You are invited to Unlock Legislative Day at the Capitol

WHEN: February 16, 2010

TIME: 10am-12pm

WHERE: Georgia State Capitol, Room 122


You are invited to Unlock Legislative Day at the Capitol
This is your chance to make an appointment with your legislator and help strengthen the message of Unlock for the 2010 session. Your experiences and personal stories need to be heard.

We will brief you on the Unlock message before your appointment and be there to answer your questions and offer support.

The Current Situation:
Georgia’s revenue has been in decline for the last 10 months – a 14.2% average decrease

To date, $3.2 billion dollars have been cut from state agencies

Why you need to attend:
Over 6300 individuals are on the waiting list for the NOW / COMP waiver. Nearly 4,000 are on the SHORT TERM list.

187 individuals are on the waiting list for the ICWP waiver.

Over 800 people with developmental disabilities remain in state hospitals; more individuals with developmental disabilities and / or physical disabilities are in nursing facilities.

RSVP
This event requires an RSVP by February 1 to Linda@aadd.org.

For questions, please call Linda Anderson at 404-881-9777 x 217. We have a limited amount of scholarships for travel, personal supports and childcare that are available.

Please let us know your needs when you RSVP.

Conference Call
We will host a conference call on February 12 at 11:30am to answer your questions and to review the agenda for the morning of the 16th. Conference codes will be given out when you RSVP.

Sponsors
Sponsored by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities and organized by All About Developmental Disabilities in support of the Unlock the Waiting List Campaign.

See you on the 16th!

Rita Young
Director of Public Policy, AADD
Grassroots Coordinator, Unlock the Waiting Lists!

Martin Luther King Honored By State Lawmakers

The Associated Press
The Macon Telegraph
January 14, 2010

ATLANTA -- Gov. Sonny Perdue and state lawmakers are kicking off the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 81st birthday festivities in the halls of the Capitol.

Perdue was joined by Martin Luther King III and other members of the King family, as well as Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, House Speaker David Ralston, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and members of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus.

King's eldest son urged the audience to support victims of the Haitian earthquake in remembrance of his father.

Ralston encouraged lawmakers to espouse King's ideals of civility, fairness and respect during this year's session.

Former Georgia Supreme Court Justice Leah Ward Sears delivered the keynote address to a crowd of more than 100 lawmakers, dignitaries and others in attendance.

http://www.macon.com/220/story/985472.html

Copyright © 2010 The McClatchy Company

Atlanta's New Mayor, Kasim Reed, is Sworn In

By Ernie Suggs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
January 4, 2010

Hours before being sworn in as Atlanta's mayor, Kasim Reed spent his morning at Ben Hill United Methodist Church in southwest Atlanta with the choir singing the civil right’s anthem, “We Shall Overcome.”

But unlike the maudlin, slow version we have come to know, this one was loud and rollicking. Cheerful and optimistic. Hopeful for at least four good years out of Reed as the city’s next mayor.

“We are here to pray for Kasim Reed,” said Morehouse College President Robert M. Franklin.

“And we are here to speak truth to power to remind him that we will hold him and all elected officials accountable.”

This morning’s Inaugural Prayer Service kicks off a day’s worth of inauguration activities for Reed as he marks his first official day in office.

At noon, Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Carol W. Hunstein will swear in Reed as mayor. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at The Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center.

At 5:30 p.m., Reed will host a Citizens’ Reception
 at City Hall. At the reception, citizens will be able to meet Reed and tour the executive suite.

Reed, who was never shy about his faith on the campaign trail, grew up in the church with his mother and three brothers. His voice broke when he talked about his time in the church. When he was baptized. The first time he spoke in public, he said, was in Ben Hill United Methodist Church. Four minutes away from the house he was raised in.

Quoting Scripture, Reed asked if four little boys could succeed in 2010.

“If our children cannot rise to the highest levels of this city, what have we become?” Reed said.

“We’ve got to look in the mirror Atlanta. I am going to work today and focus on making sure that mothers and fathers have a job to make sure they can look in their children in the eyes.”

Throughout the campaign, Reed spoke tough on crime and promised to re-open every closed community center in the city.

“I carry the hopes and aspiration for the people in Atlanta in my heart,” Reed said.

At the prayer services, several members of the clergy, representing different faiths, offered a series of prayers for Reed. But there were also specific prayers for the city, communities, families, the city council, and the city council president, among others.

There was also singing at the church Reed grew up in. Minister T. Renee Crutcher strolled through the church’s aisle singing, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” before stopping in front of Reed to serenade the new mayor.

“Kasim Reed has a purpose in his life, upon his life,” said the Rev. Walter Kimbrough. “The purpose of his life is God given and God inspired. It is God’s purpose for KR to be our mayor.”

Kimbrough noted that Reed had persistence and lauded him for not quitting the mayor’s race when he trailed desperately in the polls.

“We are God’s provision for him, don’t expect our mayor to be all things for all people at all times,” Kimbrough said. “We have to help him be all things that God will have him to be. He is ready to give us the leadership we need in this time.”

Reed called on the city council, judiciary and the community to work with him to improve the city.

“The challenges Atlanta face are too big for one individual,” Reed said.

http://www.ajc.com/news/reed-begins-day-in-266446.html
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

AGING & END OF LIFE WEBINAR SERIES

Sponsored By AAIDD – AUCD – The Arc of the US - ANCOR – AAIDD Gerontology Division - RRTC on Aging & DD at the University of Illinois at Chicago

No Registration Fees – You Pay Your Ordinary Long Distance Telephone Charges

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/835020752

Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Time: 1:00 - 2:00 pm Eastern Time

Moderator: Elizabeth A. Perkins, PhD, President AAIDD Gerontology Division

Topic: DEMENTIA AMONG ADULTS with DOWN SYNDROME: Individual Differences in Risk and Progression

Speaker: Wayne Silverman, PhD., Director of Intellectual Disabilities Research, Department of Behavioral Psychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute (KKI) and Associate Director of the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center at KKI and Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Silverman and his colleagues have been studying effects of aging and Alzheimer’s disease on adults with intellectual disability, especially adults with Down syndrome, for over 20 years. Dr. Silverman is an AAIDD Fellow and a past Board member, as well as the immediate past President of The Academy on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Webinar Description: This presentation will provide an overview of currently available information on progression of dementia among adults with Down syndrome. General background material will be presented regarding the connection between Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease, and findings from a large ongoing research program will be presented with an emphasis on individual differences in age of onset of dementia (i.e., risk) and rate of symptom progression.

Additional findings regarding the effectiveness of “cognitive enhancing” medications will also be discussed, as will evidence supporting possible strategies for delaying declines in cognitive and functional abilities in vulnerable individuals.

Target Audience: Anyone interested in dementia and aging with intellectual disability, but especially anyone interested in planning services for elderly individuals with intellectual disability.

FUTURE WEBINARS - MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!

3rd Wednesday of the Month
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time

February 17th, 2010: Principles of Medical Ethics in Health Care Provision
Speaker: Michael Henderson, M.D. University of Rochester, Strong Medical Center
Moderator: Renee Pietrangelo, Executive Director ANCOR

March 17th, 2010: Self Advocates Speak Speaker: Pending
Moderator: Pending

April 21st, 2010: End of Life through a Cultural Lens
Speaker: Tawara D. Goode, MA, Director, National Center for Cultural Competence and Associate Director, Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development; Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University Medical Center.

AADD's "Conversations That Matter: The Art of Adovacy" Held in Gwinnett County on November 16

What kind of advocate do you want to be?

This was the question posed to attendees at AADD’s (All About Developmental Disabilities) "Conversations That Matter: The Art of Advocacy", November 16, at the Busbee Center in Gwinnett County.

More than 75 parents of children with disabilities and professionals working in the field, learned directly from their legislators about the budget challenges for this upcoming session as well as how best to approach legislators about issues of importance to them.

Thanks to Senator Renee Unterman, Senator Curt Thompson and Representative Melvin Everson for their active participation in the meetings.

Rita Young, Director of Public Policy for AADD, provided information on the Unlock The Waiting List campaign and provided training on how to advocate. She challenged attendees to connect with each other, discuss effective ways to advocate for individual issues to strengthen the communities of support for individuals with disabilities and encouraged participants to get involved during the upcoming legislative session.

The programs were made possible thanks to support and partnership with GCDD (Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities), Community Action Pioneers of Gwinnett, and the Unlock the Waiting List campaign.

Be on the look out for similar events in Savannah and Ben Hill this winter.

State Bar Association Presents Important Continuing Legal Education Programs on Compliance Issues and Disability Discrimination in Employment

"Finding the Bottom Line: Rights of People with Disabilities in NYS"

by New York State Bar Association News Release

ALBANY, NY (11/18/2009)(readMedia)-- The New York State Bar Association will host an important series of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs next month that will provide a road map for attorneys as they advise clients on a host of disability, discrimination and compliance issues. The program, titled "Finding the Bottom Line: Rights of People with Disabilities in New York State," will review and analyze current federal, state and local disability laws and will examine how they relate to potential discrimination actions in the areas of employment, public and private sector public accommodations and housing. The programs will be presented in Rochester on December 1st; New York City on December 4th; and Albany on December 9th.

Presented by the State Bar's Committee on Continuing Legal Education and co-sponsored by the Committee on Issues Affecting People with Disabilities, the Labor and Employment Law Section, and that section's Equal Employment Opportunity Law Committee and its Individual Rights and Responsibilities Committee, the CLE program will offer 6.5 credit hours of professional practice and/or practice management.

Among the topics to be covered are "Who Is Protected," "What Is a Covered Entity and What Are Its Obligations" and "Housing Requirements" as related to the federal Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Fair Housing Act, as well as New York State and local laws. Program attendees also will learn about remediation options, including mediation, administrative and court litigation and differences in the availability of compensatory and punitive damages, among other remedies and strategies.

"The significant changes in the law made by last year's amendments to the ADA, as well as the newly proposed regulations and evolving case law, make it critical for attorneys representing employees, employers and others to keep up to date on the ADA, FMLA, New York State Human Rights Law and New York City Human Rights Law," said Nancy Halleck, chair of the Committee on Issues Affecting People with Disabilities. "This CLE provides an excellent opportunity for attorneys to catch up on all of these changes and get a refresher course on existing laws. The faculty we have assembled comprises experts in disability, employment and housing law with experience in litigation and compliance. Participants will leave this workshop with a clear understanding of the changes in the law, and how it all fits together around the state. I urge all attorneys practicing disability and employment law to attend."

In a related event, as part of the United Nation's celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, New York City regional program co-chair Mark H. Leeds, Esq. has been invited to present copies of this CLE course program book to United Nations officials on December 3rd.

Ms. Akiko Ito, Chief of the United Nations Secretariat for the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, said, "As we celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the United Nations appreciates the contribution of the New York State Bar Association's continuing legal education program, 'Finding the Bottom Line - Rights of People with Disabilities in New York State,' to efforts that recognize and promote the rights of persons with disabilities. We look forward to working further with the New York State Bar Association in this cause."

A complete listing of participants for each of the three local area panels is provided below.

Tuesday, December 1st Radisson Hotel Rochester Riverside; 120 Main Street East; Rochester
Melinda R. Saran, Esq., (Local Chair), University at Buffalo Law School, Buffalo * Mairead E. Connor, Esq., Law Offices of Mairead E. Connor, PLLC, Syracuse * Matthew J. Fusco, Esq., Chamberlain D'Amanda, Rochester * Michael Hanley, Esq., Empire Justice Center, Rochester * Amy L. Hemenway, Esq., Harter, Secrest & Emery LLP, Buffalo * Michael Mul, Esq., Empire Justice Center, Rochester * Sharon P. Stiller, Boylan, Brown, Code, Vigdor and Wilson, Rochester.

Friday, December 4th New York Hilton and Towers; 1335 Ave of the Americas; NYC
Mark H. Leeds, Esq., (Local Chair), Riverdale * Dennis R. Boyd, Esq., Dennis R. Boyd Legal Advocacy and Consulting Services, New York City * Patricia A. Cody, Esq., Wormser Kiely Galef & Jacobs LLP, New York City * John P. Herrion, Esq., New York State Division of Human Rights, Bronx * Alan M. Koral, Esq., Vedder Price, P.C., New York City * Rachel J. Minter, Esq., Law Office of Rachel J. Minter, New York City* Jason R. Mischel, Esq., New York City Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities * Donald L. Sapir, Esq., Sapir & Frumkin, White Plains * Jo Anne Simon, Esq., Jo Anne Simon, PC, Brooklyn.

Wednesday, December 9th Crowne Plaza Albany; State & Lodge Streets; Albany
Simeon Goldman, Esq., (Local Chair), Disability Advocates Inc, Albany * Beth A. Bourassa, Esq., Whiteman, Osterman & Hanna LLP, Albany * Ronald G. Dunn, Esq., Gleason Dunn Walsh & O'Shea, Albany * John P. Herrion, Esq., New York State Division of Human Rights, Bronx * Gregory K. Jones, Esq., New York State Commission on Quality of Care and Office of Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities, Albany * Alan M. Koral, Esq., Vedder Price, P.C., New York City * Tara L. Moffett, Esq., Girvin & Ferlazzo, Albany * Cliff Zucker, Esq., Disability Advocates Inc., Albany.

For further information on this CLE program series or to register to attend, please visit the following Web sites:

Rochester Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Radisson Hotel Rochester Riverside
www.nysba.org/disabilityroc

New York City Friday, December 4, 2009

The New York Hilton
www.nysba.org/disabilitynyc
Albany, December 9, 2009
Crowne Plaza Albany Hotel

www.nysba.org/disabilityalb

Founded in 1876, the 76,000-member New York State Bar Association is the official statewide organization of lawyers in New York and the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. The State Bar's programs and activities have continuously served the public and improved the justice system for more than 130 years.

Contact Information
Nick Parrella, 518-487-5532

http://readme.readmedia.com/Finding-the-Bottom-Line-Rights-of-People-with-Disabilities/983321

The Rosalynn Carter Institute Will Host a Session on Caregiving

The Rosalynn Carter Institute Will Host a Session on Caregiving at the 2010 Aging in America Conference, March 19, 2010

The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (RCI) will host a session at the 2010 Aging in America Conference called "Expanding Access to Evidence-Based Programs for Caregivers".

For more information: www.RosalynnCarter.org

The session will be held Friday, March 19, 2010 from 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. This session will present the RCI’s model for support and will address important factors that determine effective implementation of evidence-based programs for caregivers: reaching family caregivers; tailoring programs to meet needs; securing organizational buy-in and leveraging partnerships. The session will end with the presentation of a position paper that builds the case for better caregiver support systems.

This session is held in conjunction with the 2010 Annual Conference of the American Society on Aging and the National Council on Aging, being held March 15-19 in Chicago, Illinois. Pre-registration is required, the $35 fee includes lunch. Attendees must be registered for the Aging in America Conference. Session is limited to 300, so secure your space early! For more information visit: www.RosalynnCarter.org.

For more details about the Aging in America Conference, visit: http://www.agingconference.org/AiA10/index.cfm Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving, 800 Georgia Southwestern State University Dr., Americus, GA 31709.

Announcing a Holiday Dance for Young Adults

When:
Saturday, December 5, 2009

Time:
7:00 – 9:30 p.m.

Location:
North Atlanta School of Performing Arts
2875 Northside Dr NW
Atlanta, GA 30305

Put on your party clothes and come join your friends for an evening of dancing and fun! We’ll have snacks and beverages and our favorite DJ, Sammy Rosenberg! Have your picture made with your friends!

$15 per person in advance
$20 per person at the door

Or, mail your name, address, phone #,
and email address with a check for $15 to
Cynthia Jones
138 Cloister Drive
Peachtree City, GA 30269

For information, contact Cynthia Jones at:
Executive_Director@AtlantaDSAA.org
404.320.3233

DON’T MISS IT !!! SPADD General Meeting

Please plan to join us for a SPADD General Meeting.

November 2, 2009 at 1:00pm

Location: The Frazer Center
1815 Ponce de Leon Ave., NE
Atlanta, GA 30307

Agenda:

Beverly Rollins

Update/Question & Answer on

Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

SPADD Committees will be discussing status of work groups:

Committees:

1. Meaningful Participation in System/Process Design

2. Effective Rate & Allocations

3. Unfunded Mandates

4. Redundant Oversight-Multiple Standards

Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) is Coming to Atlanta

An Invitation from People First of Georgia

Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) is coming to Atlanta - the meeting will focus on removing the "R" word - you are invited to join us for this important conversation - help make Georgia an "R" word free state - language is important! - words hurt!

Date: Friday October 30th

Time: 12:00 Noon to 2:00pm

Where: the Maloof Auditorium

The Maloof Auditorium is at 1300 Commerce Dr., Decatur, GA 30030, 1/2 block from the Decatur MARTA station on the fixed route pickup side where the bus loop is located. The building is near the corner of Commerce and Trinity. (This is where the DeKalb Commissioners meet.)

We will provide lunch - this event is collaboration of People First of Georgia, Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE), The Georgia Advocacy Office, The Center For Leadership in Disability and the ARC of Georgia.

If you have any questions call Cheri Mitchell at 678-755-6015 or email at cherimitchellg@gmail.com

Helen Keller Statue to be Unveiled at Capitol; First of Person with Disability

By Ashley Hayes - CNN

(CNN) — It was a moment vividly depicted in the movie about her life: 7-year-old Helen Keller, holding one hand under a water pump as her teacher spelled “W-A-T-E-R” into her other hand.

In that moment, Keller — an Alabama native who lost her sight and hearing to illness as a toddler — understood that there were meanings hidden in the manual alphabet shapes her teacher, Anne Sullivan, had taught her to make with her hands. The moment was shown in the play — later made into a movie — “The Miracle Worker.”

On Wednesday, a statue commemorating her 1887 breakthrough will be unveiled in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall — the first statue in the Capitol of a person with a disability, as well as the first of a child, according to the Alabama governor’s office.

“It’s always good to realize how much of an impact people with disabilities have made on the history and landscape of our country,” said Nancy Starnes, director of external affairs for the Washington-based National Organization on Disability. “I’m excited that they’re going to be doing this. I think it’s going to be a wonderful addition.”

Keller, born in Tuscumbia in northwest Alabama, learned to speak at the age of 10 by putting her hands on Sullivan’s mouth when she talked. She wound up graduating from Radcliffe College, then the women’s branch of Harvard University, and became a prolific author and speaker who was endowed with numerous honors including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She died in 1968.

http://www.enableamerica.org/disability-news-2009-10-06-helen-keller-statue.html


Source: cnn.com

© 2002 - 2009 Enable America, Inc.

WORKSHOP for Parents of Students with Disabilities

Behavior Management Techniques Learned in the Classroom, Strengthened at Home

This workshop will provide parents with the tools to be consistent and effective with behavior management techniques at home by presenting concepts and methods teachers use in the classroom.

The agenda includes a Meet & Greet from 6:30 – 7:00 p.m. and an overview of behavior management techniques from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

There will be a breakout session based on age group for more specific practices and for parents to ask questions from 8:15 to 9:00 p.m.

Presenting:
• Ms. Karen Barineau, Autism Specialist, DCSS
• Dr. Kent Logan, Autism Specialist,DCSS
• Dr. AJ Nkosi BCBA-D, Southern Behavioral Group
• Ms. Holly Steinkamp BCBA, DCSS

Due to budget constraints, refreshments will not be served.
Please plan accordingly.

• Date: October 27, 2009
• Time: 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
• Location: Coralwood School
(2477 Coralwood Drive Decatur, GA 30033)

Sponsored by:

· Metro GLSR

· Developmental Disabilities
Council Of DeKalb County

· All About Developmental Disabilities

Disability Awareness 101 for Anyone Who Supports Children with Disabilities

Family Support Services Presents Disability Awareness 101 for Parents, Grandparents, Caregivers, DFCS Professionals (Foster and Adoption Specialists) who Support Medically Fragile Children and Children With Disabilities

The following frequently asked questions will be answered:

What are waivers?
How do I apply for Medicaid?
What types of community services are available?
What is an IEP?
What are my rights as a parent or caregiver of a child with a disability?

When:
Saturday, November 14th, 2009 from 10:00am – 12:00pm

Where:
Childkind, Inc.3107 Clairmont Road, Suite AAtlanta, GA 30329

Why:
To discuss services and community resources for caregivers andmedically fragile children & children with disabilities.

What will be discussed:
People First Language, Medicaid (includingEPSDT and waivers), advocacy, legislation: the importance of theOlmstead Decision as well as the American’s with Disabilities Act(ADA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

TO RSVP, please call Joe Sarra at: 404-248-1980, ext. 237
or email: jsarra@childkind.org (space is limited)

Directions:
Take 85 North to Clairmont Road, Exit 91. Turn LEFT onto Clairmont Road. Drive ¾ of a mile. Turn right at Extended Stay America Hotel. 3107, Suite A is the 4th building on the left. Take 85 South to Clairmont Road, Exit 91. Turn RIGHT onto Clairmont Road. Drive ¾ of a mile. Turn RIGHT at Extended Stay America Hotel. 3107 Clairmont Road, Suite A, is the 4th building on the left.

** Childcare will not be provided **

An Event Honoring The Employer of the Year and Disabled Employees!

Employing the Disabled is a Great Idea!!!!
Celebrating the National Disability Employment Awareness Month!

Gateway Services To Have Awards Reception
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Business News –News Tribune – Serving North Central Illinois


PRINCETON — In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Gateway Services Inc. will hold its annual awards reception on Thursday, Oct. 22 at First United Methodist Church, 316 S. Church St., Princeton, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Anyone wishing to join in the celebration of individuals with disabilities making great strides in achieving personal goals, honoring businesses and organizations for their support of individuals with disabilities, and honoring the Employer of the Year is welcome to attend. There is no cost. Cake, punch and coffee will be servedr Reservations may be made with Brian Casford at (815) 875-4548 by Friday, Oct. 16.

This year’s theme: “Expectation + Opportunity = Full Participation.”

Real jobs with real wages allow individuals to be a real part of the community by making their own choices.

Many times these choices lead to purchasing their own homes and cars, joining churches and organizations, and even furthering their education.

Individuals with disabilities who have made great personal achievements in the past year will receive the Strove Toward and Achieved Results Award, the highest award Gateway bestows upon people with disabilities.

http://www.newstrib.com/articles/business/business-daily/default.asp?Article=CB4D0E66AFCB4DFF9A6602769324BF4C932D2F310C735052

Copyright © 2009 NewsTribune, LaSalle, Illinois. All rights reserved.

Special Olympics Festival To Be Held In Toronto In December

The 2009 Special Olympics Festival will be held on Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at The Westin Harbour Castle in downtown Toronto. For the 27th annual Special Olympics Festival, we invite you to come and celebrate with the theme "We Are One."

The Festival is an opportunity to emphasize to our valued guests and supporters that they are part of this remarkable journey to enrich the lives of those with an individual disability and that they have played a significant role in shaping this sports movement over the past 40 years. Together, we are one. We are united in this goal. This “unity of purpose” makes us stronger and explains our remarkable successes.

Special Olympics Canada will be highlighted in celebrating the 2010 Special Olympics National Summer Games, the same years as the Vancouver 2010 Games. This presents the entire Canadian athletic movement with a tremendous opportunity to show a unity of purpose and the shared ideals and goals of all high performance athletes. In this concept, we emphasize what experiences unite athletes: training, competition, representing a country, the sheer joy of victory and defeat.

To learn more about the 2009 Special Olympics Festival, or for information about how you can support Special Olympics Canada, please contact Clay Charters a ccharters@specialolympics.ca.

The Special Olympics Festival has always been an occasion to share moving stories of determination, commitment and accomplishment. The 2009 Special Olympics Festival will continue this tradition. Join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of Special Olympics athletes across Canada. Each story underscores not only the tremendous role of this sports organization in the lives of athletes, but also the value of an ardent community of supporters who have embraced the movement.

http://festival.specialolympics.ca/

Content © 2009 - Special Olympics Canada

A Proclamation From the White House

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release – September 30, 2009

NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH, 2009

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Fair access to employment is a fundamental right of every American, including the 54 million people in this country living with disabilities. A job can provide financial stability, help maximize our potential, and allow us to achieve our dreams. As Americans, we possess a range of vocational opportunities to make the most of our talents and succeed in a chosen career; those with disabilities are entitled to the same opportunities. During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we recommit ourselves to implementing effective policies and practices that increase employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

In the past half-century, we have made great strides toward providing equal employment opportunities in America, but much work remains to be done. As part of that continuing effort, we must seek to provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Only then can Americans with disabilities achieve full participation in the workforce and reach the height of their ambition.

My Administration is committed to promoting positive change for every American, including those with disabilities. The Federal Government and its contractors can lead the way by implementing effective employment policies and practices that increase opportunities and help workers achieve their full potential. Across this country, millions of people with disabilities are working or want to work. We must ensure they have access to the support and services they need to succeed.

Recognizing the need for equal employment opportunities, we must also strengthen and expand the educational opportunities for individuals with disabilities. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act substantially increased funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and provided more than $500 million for vocational rehabilitation services, including job training, education, and placement. If we are to build a world free from unnecessary barriers, stereotypes, and discrimination, we must ensure that every American receives an education that prepares him or her for future success.

Each day, Americans with disabilities play a critical role in forging and shaping the identity of our Nation. Their contributions touch us all through personal experience or through that of a family member, neighbor, friend, or colleague. We grow stronger as a Nation when Americans feel the dignity conferred by having the ability to support themselves and their families through productive work. This month, we rededicate ourselves to fostering an inclusive work culture that welcomes the skills and talents of all qualified employees.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 2009, as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. I call on all Americans to celebrate the contributions of individuals with disabilities to our workplaces and communities, and to promote the employment of individuals with disabilities to create a better, more inclusive America, one in which every person is rightly recognized for his or her abilities and accomplishments.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-National-Disability-Employment-Awareness-Month/

Pursuant to federal law, government-produced materials appearing on this site are not copyright protected.

Applications Being Taken for 'Anyone Can Ski' Program

By The News-Gazette
The News-Gazette.com
Tuesday September 29, 2009

CHAMPAIGN – The Champaign Ski Club is accepting applications for its new "Anyone Can Ski" program for people with disabilities.

The club is raising funds to send a skier and a guardian or companion on a ski trip to the National Sports Center for the Disabled in Winter Park, Colo. The center helps people with many types of disabilities learn to ski and enjoy mountain fun.

People with any type of disability are encouraged to apply, but applicants must be able to travel by train and must have a desire to ski. The applicant will be chosen in December by the ski club's board of directors and will travel to Winter Park in February.

The club will cover the cost of train travel and the lodging at Beaver Lodge.

Applications must be postmarked by Oct. 16 to be considered. Details of the program and application forms may be obtained at www.champaignskiclub.org.

The club is selling raffle tickets to support the project. Raffle prizes include a winter ski trip to Colorado or Utah, or $1,000 cash.

The second prize will be an $800 gift certificate to Wild Country in Champaign.

Raffle ticket information is also available at the Ski Club Web site, and tickets may be obtained by e-mailing Marvin Bell at mbell<@>mchsi.com or calling him at 590-4265.

Find this article at: http://www.news-gazette.com/news/2009/09/29/applications_being_taken_for_anyone_can_ski_program

Contents of this site are © Copyright 2009 The News-Gazette, Inc. All rights reserved

Asperger’s Debuts On ‘The Amazing Race’

Look for Zev Glassenberg on the CBS reality show, "The Amazing Race".

By Michelle Diament
For Disability Scoop
September 21, 2009

Zev Glassenberg is set to be the first person with Asperger’s syndrome to compete on the CBS reality show The Amazing Race.

The show, which is in its 15th season, will follow Glassenberg, 26, pictured left, and his teammate Justin Kanew, 30, as they race against 11 other teams on a journey through eight countries in just 21 days. The winning team receives a $1 million prize.

Ahead of the show’s premiere September 27, Glassenberg spoke with Disability Scoop.

Disability Scoop: How did you decide to apply for The Amazing Race?

Zev Glassenberg: I’d been wanting to apply for the last seven seasons or so and then I finally asked my future teammate (his friend, Justin Kanew). I said, alright I’m going to set this up and we’re going to go and do it and we’re going to get on the race and that’s what we did. It was a dream of mine to go on the show and I did it. It’s one of my favorite shows and I thought it would be a really, really cool experience.

Disability Scoop: What about the show appealed to you?

Zev Glassenberg: It’s basically a scavenger hunt around the world and I like to do scavenger hunts, so why not do one around the world?

Disability Scoop: Had you ever done anything like this before?

Zev Glassenberg: No.

Disability Scoop: Your teammate Justin, was he in on this from the get-go too?

Zev Glassenberg: This was my thing. This is what I wanted to do. I needed a partner and he’s the one I chose. He had never seen the show.

Disability Scoop: What’s your relationship like with Justin?

Zev Glassenberg: He’s one of my very, very good friends. We met at a sports camp in Massachusetts in 2003 where we taught football together. We’re pretty much alike. He’s a little bit older than I am but we both have the same common interests – sports and hanging out and just having a good time.

Disability Scoop: When were you diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome?

Zev Glassenberg: I’ve had it since I was 11. It really doesn’t mean much to my life. It’s just something I do and I guess I live with it. I don’t really spend too much of my life on that — it’s just something that’s there.

Disability Scoop: For a lot of people with Asperger’s the social aspects of being on a show like The Amazing Race would be difficult. Was that ever a concern for you?

Zev Glassenberg: It was a little overwhelming because I knew I’d be going to different places and traveling the world, but I knew I’d have my friend there with me.

Disability Scoop: Is there anything about having Asperger’s that would make you more or less likely to succeed in a competition like The Amazing Race?

Zev Glassenberg: No, I thought we had as good a shot as anybody to win the race. I just wanted to go and be myself and do my thing.

Disability Scoop: Before you were chosen to be on The Amazing Race, what was your life like?

Zev Glassenberg: I live with an older couple and their daughter (in Sherman Oaks, Calif.) and I had a job. But I got let go in January. I didn’t really look for a job too much because I knew I was going to be picked for the race. I hired a trainer. I knew I needed to be in good shape to run the race. I just wanted to have more stamina and get a little stronger.

Disability Scoop: What did your family and friends say when they found out you were going to be on the show?

Zev Glassenberg: They were really, really excited. Well, I knew I was going to get on the show when I applied because I wanted to go and be on the show. So when you put those things out there and they had never had a contestant like me, I knew I had a good chance to be on it. So I was feeling confident.

Disability Scoop: Did you talk about the fact that you have Asperger’s on your application?

Zev Glassenberg: Yes, that was one of the main things we talked about. We just said, I have Asperger’s and I guess they looked into it and thought it would be a good thing to have somebody who has Asperger’s on the show. I brought something different. Basically I was the special kid this season because last year there was Luke (who is deaf) and this year there’s me.

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/09/21/the-amazing-race/5453/

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POWERFUL TOOLS for Caregivers

A free 6-week class that focuses on supporting caregivers of individuals with developmental disabilities. This highly successful national program will give caregivers tools to increase self-care and confidence.

Thursdays
October 29 – December 10
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM at
AADD, Inc.
1440 Dutch Valley Place, Suite 200
Atlanta, 30324

Please register by October 15 with Riki Bolster at
riki@aadd.org or 404-881-9777x223

In the six 1½ hour classes, caregivers will develop a wealth of self-care tools to: reduce personal stress; change negative self-talk; communicate their needs to family members and healthcare/ service providers; communicate more effectively in challenging situations; recognize the messages in their emotions, deal with difficult feelings; and make tough care giving decisions. Class participants will also receive a copy of The Caregiver Helpbook, developed specifically for the class.

Note: Class size is limited.

DEAFLYMPICS: Ma Asks SAC to Look into Increasing Prize Money

GRATEFUL: The president thanked the city government and the volunteers for their effort throughout the Games and congratulated the nation’s first gold medal winner

STAFF WRITER, WITH CNA (Taiwan's national news agency, the Central News Agency)
For The Taipei Times
Thursday, Sep 17, 2009, Page 2

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said yesterday he had ordered the Sports Affairs Council (SAC) to study the feasibility of increasing the prize money awarded to medal-winning hearing-impaired athletes.

In the past, a gold medal winner in the Deaflympics received NT$750,000 (US$23,000). This year, however, the SAC raised the amount to NT$1.8 million, but Ma said he has asked the council to study how to raise the prize money to encourage hearing-impaired athletes to hone their skills.

“I also hope that all physically and mentally disabled people will get out of their homes to enjoy sunshine and exercise,” Ma said.Ma made the remarks while meeting local athletes who won medals in the 21st Summer Deaflympics and their coaches.

Two sign language interpreters helped with communication between the president and the athletes, and Ma used sign language to spell out the total number of medals Taiwanese athletes won in the games — 11 gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze.

Ma congratulated Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) for his city’s successful hosting of the quadrennial sports extravaganza.International Committee of Sports for the Deaf president Donalda Ammons, who spoke at the closing ceremony the previous day, said she was impressed by the event in many ways, including its venues, organization and efficiency, the setup of programs and the exceptional number of volunteers who were always smiling and ready to help.

“As president of the Republic of China and a former mayor of Taipei, I feel very proud of the achievements of the Taipei Deaflympics,” Ma said.He also expressed gratitude to the volunteers and staff members of the Sports Affairs Council and the Taipei City Government for their hard work and dedication during the 11-day event.“The breathtaking spectacle at the opening ceremony and the culinary climax at the closing ceremony were very creative and full of ingenuity,” Ma said.

Ma also expressed his admiration for Chen Yi-chun (陳怡君), a taekwondo athlete who secured Taiwan’s first gold at the Deaflympics on Sept. 6, for her perseverance in the pursuit of excellence despite her disability.

Ma said the SAC had appropriated funds in its budget for next year to establish 10 community public exercise stadiums that will offer advanced sports facilities for low user fees, including indoor warm-water swimming pools, aerobic dance centers, rock climbing equipment and archery ranges.

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