By Mark Carpenter –
It was another historic day for the Ohio Statehouse on Nov. 16 as Ohio became the second state to install a wheelchair charging station in the Map Room of the Statehouse. The station was unveiled in ceremonies hosted by the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB), with plans for another charging station to be added in the near future.
Gifted from the Adams County Health and Wellness Coalition and the Adams County Medical Foundation, this project was under the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors Grant “Reaching People With Disabilities Through Healthy Communities”.
Adams County has six charging stations already installed and is looking at installing more.
“The Board sees these charging stations as a way to provide a more inclusive environment for the citizens of Ohio to access their government, said CSRAB Chairman Senator Bob Peterson in a statehouse press release. “We are grateful for the support and leadership that the NACDD and the Adams County Health and Wellness Coalition has provided for this project.
On hand for the dedication ceremony were: Adams County Commissioner Ty Pell; DD Superintendent and Grant Partner Coach Lizabeth Lafferty; Lavonne McCoy, Lead Coach; Debbie Ryan, Coalition Representative; Dr. Sherry Stout, Director- Medical Foundation; Dane Clark, GE Aviation PTO; Stephen Caraway, Governor Kasich Liaison; Dr. John Martin, Director of Ohio Department of DD; Dan Mitchell, CEO Venture Productions; Melinda Horsley, Business Manager DD; Jason Francois, Board Member DD; Karma Harris, NACDD; David Ellsworth, The OSU Nisonger Center and Ohio Department of Health; Senator Bob Peterson; Senator Joe Uecker; Laura Battocletti, Statehouse Facility Staff; Jim Wasil, Lt. Governor Representative; TJ McClellan, COOL Board Member; and Jeff Barr, Venture Productions.
