Jamestown Writer Nominated for Ohio Public Images Network Media Award

JAMESTOWN, OH - Writer, entertainer Gery L. Deer (43) of New Jasper Township in Greene County has been nominated for the 2010 Ohio Public Images Network Media and Awareness Award in the category of daily print newspaper with a circulation under 100,000. Deer was nominated by the Greene County Board of Developmental Disabilities for his series of articles titled Keith Peterson: Be All You Can Be.

The series consists of four articles which document Greene County resident Keith Peterson's 48-year journey from a bout with childhood spinal meningitis to adult independence with the help of his family and various area agencies. The articles appeared in the Greene County Dailies newspapers (Xenia Gazette News-Current and Fairborn Daily Herald) each Saturday from May 30 to June 13, 2009.

The annual media awards are sponsored by Ohio Public Images. Each award category is designed to honor individuals and organizations throughout Ohio who have succeeded in creating a greater understanding and acceptance of people with developmental disabilities.

Series author Gery L. Deer (pronounced "Jerry") was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1967 and grew up on a cattle farm outside the village of Jamestown. He graduated from Greeneview High School in 1985 and attended Wright State University and Sinclair Community College, graduating with an associate of science degree in mechanical engineering technology. While attending college he worked for the student newspaper as a staff writer, features editor and editor in chief.

Since that time Deer has provided content and specialty columns to dozens of print and online media around the country including the Dayton Daily News and Springfield News Sun. Throughout 2008, he served as the developer, photographer, writer and editor for Your Home, a retail tabloid supplement in the Times Community Newspapers group of Brown Publishing.

Deer currently works as an independent journalist and copy writer developing written content for media publications as well as serving the needs of the business community through corporate communications services ranging from press releases to ad copy. He is best known for his feature writing and the syndicated op-ed column, Deer In Headlines, which appears weekly in several publications.

"I was born with a congenital birth defect and spent a good portion of my first 20 years of life in and out of the hospital," Deer said. "I know what it's like to grow up different, just wanting to be like everyone else, but I also know how fortunate I am that my situation was not more serious."

"I wanted to tell Keith's story in a way that let people know that he's a special person who has wants and dreams and just like everyone else," Deer continued. "I just hope I have done his story justice and given hope to others in similar situations that there is help out there." Today, Deer helps his father, Gary, Sr., and the rest of the family with the care of his mother, Lois, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. He lives near the family farm with his wife Barbara (39) and stepson Henry (14).

The Awards Presentation Luncheon will be March 15 during the Conference of the Ohio Association of Superintendents of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities in Columbus, Ohio. Winners and their nominators will be notified in advance of the luncheon. To read the award-nominated series Keith Peterson: Be All You Can Be go online to www.gerydeer.com.