On October 3, Fello welcomed over 260 people to Fello at 65, an evening celebrating 65 years of championing the rights of people with disabilities and building inclusive communities across Maryland. 

Held at The Hall at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland, the event brought our community together to reflect on our shared history, honor the relationships that bring us closer to our vision, and recognize the local leaders who are moving our mission forward. 

It was a celebration of Fello’s history—but it was also a reminder that our next chapter is already beginning.  

A Celebration of People 

For 65 years, Fello has worked alongside people with disabilities and their families to challenge assumptions, remove barriers, and create opportunities for people to live the lives they choose.  

That history came to life throughout the evening. 

In her opening remarks, Brandy Stephens, Vice President of People & Culture, reminded guests that Fello’s mission has always been about people—and that the relationships built along the way are what make our work possible.

“As I look around this room, I see longtime friends, committed allies, and the people helping to shape what comes next,” said Brandy. “I’m reminded that tonight’s celebration is for all of us who believe in a community where everyone belongs.” 

That sense of shared purpose carried throughout the evening, particularly as Fello recognized four changemakers whose leadership is setting an example for us all. 

Recognizing Changemakers 

Steve Brennan, Secretary Jake Day, Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk, and members of Living Boldly were each recognized during the event for their contributions to building more inclusive communities. Their stories were shared through video, award presentations, and thoughtful introductions from Fello Board member Sam Shoge. 

“Tonight, we’re honoring four incredible leaders. They have shaped our past, are shaping our present, and are helping prepare us for the future,” said Sam. “They champion equity and inclusion not just with words, but through action. Together, they are building the Maryland we all want to see: a community defined by inclusion.” 

Each honoree’s work represents a different way of moving our community forward. Together, they demonstrated an important truth: progress happens when people are willing to act.  

That same idea shaped the evening’s keynote from Jonathon Rondeau, President & CEO of Fello. 

Purpose in Perspective 

Jonathon began by taking guests back to 1961, when Fello was founded, and people with disabilities were routinely excluded from their communities. Adults were living in institutions. Children were denied opportunities to learn alongside their peers. Families were told that institutionalization was the best option for their children.  

Against that reality, Fello’s founders chose a different path. 

Fourteen years later, Fello opened its first group home in the community—a single-family home that looked like every other house on the block. It represented an opportunity for dignity, independence, and a life in the community.  

But even then, inclusion did not happen automatically. Progress took time, persistence, and people willing to challenge assumptions.  

Over the decades, that work helped create opportunities that once seemed impossible. 

Today, people with disabilities are choosing where they live, where they work, how they spend their time, and who they spend it with. Jonathon shared stories of people we support who are building careers, getting married, living in their own homes, and making decisions about their own lives. 

“These are things we should celebrate,” Jonathon told the audience. 

But he also challenged us not to mistake progress for a finish line. 

“Together, we have achieved incredible things when it comes to access and inclusion,” he said. “But there is an important distinction between being present and truly belonging.” 

Access means being allowed to be there. Inclusion means having the opportunity to participate. Belonging means something more. 

“Belonging is not just being welcomed into someone else’s world. It’s knowing that your presence changes that world for the better,” said Jonathon. “If access and inclusion defined our first 65 years, then belonging must define the next.” 

His remarks offered a clear picture of what belonging could mean for Maryland’s future and what it will take to make it a reality. “What are you going to do to create the conditions for belonging in your community, in your workplace, in your neighborhood?” he asked. “Tonight, we celebrate what we have created together. Tomorrow, the work continues, as we move toward our next chapter.” 

A Night to Connect 

Fello at 65 was filled with memorable moments, from moving remarks to inspiring stories to calls to action.  

Guests moved through an exhibit tracing Fello’s history, present and future. The 128-square-foot space offered different perspectives on the organization’s journey, from the progress made over the past 65 years to the possibilities ahead. 

Throughout the evening, guests also had time to simply connect—with old friends, new partners, Fello team members, and others who share a belief in a more inclusive community. 

Dinner, conversation, music, and dancing gave people a chance to celebrate together. But the most meaningful connections were the ones that reinforced the purpose behind the evening: none of the progress Fello has made happened alone. 

And neither will what comes next. 

The Work Continues 

There was no better way to cap off our 65th anniversary year than with Fello at 65. 

The event embodied so much of what Fello stands for: bringing people together, acknowledging our collective victories, and reaffirming hope that a community where everyone can live the lives they choose is within reach. 

But as Jonathon reminded us, there is no finish line. Fello cannot create belonging by itself. Belonging happens in workplaces, neighborhoods, schools, restaurants, homes, and communities. It requires all of us.  

We thank everyone who attended Fello at 65. Sixty-five years may be coming to a close, but our work is just beginning. Together, we are building the Maryland we all aspire to see—a community where everyone belongs.