HCBDD intervention class hits the trail for Earth Day
Earth Day 2025 provided a beautiful day for members of Grant Fox's intervention class at Holmes County Board of Developmental Disabilities and some staff to get out in the sunshine and do some good in the community by picking up trash along the Holmes County Trail.
Earth Day took place Tuesday, April 22, and a small contingent from the Holmes County Board of Developmental Disabilities intervention classroom hit the pavement on Holmes County Rails to Trails for an adventure.
Grant Fox, intervention specialist with Holmes County BDD, designed this day to get his students and several other individuals at the center out on the trail to do some volunteer work while giving them a chance to enjoy a sun-drenched afternoon on the trail.
Fox said it was Earth Day, so they had to deal with whatever weather Earth presented that day.
Fortunately, it was a beautiful day that allowed them to get out into full-fledged sunshine.
“We wanted to do something special on this day because we did a story on Earth Day and decided to link up with the park district and see if there was an area that might need some attention in terms of picking up trash,” Fox said.
Jen Halverson, executive director of the Holmes County Park District, which oversees the trail, was more than happy to provide them with a spot, which took place on either side of the overpass atop the Holmes County Trail near Blue Moon Bistro near Holmesville.
Two large vans brought a handful of individuals with special needs and Fox’s students at the training center to the parking area, and after unloading everyone, they hit the trail, armed with plastic bags, gloves and extension grabbers to pick up whatever trash they happened to find.
Fox said this afforded them a chance to get some of the members on adaptive bikes, which in turn would not only allow them to help pick up trash, but also get some exercise.
He said they covered a half-mile on each side of the parking area, with one group heading south and another taking the north side.
“We have a whole crew, and it’s a lot of fun,” Fox said.
He said getting more involved with community events and volunteering opportunities is something the HCBDD has embraced lately, and the hope is to take advantage of more opportunities like this.
Marianne Mader, HCBDD superintendent, said getting out into the community is something that enriches the lives of those who participate, as well as serving another function.
“The more we can get out into the community, the more people realize that there are many things our individuals with special needs can do that really improve our communities,” Mader said.
Fox said showing what the individuals can accomplish is important, as they showcase their abilities and talents.
He said the trip was something that was the talk of the center as it approached, and linking it together with the Earth Day story was an exciting opportunity.
Fox said they had a 15-page story they read together, and then each member had to answer some questions. They also had a Sudoku puzzle that went along with the learning experience.
“They had to match up the pictures of the story we read, all using the Smart Board and a program called News to You,” Fox said. “That program really keeps us up to date on what is going on in the world, and each week it gives us a new story to explore.”
He said his class does a recycling route throughout the center each week, collecting each room’s recycling by traveling to each classroom and collecting the week’s worth of recycling in the blue bin.
The students sort through the recycling and crush all the cans, and eventually, the recycling is taken to the recycling center in Wooster.
“We collect the trash and take it out to the large recycling bin,” Fox said. “The kids love the idea of keeping everything green, whether it is inside the facility or out on the trail. This is something they can do at home, on their own and throughout their lives.”
The Earth Day activity wasn’t just a great message for the students. It serves as a terrific message for everyone.