Night of Champions raises funds for Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society and pairs people with jobs
“The relationships, that’s the magic of Night of Champions. When you find the right place for a person, and they excel, this is the joy,” said Joe Marchese, president of Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society, whose organization hosts its 15th annual fundraiser and hiring event at the Savannah Convention Center on Hutchinson Island, May 3. The soiree recognizes work achievements of differently abled people and honors current businesses that employ them.
Night of Champions kicks off at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour followed by dinner and awards ceremony. The evening concludes with a meet and greet in which employers have an opportunity to speak with potential job candidates. Tickets are $100 with all proceeds benefitting Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society.
Eighteen years ago, Joe and Molly Marchese welcomed their daughter, Ella, into the world. A few days later, they learned their child was born with Trisomy 21, a genetic condition that adds an extra chromosome, indicative of Downs Syndrome. The syndrome presents in a range of developmental delays along with some level of learning difficulty, imbuing a person with different mental and physical strengths and challenges.
The couple, determined to love and support their daughter, soon aligned with more locals in Chatham, Effingham, and Bryan Counties who also had children with Down Syndrome. In 2006, a small group of families established Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society to serve as support group and job placement agency.
“You can’t love what you don’t know,” said Marchese. “You can’t love people with special needs if you don’t know them, and Night of Champions is one way for people in the community to get to know these extraordinary individuals, to understand their contributions in the workplace and the importance of the relationships that develop on the job.”
Chatham County Sherriff, John Wilcher, knows firsthand the positive impact a differently abled person can add to a work environment. Wilcher, who has employed Johanna Castro for a little over three years, often praises Castro for her ability to complete tasks accurately and efficiently. The ultimate office assistant, she sorts mail, delivers it, and plays a crucial role in helping day-to-day operations run smoothly. So impressed with her diligence, in 2020, Wilcher nominated Castro as a champion to be celebrated during the annual awards night.
“She was ecstatic when she won,” recalled Wilcher. “She was so excited, and that was very special to see. If more people in the community could meet and work with people of different abilities, they will see how remarkable and hardworking these people are.”
When Jason Thompson wanted to move on from working at a local hotel chain, he reached out to LCDSS for help in finding a new job. He wanted something more challenging, more interesting. LCDSS connected Thompson with OA Logistics, a warehousing and distribution company. There, he learned how to operate and maintain an industrial scrubber sweeper, a machine like a Zamboni but for cleaning concrete instead of ice.
Rodney Dickey, a former supervisor with the company, recalls Thompson’s dedication.
“Our warehouse was just shy of 700,000 square feet, and every morning Jason was there scrubbing the floor, setting out appropriate cautionary signage,” recalled Dickey. “He did a great job, and everyone at the facility loves him because he’s such a personable guy.”
After corporate restructuring, OA Logistics became Ship 8, still focused on logistics where Thompson continues operating the scrubber sweeper. Dickey, though, went on to establish his own company and currently employs two people with whom he’s connected through LCDSS. Dickey keeps in touch often with Thompson on social media.
Around the community, workers with special needs are currently making bright contributions at coffee shops, county government offices, car dealerships, Effingham County Board of Education, St. Joseph Hospital, Gulfstream, Publix, Michael’s and more. And nearly all have found their employment opportunities through the assistance of LCDSS.
Michael Horton, who serves as vice president for LCDSS, shines in the community. Not only is he part of key organizational leadership, but he also made Georgia history three years ago when he became the first fundamentally differently abled person to work within a public school classroom in Effingham County. Through Horton’s work and life, he is a beacon highlighting there’s far more that special needs people can do than can’t.
And the hiring fair that happens after the Night of Champions award ceremony is a chance for employers to understand in person the bright assets differently abled people bring to a range of work environments.
As for Ella Marchese, part catalyst for the creation of LCDSS, she has just a couple more months before graduating from Effingham County High School, eager to embrace new challenges. A devotee of theater and dancing, she confides in her father that one day she’d like to live in Los Angeles and pursue acting.
“Ella loves singing and dancing,” chuckled Marchese. “She was in theater and chorus all four years of high school, but we’d like to get her in the Georgia Southern University Eagle Academy, a program specifically for differently abled people. But what a life this is. I get to do this, a journey of great joy, to help people understand, to take the time to learn there’s a place for everyone, that there is something everyone can teach you, if you slow down and take the time to learn from each other.”
If you go >>
What: Night of Champions & Hiring Expo
When: 6 to 11 p.m., May 3
Where: Savannah Convention Center, 1 International Drive, Savannah
Cost: $100 per ticket, all proceeds support Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society, events.readysetauction.com
Info: ldssga.org
Learn more about Low Country Down Syndrome Society and how to get involved as a hiring business: https://ldssga.org
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society hosts annual Night of Champions
