Recent blog posts

As you know I’m a part of the Cooper Family. I’m also a part of another family.  That family is just as colorful as the Cooper’s.  It consists of different races, genders and disabilities. I’m proud to say my other family is Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley (GESMV). I’ve been employed at GESMV for eighteen years.... Read more »

David’s struggle with addiction led him down a path of destruction, illegal behavior and in 2005 it landed him a 12-year stint in prison.  During his incarceration, David held many roles, but his time serving as a Reentry Clerk Facilitator, development and facilitation of coursework focused on reentry and reducing recidivism, helped David to realize... Read more »

Sesame Street, the beloved children’s program, is helping to educate the street on a tough subject matter. A new character named Karli, who joined the cast of Sesame Street earlier this year, was first introduced on the street as a child in the foster care system.  Karli will now share the circumstances of why she’s... Read more »

I love pizza! Matter of fact, I love it so much that I have it every Friday.  If the urge hits me, I may have it twice a week. My favorite is a deluxe from Dayton’s very own Cassano’s. My love for pizza is so bad that even my dog Tiny understands that I may... Read more »

Do you work in a diverse work environment? I do and I love it. Working in a diverse work setting with people from all walks of life, brings a certain excitement to everyday life. Where I work, people celebrate different holidays, speak different languages, eat and cook different food and have an array of disabilities. ... Read more »

When you find “the one” you’ll know it. No matter what anyone says, when you find that person that makes your heart flutter as if you have butterflies, that’s your one. It’s sad when others think just because you have a disability you’re incapable of being in a loving relationship. Not only do we have... Read more »

A question most people always ask me is, what disability do I have? I have Cerebral Palsy, CP for short. Since its World Cerebral Palsy Day, I decided to share some insight on my disability, Shari style if you don’t mind. According to the dictionary, Cerebral Palsy is a condition marked by impaired muscle coordination... Read more »

Football season is upon us and I’m excited. As you should know from previous blog posts, I’m a huge Cincinnati Bengals fan but after hearing of Andrew Luck’s story, I’m now a fan of his too. Luck, who was the quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, announced he’s retiring from the game. The very successful player,... Read more »

Post Your Halloween Finds and Win It’s as easy as 1,2,3 to be entered for a chance to win $100 Goodwill Stores Gift Card from Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley.           Post a Halloween related picture or video of an item or costume from your Goodwill Store on the Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley Facebook... Read more »

There have been many people who have helped me on my path to advocacy; including my family, school members, friends, and a very important mentor in advocacy, David Zwyer! I first met David in my early thirties when I became involved with the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council. David was a tall man and very well-spoken.... Read more »