Hopewell to celebrate Freedom Fest
COSHOCTON – Friday, July 3, the annual Coshocton County Freedom Festival will be at Hopewell Industries located at 637 Chestnut Street. This years’ event will be from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Everyone is encouraged and welcome to attend! There will be fun for all ages.
Raise Your Voice, RYV, the self-advocacy group, has worked diligently to organize and raise money for this year’s event. Raise Your Voice is a group of people with disabilities who are self-advocates. LaTasha Fralin, RYV committee member, shares that, “We are celebrating Freedom, Independence and our Abilities. It will be a day full of fun, but also an inspirational day for many as we listen to Marci share her story.”
Our guest speaker this year is Marci Straughter from Columbus. Marci is very involved in the self-advocacy movement. We are thrilled to have her come share her story. Marci’s accomplishments:
– Completed local and State Project STIR training. She is now a State Trainer in Ohio.
– Co-Teaches Project STIR classes at work; Has trained nearly 80 people locally
– Uses artistic design to express feelings
– Helped develop “Team Voice” an advocacy group at work
– Regularly attends Ohio Self Determination Assocaition central region meetings
– Appointed in March 2014 to serve on the Ohio DD Council
– Participates on Advisory Council with the Superintendent of Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities
– Spoke at Synergy Conference in 2012 about advocacy and Project STIR
Schedule of activities:
– 10 a.m. – Noon: games, activities (pie throwing, water balloons, casino type games, snow cones, first responder units on display)
– 11 a.m. – Noon: Free lunch of Sloppy Joes, Chips cookie and a drink (or for a small fee, Hopewell Industries will open their concession stand for those who do not wish to eat Sloppy Joes)
– Noon – 1 p.m.: Guest Speakers – (Mayor and Commissioners and Self-Advocate/Ohio Leader, Marci Straughter
– 12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. more activities and games (face painting, Magician, DJ-Bob Casey)
– All Day – America the Beautiful Silent Cake Auction. Proceeds to benefit Coshocton County Firefighters Toy Chest and a canned food drive to support local food pantries.
– Sponsors include: Hopewell Industries, Inc., Health Services of Coshocton, RHDD and more.
Category: People & Places
