Since 1987, March has been recognized as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. This designation was made by former President Ronald Reagan who felt that those with disabilities needed to be provided with the tools and encouragement to lead a normal and full life. Speaking with the Superintendent of the Morgan County Board of Developmental Disabilities (MCBDD), both this year and last year have truly been time for growth and better understanding, fully expanding on what President Reagan had elaborated on in the past.

Wendy Gorrell, who serves not only as the Superintendent for the MCBDD, but also as the President for Region 5 in Ohio, which consists of 18 counties (including Washington County), has been hard at work at creating an environment that is welcoming and inclusive to all.

Gorrell elaborated on where the local County Board began and how far they have come, even during the overarching pandemic. In previous years, much of what took place at the MCBDD facility and workshop were group activities. Whether it was an art class or an exercise class, most activities hosted were part of a “one size fits all” approach instead of an individualized one.

Gorrell explained, “Like anything else, experts felt that this was the correct way to do things, having those with disabilities together seemed to be the way to provide a setting that felt comfortable.” Recent discoveries, however, especially given the restrictions on social gatherings throughout the pandemic, have shown that this approach might not have been the best one.

Due to COVID-19, the Morgan County Board of Developmental Disabilities workshop had to be temporarily closed to prevent large gatherings and adhere to social distance guidelines, which proved to be a blessing in disguise.

“Imagine going to school with someone for 8 years. You finally graduate, but then stay with the same group of people from high school for many more years.” Gorrell explained how this is what was being done not only at the MCBDD, but also with many other County Boards. “Sometimes we have some people from high school that we don’t care for that in turn, we would be stuck with forever.” Because of this method, in previous years there were many more MUIs (major unusual incidents) being reported, that have since decreased due to the new method being implemented by Gorrell. The idea of not having everyone together in one place, every single day, was becoming more and more popular with the providers at the County Board.

Our mission is to encourage people to embrace their individuality and empower them to succeed.

In 2020, mindsets were switched and new ideas were brought to light. A more individualistic approach was determined to be more successful than the previous idea of placing everyone together. The clients of the MCBDD began to be able to be more selective of what their day would look like. Some would prefer to go to a local art gallery to serve as a creative outlet, while others felt that staying home to help babysit or going for a car ride was more intriguing and fulfilling for them. This individualistic approach helped determine a new tagline for the MCBDD, something that is true to what is being done now, in 2021.

“Inclusion is Freedom”, the tagline from the MCBDD, has truly been a guiding light for how clients live their day-to-day lives. Gorrell explained how important it is to ensure that all, no matter a disability, live a “person-centered” life. “Taking an individual and branching out from who they are is truly how we help develop an inclusive, person-centered life and we have really been focusing on this method lately.”

Taking away the “caretaker” idea and replacing it with a provider, someone who can truly be a friend to the clients, has also proven to be a big push for individualism and inclusion. These providers are a crucial part in ensuring that the clients secure the tools for success and to encourage the idea of living whatever life they may choose.

There are many great things going on with the Morgan County Board of Developmental Disabilities as well as the many other offices across the state, said Gorrell. “Our mission is to encourage people to embrace their individuality and empower them to succeed, which is something we feel we have truly encouraged this past couple of years.”

When asked about how to spread awareness, she said that “Just making others feel like just another person, to make them feel welcome and a part of the community is truly the path to awareness. Whether at a local restaurant or at a Sunday church service, a smile and a hello go a long way.”

For more information on what’s happening with the Morgan County Board of Developmental Disabilities, visit their website at morgandd.org or by liking their page on Facebook. Visit nacdd.org for information on the national level in regards to #DDAwareness2021.

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Beginning in New Bern, North Carolina and now back in her hometown of McConnelsville, Ohio, Misty Bragg has long been a fan of all things home décor. But marrying and starting a family at a young age, while also trying to live a life based off her husband’s military salary, did not allow for the largest budget when it came to indulging in home goods. This minimalist budget didn’t stop Misty from trying to create a home that she loved and one that her family felt comfortable in. 

With DIY projects and repurposing of thrifted items, Misty was creating pieces of décor that she fell in love with that really made an impact on her home and caught the eye of many of her friends. While working on these projects, Misty thought about the many other military wives that were at home during the day that may have never even touched a power tool.

“I realized that there were many women like me out there that didn’t necessarily have the creative outlook that I do, that may have been struggling to decorate their homes in a way they loved.” said Bragg. After this thought, Misty took to social media, the quickest way to reach a crowd, and created a blog aptly named “MisDIY” (a play on her name) along with social accounts, that demonstrated these DIY Projects along with ideas tips for home design and décor. Fast forward to just a few years ago, the “MisDIY” Instagram account boasts almost 73,000 followers who draw inspiration from Misty and appreciate her eye for design.

Seeing the excitement on my customers faces when they enter and see what I have to offer is really what keeps me motivated for the future.

In recent years, Misty has been re-evaluating how her blog turned business would function. Hosting Facebook sales once every month, Bragg quickly realized that her curated collection of thrifted items were popular amongst so many and she would need to have multiples of items to appease those in a bidding war for what she was selling. After spending some time contemplating the future of MisDIY, Misty came to the conclusion that she would need to curate items that still fit her brand, but could be easily accessible for multiple customers. Because of this need and slight change in how business would be handled, Misty felt that an updated name would be useful in creating a “store-like” brand, hence the current name of “misDIY Collective.” Nowadays the brand boasts some of the DIY projects that so many fell in love with, but also other types of home décor and lifestyle goods. 

Towards the end of 2020, the first misDIY Collective pop-up shop took place at Old Bridge Brewing Company in McConnelsville. After a successful in-person shopping experience featuring her fall collection, Misty popped up again the following month, adjusting her inventory for holiday and winter shoppers.

Now in 2021, the brand has secured a somewhat more permanent spot in the quaint village of McConnelsville. Adjacent to the taproom of Old Bridge Brewing Company, Misty has developed more of a storefront style space, something she has dreamed of for a while. Operating on her own hours in a physical location, Misty has been able to begin to build her customer base even more than before.

“Seeing the excitement on my customers faces when they enter and see what I have to offer is really what keeps me motivated for the future,” she explained. For Misty, creating these moments is what she wants her brand to be all about, not just selling items but also helping the customers understand how exciting the decorating process can be. 

Misty is so grateful from the support she has received from friends, family and followers along the journey. “Having people that truly support you is really the biggest part of business and I have been truly blessed with an amazing support group,” said Bragg. Currently the misDIY Collective storefront is set to be open until Mother’s Day of this year and truly has something for almost anyone. Misty is so excited for what this time brings her business and is even more excited for the future of what she has created and curated over the past couple of years.

misDIY Collective is located at 281 West Main Street in McConnelsville, Ohio adjacent to the Old Bridge Brewing Company taproom. Currently the store is open on Thursdays from 12:00 p.m to 6:00 p.m., Friday & Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.. To find out more information and to stay in the know with everything misDIY, follow misdiy and misdiycollective on Instagram and on Facebook. For business inquires, Misty can be contacted at misdiycollective@outlook.com. 

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Newsworthy Brews at Old Bridge Brewing Co.

In June of 2020, a new venture began for the Ponchak family of McConnelsville. Opening a business that many people from the area had never seen was an exciting yet nerve wracking task, but the driven, hard working family was thrilled to take on this next part of their life. After years of renovations and remodeling, Old Bridge Brewing Company opened its doors to the public at 281 West Main Street in the Village of McConnelsville. 

Fast forward to October of 2020, Dean Ponchak, or Brewer Dean as the regulars call him, was working with Brewer Doug, a Brewmaster that travels to and works with many breweries, to compile a list of some of their personal favorite brews, as well as some of the favorites of those who frequently visited the microbrewery, to submit to the Ohio Craft Brewers Cup. The Ohio-based competition has been attracting many of the thriving breweries throughout the state to showcase some of the best brews throughout the area. Eager to impress the exquisite panel of judges, Old Bridge Brewing Company submitted a total of four brews. 

On the list of craft beers that Brewer Dean and Brewer Doug submitted were a range of brews that were beloved by locals and travelers alike. Among the four submissions were The IPA, Beernormous, Bourbonormous and Red as Reba Red Rye. To some, a few of these names may sound like made up silly words, but Brewer Dean explained what each brew was and offered the opportunity to taste each of the aforementioned concoctions in a flight, (a tasting of four beers, served in 5oz glasses.)

The first brew on the flight was The IPA. While tasting brew number one, Brewer Dean explained how this India Pale Ale contains three of his favorite varieties of hops. Included in the variety are Huell Melon, Citra and Amarillo. Combining these hops creates “flavors of honeydew melon, grapefruit, line and papaya” he explained. Between the hops and the many tastes experienced, this brew has a very juicy and refreshing taste that will leave both your taste buds and sense of smell wanting more. The IPA carries a 5.5% ABV (alcohol by volume) and is relatively light in color compared to the three other brews.

Next up on the flight was the ever-loved Red as Reba Red Rye. Brewer Dean took a second to share where this name came from, explaining one of his son’s admiration of the red-headed country singer Reba McEntire. This brew was a red ale described on the menu as “smooooth”, with four “O’s” if you were counting. Made by adding rye to the ale, this red liquid takes on a bit of rye spiciness and leaves notes of caramel dancing across your tongue. Old Bridge Brewing Company had one chance with this one, and they surely didn’t let anyone down. Becoming a crowd pleaser, this brew holds a 5.5% ABV and frequently leaves Old Bridge Brewing Co. in of their 64oz to-go growlers.

The next 5oz glass on the flight was filled with a dark, heavy looking brew. Beernormous, a fitting name for this imperial stout, was described as “maltnormous, hopnormous & alcoholnormous.” Brewer Dean went on to reassure me that the tastes of coffee, chocolate and raisin was exactly what he was going for when brewing this tasty beer. He also made sure to point out that the description on the menu saying “Tastes so good, you’ll want to keep drinking it even though you won’t be able to handle it” is surely the truth on this award winner. This brew sits at a 10% ABV and is surely going to keep you coming back for more.

The fourth and final brew on the flight was a second rendition of the aforementioned creation. Bourbonormous was created from Beernormous. The process for this barrel-aged brew is done by taking Beernormous and placing it in New Riff Bourbon Barrels and letting it sit for a few weeks as it ages. Taking on tastes of oak and vanilla while also becoming creamy and chocolatey, Beernormous truly takes on a new form through this aging process. Bourbonormous shares a 10% ABV, just like its predecessor.

Of the four brews submitted, the three that placed were the following: Beernnormous in the Imperial Stout/Porter category, Bourbonormous in the Wood Barrel Aged over 8% ABV category and the Red as Reba in the Amber/Red Ale or Lager category. Out of the 49 breweries, 335 entries and 24 categories in the coveted competition, both the Red as Reba and Beernormous placed with a bronze medal while the Bourbonourmous impressed the judges and brought home a silver medal. Brewer Dean jokingly gave the idea of wearing the medals around his neck almost like an Olympian would, but most likely will display them in the Taproom for all to see. 

Before heading back to the brewing area, Dean explained how he was excited for next year’s competition. He gave some insight into the fact that he has many brews that he is eager to perfect throughout next year to submit to the 2021 competition. Dean also took this chance to give a word of advice to those worried that they may not like craft beer, saying that “We brew so many different types of beers here to ensure that there is something for everyone to enjoy, no matter your taste buds. We’ve worked hard to create a place that all feel comfortable in and can be a learning environment for those just getting into the craft beer experience, while also being a fun environment for the pros.” 

Old Bridge Brewing Company can be found at 281 West Main Street, McConnelsville and more information can be found at oldbridgebrewing.com or by following them on Facebook and Instagram. 

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For any business longevity is the goal. Lasting through the hardships, enjoying the highs while also pushing through the lowest of lows. Although this isn’t always the case for every business that opens its doors, this has been nothing but a reality for Morris Hardware in McConnelsville, Ohio. Opening its doors in 1845, Morris Hardware has earned the title of the longest, family owned and operated store in the state of Ohio.

One hundred and seventy five years ago George Morris, the first of the six generations to have the business in their hands, erected the then three-story building where the hardware store is located today. Starting mainly as a tinsmith shop, Morris also offered a small assortment of hardware goods to the people within the area. As the years went by, and the area began to develop, George Morris and his sons expanded upwards adding a fourth floor to the building in 1894. Known as the “Morris Block” to many locals, the hardware store as well as adjoining stores cover much of Main Street in downtown McConnelsville, wrapping around one of the corners of the central square within the village. Boasting a beautiful wrought iron fire escape on the façade of the building, along with its large storefront windows, Morris Hardware is a picturesque, well-known spot not only in McConnelsville, but throughout the county as well.

Although George Morris has his fair share of historical importance in the county, the third generation of the Morris family is where even more interesting information comes to fruition. Speaking with Shayna Roberts, an employee of Morris Hardware, she explained how the entire Morris family tree was full of innovators but mentioned that George Scott, the third generation, was always at the top of the industry. Scott would travel the country looking for the new and exciting things that he could bring back to McConnelsville, a place that at the time was a rather slow growing area where these new and exciting things usually took quite some time to arrive to the residents. Another important piece to note in this intricate puzzle is the connection of the third generation of the Morris family to a famous hymn writer, Leila Morris. Charles Morris, a member of the third generation, married Leila after her family moved to Pennsville, a small area located roughly fifteen minutes from the Village of McConnelsville. Leila went on to write many hymns even after becoming blind and is well known for the ever-loved tune, “Sweeter as the Years Go By.” This connection just goes to show how this family is packed full of history and why their connection to the area is so strong.

Fast forwarding through many more years of history and different branches of the family tree, the year 1976 has some significance today. This was the year the current owner, and sixth generation family member, Tom Schanken took the reins of the then hundred and thirty one year old business. Taking a family tradition, Schanken has continued to ensure that Morris Hardware has held the same values since it’s opening day almost two centuries ago. Adding new items all the time, the current Morris Hardware is the go-to for the locals when looking for that one item to complete their at-home project. Since taking over, Schanken and his employees have always been more than a benefit to the community that they’ve grown up with. Whether they’re hosting one of their famous Ladies Nights, an event that typically brings in hundreds of women to enjoy discounts, hor d’oeuvres and wine, or if it’s simply helping others out on their “Morris Hardware Presents” Facebook group when it comes to at-home DIYs, the group at the local hardware has shown was community support truly is.

Shayna Roberts said this year has been nothing new for Morris Hardware. “This place has been here for such a long time, going through other pandemics, the Great Depression and many other tragedies, but the hardware has always come out stronger than before.” Roberts went on to explain how Morris Hardware has handled the current pandemic. One of the favorite implementations throughout the area is that of curbside service. “This was something we did before, just not quite as much. We’ve had people who sometimes aren’t able to wear a mask in the store due to pre-existing conditions or are high-risk that have taken advantage of this service.” Roberts said that this service has been so beneficial to many and has been helpful in continuing to serve the community.

“We just want to continue to ensure our community members shop local, whether that’s with us or one of the many other small businesses in the county.” says Roberts. “Truly from the bottom of our hearts, we are so grateful for the continued support from everyone. This year has been tough, but our community has helped lessen the burden of everything going on in the world today.”

Although COVID-19 has been more than harmful to businesses nowadays, Morris Hardware is proud to power through the best that they can. Serving the community is what they’ve done since 1845 and they don’t plan to stop that service anytime soon.

To stay up-to-date with all the happenings at Morris Hardware or to learn more about the history of the business, they can be found on Facebook and Instagram or by calling 740-962-4261. Morris Hardware is located at 50 E. Main Street, McConnelsville, Ohio. 

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Heritage Day has largely been a staple in Morgan County for the past couple of years and brings not only the local community out and about, but also visitors from surrounding counties. Each year has included a festival held on Main Street in McConnelsville, but due to COVID-19 rules and regulations, those planning the event were forced to make major changes to allow the day loved by many to still take place in some form.

This year, the Morgan County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau took an online approach to help continue the tradition of celebrating the heritage of Morgan County. With the use of the hashtag #experiencemoco locals and out-of-towners were encouraged to go explore the county and upload photos of their day on their personal social media accounts. Scrolling through Facebook and Instagram on October 17, it would feel like one was taking a virtual tour of Morgan County. Throughout many physical storefront locations, large black and white images could be seen that showed Morgan County from years past, an addition that the Visitors Center felt was essential in capturing the history of the area. The main goal for this year was to get everyone out and about to explore the things that may normally be taken for granted.

Alongside this online approach to Heritage Day, the Visitors Bureau also published the “20 Things to See and Do in Morgan County on Heritage Day” list online that gave those looking for what to do that day some inspiration. A popular item from that list was the Covered Bridge Trail that mapped out where to find these bridges. Across the area, five covered bridges can be found, all with their own unique character and stories. This list was just a start for what could be seen and done throughout the county.

Heritage Day is a day to appreciate not only the places, but also the people.

One attraction that drew many people in was the historical tours being given at The Inns at 8th & Main in McConnelsville. These tours showcased the newly renovated spaces while also serving as a fundraiser for the local Twin City Opera House. Prior to Heritage Day, individuals and small groups from the same household were able to reserve a time to admire the hard work that innkeepers Dan and Amy Smith have put into the highly recognized home that is situated right on Main Street. To add to the historical charm, the tour guides were dressed in period clothing. This wonderful showcase was spoken of days after Heritage Day and still has some visitors longing to return for an overnight getaway in this renewed piece of history.

Town Square Collectibles, a store that features many local artisans and crafters, was another box to check off of many individuals’ Heritage Day lists. Jamie McNabb, the owner of the beautifully curated store, was so overjoyed to still be able to enjoy some type of Heritage Day even though it wouldn’t include the festivities which are usually held right outside her front door. McNabb felt such a sense of pride in the community, exemplifying the fact that although life has been all but normal this year, people were able to get out and appreciate all the area has to offer.

When asked what Heritage Day meant to her, McNabb explained that “This is my home, this is where my family is. I love it here and cannot imagine living anywhere else. Heritage Day is a day to appreciate not only the places, but also the people. As a business owner, as a person, and as a mother, I would never even think twice about being anywhere but here. ”

Of course storefronts and restaurants were highly popular, but some folks wanted to get out and capture the beauty of Morgan County. Jana Pryor, an outstanding local photographer, was able to spend her day capturing beautiful images of the simple things in life. Pryor’s images mainly focused on the area of Chesterhill, which is even more beautiful with the fall foliage. Images like a view of Main Street to the ever-loved Chesterhill Steak Sandwiches being made by the local volunteer fire department were some of the amazing images captured throughout the day. Jana truly captured a side of Morgan County that seems to sometimes go unnoticed but truly has so much to offer to locals and out-of-towners alike.

It is the one day a year that as a community, we truly focus on what our small town is made of while also sharing it with others.

One final destination on the list of things to check out was a pop-up shop hosted by misDIY Collective at Old Bridge Brewing Company. With a range of home decor, lifestyle goods, and some other interesting items, Misty Bragg, owner of misDIY Collective, was eager to show visitors what she had to offer. Combining the atmosphere of the Old Bridge Brewing Co. with the good from misDIY, guests were treated to an experience that was pleasing to the eyes and the taste buds.

Between shoppers, Bragg shared her thoughts on Heritage Day. “To me, it is the one day a year that as a community, we truly focus on what our small town is made of while also sharing it with others. We seem to be more intentional about enjoying the beauty and how the community has shaped each of us.”

Overall, even though COVI-19 has thrown its curveball, Morgan County was still able to make the 2020 Heritage Day a day to remember. Truly filled with pride, the quaint area was more than excited to be able to show each and every person what Morgan County has to offer and how anyone can #experiencemoco.

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