Susan Montgomery Williams, a Fresno woman with a talent for blowing enormous chewing gum bubbles, parlayed that skill and a keen understanding of the news media's enthusiasm for superlatives into eccentric international semi-celebrity. Mrs. Williams, 47, died Wednesday of an aneurism after suffering a stroke the week before, apparently unrelated to her hobby. She received disability insurance for epilepsy, said her ex-husband.
Charlottesville schools are doing their part to promote National Disability Awareness Month. The Special Education Advisory Committee honored several people Tuesday who played a big role in promoting compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act in Charlottesville City Schools.
The Learning Development and Evaluation Center is now officially known as the Center for Disability Access and Resources, also known as CEDAR. Staff say this name reflects its scope of services. CEDAR provides counseling, tutoring, note takers and technology based on the type of disability. More than 250 FAMU students are struggling with a disability. Many say without these services a diploma was out of reach.
In the Guardian (United Kingdom), Ben Adler writes, "Sarah Palin says she's an advocate for special needs children, but she hasn't backed up her rhetoric with actual proposals. So far Palin's pledge to lead on disability issues because of her personal connection to the community has not been developed into more than mere rhetoric. And unless she specifies what exactly she would do for disabled children as vice president, she risks creating the impression that all she is really seeking with that rhetoric is political reward."
Health and Disability News for American Seniors:
TAMPA — Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink kicked off her new "Safeguard Our Seniors" task force Monday, pledging to find better ways to protect the elderly from financial fraud. "It's time for us to draw a line in the sand and say no more of these shenanigans," Sink said. "It's not right." Task force to protect seniors from fraud
AMMON - A group of seniors at the Life Care Center in Ammon already have Christmas in mind. For the tenth year, residents will be participating in "Operation Christmas Child" through the "Good Samaritan First" program. If you'd like to do your part in helping, items can be dropped off at the Life Care Center on East 17th Street in Ammon. They'll even cover the cost of shipping for you. The deadline for dropping off supplies is November 15.
Middletown: State Senators Paul Doyle (D-Wethersfield) and Thomas Gaffey (D-Meriden) stopped at the Middletown Senior Center today as part of a statewide effort to help seniors access expanded home heating assistance programs, just approved by the General Assembly. “The need for home heating help this winter has already hit record levels,” said Senator Doyle. “It is imperative that we reach out to as many people as possible, especially our most vulnerable seniors, before the first snowflake falls, and help them take advantage of the expanded heating assistance programs.”
Sarah Palin told a massive crowd in Florida panhandle city that senior citizens need not worry about what will happen to their Social Security benefits in a John McCain administration. “Beware that no presidential cycle is complete without the Democratic candidate coming down here to Florida to stir up fear and panic on this issue,” Palin said.
Some senior citizens living alone are without someone to check in on them everyday That's why the Burleigh County Sheriffs Department has started a program to make sure seniors are okay. Seniors can sign up to get a weekly phone call when they answer they press a number and authorities know they're fine. If no one answers the reverse 9-1-1 system at the County dispatch will call them two more times and if still no response a deputy will check on them.
Coming Events:
Devylder was born in 1969 without arms or legs. He lives a very independent life in Sacramento, where he works for the state office of emergency services. His fascinating story is told in "A Day in the Life of Richard DeVylder," which can be viewed online at www.dor.ca.gov/rd_video.htm. The resource fair coincides with the CADRE Emergency Preparedness Conference for People with Functional Disabilities Conference. The conference begins at 8:30 a.m. and includes a resource fair on City Hall Plaza from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The fair will feature wheelchair soccer players, disabled artists and entertainers from Grace Community Center, plus an appearance by Magic, a 29-inch-tall miniature service horse.
The Fifth Annual Disability Ball will be held from 6 to 11 p.m. on Friday, November 7, at the Waterfall Banquet and Conference Center, 3416 Philadelphia Pike in Claymont, Del. The ball is an opportunity for those with physical and mental disabilities to enjoy an evening of dining, dancing, door prizes and more. Until October 15, tickets are $50 per person; after October 15, the price increases to $60 per person. Music will be provided by Just Kidding Around, featuring DJ Mike Warren. The ball is sponsored by Independent Resources Incorporated and partially underwritten by a generous contribution from BlackRock Inc. To help those with disabilities live independently, IRI offers job training, and teaches daily living skills. For tickets or more information, call 302-765-0191 in New Castle County; 866-603-6292 in Kent and Sussex Counties.
Independent Voices, a history exhibit exploring Nevada County's disability rights movement, is on display at the Rood Center. The exhibit includes photographs, documents, interviews and other material collected by the Documenting Disability History Project. It will be on display during business hours through Oct. 17 at the county's administrative center on Maidu Avenue at Highway 49, in Nevada City. The exhibit eventually will tour local and state agencies. A prerecorded audio description is available for those with visual impairments; contact Heather Heckler at 477-1761.
The Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy is gearing up to observe Disability Employment Awareness Month with a variety of local activities this month. Events will include free training on disability heritage and awareness, disability simulation experiences and a gathering of Youth Leadership Forum alumni in Topeka. The goal of the various events is to educate the public about interacting with people with disabilities and the importance of accessibility in daily living. All events will take place at the YWCA of Topeka, 225 S.W. 12th. For more information, contact Carrie Greenwood at (785) 215-6655 or via e-mail at carrieg@kyea.org. More information can also be found on the KYEA Web site at www.kyea.org
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