a memorable evening, and Franklin County Recreation extends a big thank you to all who attended and supported the event.
Volunteers Needed! Learn more here:
https://www.hattielarlham.org/support/volunteer
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Produce Markets Available Year-Round and for Everyone!
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 Having produce readily available at home is a common need for families. Produce is not only healthy and refreshing, but in many homes, it’s a way to stop hunger. In fact, according to USDA.gov, “Approximately 47.9 million people, including millions of families, lived in food-insecure households in the U.S. as of 2026 data. Roughly 1 in 7 households (13.7%) lacked consistent access to enough food, with about 5.4% of households (1 in 20) experiencing very low food security, often skipping meals due to lack of resources.” Thankfully, with the help of Mid-Ohio Food Collective, we can team up and help bring families the food they need, when they need it, and do so all year long! We know sometimes summer months can be tough with the kids at home and extra food needs, so having this available all year is something we are very proud to provide.
This said—our produce markets are for EVERYONE. Sarah Gillilan, our Early Childhood Engagement Coordinator, shares that “this is for everyone, no income requirement”, and “everyone has to eat.” Therefore—all are welcome!
At two convenient locations, available monthly all year round, we offer a free drive-thru for produce markets. Offering a variety each month, including various fruits and vegetables for each season, we are grateful to be able to feed hundreds of families. The second Wednesday of each month starting at 4:30pm, stop by Early Childhood Learning Community (ECLC) at 4141 Rudy Road Columbus Ohio, 43214. Then, every third Thursday of each month, stop by the Early Childhood Education Family Center (ECEFC) at 2879 Johnston Road Columbus, Ohio 43219.
See you soon at the drive-thru's!
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Franklin County DD Welcomes New Communications & Brand Experience Specialist |
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Lawrene Harchaoui, a veteran marketing professional with years of experience in branding, marketing, design and multimedia, has joined Franklin County DD as the agency’s new Communications and Brand Experience Specialist.
She replaces Communications Coordinator Rita Price, a former local journalist who is retiring after five years at Franklin County DD.
“We are thrilled to welcome Lawrene to our team,” said Ryan Phillips, Director of Communications, Advocacy and Community Relations. “Her expertise and passion for digital storytelling will be key to moving our communications efforts forward.”
Harchaoui has worked for companies large and small, including McGraw-Hill, Encova, Nationwide and several advertising agencies. She also owned her own agency for 15 years.
A Hilliard resident, Harchaoui is married with three children, ages 10, 14 and 18. Her youngest has autism and is non-verbal, but does a great job communicating his love for car washes. “We have really, really clean cars,” Harchaoui said with a smile.
She is passionate about health and fitness, volunteering, good coffee, trying new recipes, and enjoys collecting beautiful rocks and gemstones.
Contact her at lawrene.harchaoui@fcbdd.org or 614-342-5161
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Another Step in Representation: Autistic Barbie |
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 In case you are not up on the growing number of toys related to disability, let me tell you about one of the latest: Autistic Barbie.
This new Barbie was released earlier this year, and a description says she has a fidget ring, headphones for noise cancellation, a fixed stare, and wears flat shoes. The only part that confused me was the “fixed stare,” since it seems to me that all Barbies have those. But the rest of it sounds right.
There has been a lot of press about Autistic Barbie, along with the usual debate about whether she is portraying a stereotype or furthering empowerment and acceptance by representing a disability.
I watched a video of a girl whose mom got her a Mattel gift set featuring Autistic Barbie. It also had a fidget for the little girl, noise-cancelling ear plugs, a weighted blanket, a fidget purse, some pieces of cardboard that looked a bit like emery boards, and of course the doll. This Barbie set came in a big purple box, and a lot of the accessories were purple, which happened to be the little girl’s favorite color. The smile that came over her face when she realized how much the Barbie was like her was amazing—it transformed her. She kissed the Barbie on the head and smiled.
When I was a little girl, I wore leg braces and always hoped I would find a doll—any doll—that looked like me. That didn’t happen, but as an adult, Mattel has released many other dolls representing disabilities, including ones that: use a wheelchair; have an artificial leg; use a brace for scoliosis; have Down syndrome; are blind and use a white cane; and wear hearing aids.
I was so tickled to get the one that uses a wheelchair and also the one that wears hearing aids. Yes, I realize I am an adult, but I am really excited that children are not receiving the same message I did when I was young, which was, “Why would someone want to have a doll like that?” The answer is that all of us, and especially children, deserve to live in a world (and have toys) that we can relate to.
Denise Blackburn-Smith was born with cerebral palsy and is a Franklin County DD intake specialist.
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Yoga for Calming Therapy
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Time to unwind and relax with yoga! ARC Voyagers is excited to provide calming and engaging yoga sessions at their Bixby and Marlane Drive locations.
What sets their sessions apart is that they combine yoga with LIVE vibrational sound. This is done using specialized instruments which support overall well-being and full body and mind relaxation.
Yoga teacher, Maggie Fekete, leads each class with a blend of movement and sound; creating a peaceful and joyful experience that everyone truly enjoys.
Learn more at: https://arcvoyagers.com/
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Good for you!
Notable achievements in the Franklin County DD community
 Our very own Sarah Gentil, a teacher with ECE, is running her second half marathon the first weekend of May (May 1-3)! She will be in the big Queen City of Cincinnati, and participating in the marathon titled, the "Flying Pig". This event is brought to us by Pig Works, an organization that started with a little hometown marathon over twenty years ago, and has now established a whole diverse family of participatory events. Join us in wishing Sarah well!
 Director Lyndsay Nash of the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) recently visited Goodwill Columbus’ Work and Community Services (WCS) center. The visit focused on the evolving landscape of provider services, community integration, and the "technology first" initiative.
WCS specializes in supporting individuals dually diagnosed with developmental disabilities and mental illness. The tour highlighted several mission-critical spaces, including technology, carpentry, and bike labs. These spaces serve as a safe, structured environment to help more than 160 individuals with intensive needs build functional skills.
The visit concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening the partnership between DODD and local providers to ensure high-quality, sustainable care across Franklin County.
Congratulations to our very own pediatric dentist, Dr. Diego Solis, for receiving recognition as a 2026 Top Dentist for Pediatric Dentistry by topDentists! We are so pleased to see your peers recognize your skills and compassion for the work you do everyday. Thank you for your leadership and service to children with special needs and their families. Also note that Dr. Solis has been listed in topDentists since 2017.
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Franklin County DD Family Support Meeting
Please join us for the Family Support meeting. This meeting will be held via Zoom. Please contact Amy Magginis at 614-342-5950 for details or click the following link to connect:
FCBDD Family Support Link:
https://bit.ly/3JvZSUJ
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Franklin County DD - Early Childhood Learning Community (ECLC) and the Mid-Ohio Food Collective Produce Drive Through (4:30 p.m.) at ECLC; 4141 Rudy Road, Columbus. For more details, email Gretchen Uhl at gretchen.uhl@fcbdd.org
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Franklin County DD - Early Childhood Education Family Center (ECEFC) and the Mid-Ohio Food Collective Produce Drive-Thru (4:30 p.m.) at ECEFC Bus Lane; 2879 Johnstown Road, Columbus (access via Marilyn Lane).
For more details, email Sarah Gillilan at sarah.gillilan@fcbdd.org
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Franklin County DD Self-Advocate Advisory Council (10:00 a.m.) located at the Administration building; 2879 Johnstown Road, Columbus. Please contact Ryan Phillips for details at ryan.phillips@fcbdd.org OR by phone
at 614-342-5984.
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Ohio Association of County Boards (OACB) Spring Conference will take place at Columbus Hilton - Downtown, following a similar structure to past conference as an all-day two-day event. This year’s theme, “Sustaining What Matters Most,” focuses on strengthening the people, partnerships, and systems that support Ohioans with developmental disabilities. Register: https://tinyurl.com/OACBDD |
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Franklin County DD Board Meeting
Attend in-Person: 2879 Johnstown Road, Columbus, OH
Virtual option on Zoom using this link:
https://bit.ly/3JvZSUJ
Please contact Amy Magginis at 614-342-5950 for details
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May 25
(All Facilities Closed)
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Memorial Day
All county facilities will be closed in observance of
Memorial Day
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West Central Graduation
Graduation for West Central students will take place at 1481 Town Street, Columbus, at 6:00 p.m.
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May 28
Last Day of Classes
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Last Day of Classes for West Central and Early Childhood Education
May 28 is the last day of classes for both West Central and our Early Childhood Education center-based programs
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Special Olympics Summer Games
3-Day Special Olympics event for Summer Games
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The Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities:
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Dean Fadel
Board President
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Marci Straughter
Vice President |
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Gene Harshaw
Katherine Silver Kelly |
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Becky Swartz
Michael Underwood
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Dot Yeager
Superintendent / CEO |
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The following staff contribute to the monthly publication and distribution of Dateline:
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Amy Magginis
Jennifer Cunningham
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Lawrene Harchaoui
Carla Maynard
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News releases, story ideas, and suggestions should be sent to:
Lawrene Harchaoui
Communications & Brand Experience Specialist
2879 Johnstown Road Columbus, Ohio 43219
Phone: (614) 342-5161 | Fax: (614) 342-5001
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The Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities does not discriminate in employment or services on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, or disability. |
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