Easterseals honors longtime board member Debbie Joseph with bench at Wheeling Splash Pad

On Tuesday, June 2, Easterseals partnered with the City of Wheeling to dedicate a new bench at the Wheeling Splash Pad in honor of Debbie Joseph and her 40-plus years of helping children with disabilities served by Easterseals.

Debbie began volunteering at Easterseals in the 1980s after her daughter, Kristen, was born. Not long after that, she became pregnant with triplets, which kept her from volunteering for a while. The triplets were still toddlers, however, with then-Executive Director Rosemary Front invited Debbie to sit on the Board of Directors. For 40 years, she has served on the board, holding positions including President and Secretary. In the mid-2000s, she and her husband, Dr. Dan Joseph, founded the Wheeling Vintage Raceboat Regatta and named Easterseals as the event's beneficiary.

"Debbie found a way to take something she loved -- vintage boat racing -- and turn it into healthcare, therapy, first words, and first steps for thousands of children across the Ohio Valley who otherwise may not have received care. That is an incredible legacy," Easterseals President and CEO Eric Filberto said at the bench dedication ceremony at the Wheeling waterfront.

"I am genuinely overwhelmed at having a bench dedicated in my name and Dan’s at Heritage Port," Debbie said. "Easterseals has taught me that every person deserves to be seen, supported, celebrated, and included. This bench really represents every child who kept going when it was hard and every staff member who showed up with their whole heart to support them. It is a true honor to receive this recognition from an organization that has been such an important part of my life."

Wheeling officials, Easterseals staff and board members, and many members of Debbie's family were on hand for the dedication. The plaque on the bench reads: "Easterseals Rehabilitation Center donates this bench in honor of Debbie Joseph, Longtime Board Member and Wheeling Vintage Raceboat Regatta Co-Director with Dr. Dan Joseph, 2006-2024."

Mayor Denny Magruder thanked Easterseals for the bench and praised Joseph's commitment to the community. 

"The city is a better place when someone sees the need and steps up to fill it. That's what Debbie has done for a long, long time."

This is the second bench Easterseals has donated to the city's Splash Pad. Easterseals earned both benches for free from the Trex Community Recycling Program, which awarded a bench for each 1,000 pounds of plastic bags collected in a year. 

“Thanks to our staff, community members, and the Ohio County Virtual Lions Club, which facilitated the recycling project, we turned in 1 ton of plastic to Trex in two years, earning a bench each year," Easterseals marketing and development director Betsy Bethel-McFarland said.

"The first bench was dedicated to our beloved medical director Dr. Ellen Kitts, who retired last year. We wanted to honor Debbie's long-time commitment to Easterseals and the Wheeling Vintage Raceboat Regatta with a bench at Wheeling Heritage Port, the former site of the regatta," Bethel-McFarland said. 

Debbie and Dan passed the regatta torch to the New Martinsville Vintage Regatta, which moved its established event from July to Labor Day weekend, which is when the Wheeling event was held. As part of the hand-off, New Martinsville also has agreed to share proceeds with Easterseals.

The bench was installed just a few days prior to Easterseals' second annual fundraising event, Ohio River Splashtacular, which took place from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 7, on the Ohio River and at Wheeling Heritage Port. The event included two water ski shows by the Chippewa Lake Water Ski Show Team, water- and science-related children's activities, a history exhibit, foam party, grand prize raffle, basket raffle, food trucks, and more.