The theme for this year’s celebration of Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities Month is “Everyone Belongs.”

Two events later this week will reflect that theme by including both MR/DD clients and the community in activities together.

The local celebration of MR/DD awareness month winds down with the sixth annual March Madness basketball games this evening and the seventh annual Chilifest Saturday.

The basketball games will begin at 5 p.m. at Dawson-Bryant High School in Coal Grove. The Lawrence County Open Door School Jets, winners of the 2003 Ohio Special Olympic Division III State Championship, will play Open Door Alumni in the first game. The second game will feature a team of employees of Tri-State Industries, Inc. vs. the “Media All-Stars,” a team of representatives from area newspapers, radio and television stations.

“Involving the media in this event helps show their support for our awareness theme, ‘Everyone Belongs,’” said Lawrence County MR/DD Superintendent Paul B. Mollett.

“Their willingness to participate in this basketball game shows they believe in the abilities of people with developmental disabilities.

“Public perception is shaped by the media.

We hope that by meeting the people we serve face-to-face, reporters, editors and photographers in our community will have a better understanding and greater respect of people with special challenges.”

The Chilifest will be 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Tri-State Industries in Coal Grove. Last year 2,200 people attended the annual event. That many or more are expected again this year.

“Hopefully we’ll have some new faces,” said Sarah Diamond Burroway, MR/DD grants/special projects coordinator. “We’ve been hearing from people we have not met before and we’ve got a lot of folks who have been with us year after year. But it is always good to get new supporters in the mix.”

In addition to the chili, there will also be craft booths and live entertainment. Both the basketball games and Chilifest are sponsored by the Lawrence County Board of MR/DD.

Entrants will compete for awards in four categories: “People’s Choice”, media, business and organizations and (MR/DD) individuals, families and staff.

MR/DD Awareness Month is designed to help provide increased access to housing, employment, health care, recreation, and other community resources for people with mental retardation and developmental disabilities in Lawrence County.