UCP Life Without Limits Gala: A Night of Inspiration, Connection & Expanding Horizons
Cheryl Hines and many dedicated UCP supporters gathered together September 24 for the annual Life Without Limits Gala at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, DC. Gala attendees helped recognize Congressional and corporate leaders and individuals who are promoting a Life without Limits for people with disabilities.
The evening began with a welcoming reception for all supporters. During the reception, UCP hosted a silent auction that featured items including a golf bag, golf club and glove signed by professional golfer Kenny Perry, an iPhone, artwork, spa getaway, glassware, jewelry and several travel packages.
Master of Ceremonies and Chairman of the Board Bruce M. Fried opened the joyous occasion with wit and humor and kept the night running in a brilliant fashion. Those in attendance had a wonderful time and first time attendees commented on how "warm" the event felt.
William H. Macy, who couldn't attend, spoke to the audience through Skype™, thanking them for their support of UCP, urging them to "kick some Congressional butt," and reminding them that "the way we keep score in a civilized society is the way we take care of our brothers and sisters who need help the most."
Given special recognition during the evening were the co-Public Service Award winners Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Represenative F. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and his wife, Cheryl who is chairwoman of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). Senator Reed was recognized for his leadership and his work in securing funding for education, employment, affordable and accessible housing and other disability programs. The Congressman and Mrs. Sensenbrenner, each long term advocates for people with disabilities, played integral roles in the passage of the ADA Amendments Act and have been vital in creating opportunities to advance the disabilities agenda both on Capitol Hill and in the public arena.
During the entertainment portion of the evening, UCP Board Trustees Debbie Francis and Cheryl Hines previewed a new early intervention initiative that will debut later this year, My Child Without Limits. Gala attendees heard via Skype™ from UCP of Hawaii's Donna Fouts and Theresa Tayabas-Shimoda and via recorded message from Liz Foy of the Spastic Centre in Australia about how early intervention is already working today, changing the lives of children and their familes across the world.
In addition to honoring Congressional leaders, UCP awarded Allstate Insurance Company with the 2008 Corporate Leadership Award for their continued commitment, generosity, and support to National and the affiliate network. Allstate generously provided affiliates scholarships to attend the 2008 UCP Believable Hope Conference.
D.J. Gregory received the first ever Expanding Horizons Award. At 30 years old, Gregory is living out his dream by walking every hole of the 2008 PGA (Professional Golfers' Association of America) Tour, which includes 45 weeks of travel and 44 events. Roughly averaging 6 miles per day, Gregory will have walked more than 1000 miles by the end of his journey.
Jim Nantz, CBS sports announcer, via video, introduced Gregory. Nantz informed the audience of his long-standing and personal relationship with Gregory, and several PGA golfers discussed how D.J. has touched their lives forever.
Gregory spoke to the crowd and his speech was nothing short of inspiring. His uplifting words brought the house to its feet, and clearly demonstrated how living a Life Without Limits is possible for anyone.
The last award of the evening, the "No Limits Award," was presented to UCP of Orange County (UCP-OC), and received by affiliate CEO Paul Pulver. Providing services to more than 2,500 children each year, Paul discussed how UCP-OC is changing the lives of the families his affiliate serves. He briefly discussed how one of his board members, Bonner Paddock, a man with cerebral palsy, climbed to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in September 2008 in order to raise funds for the new Childcare and Education Center for UCP-OC. Paddock had already raised more than $200,000 by the time Pulver spoke about his endeavor.
The night ended, like the best do, with dessert. Most gathered following the presentations in the lobby outside of the ballroom to enjoy champagne, desserts and coffee. Everything from chocolate iPod Nanos to an assortment of fruit and chocolate pastries were available while attendees mingled and celebrated the many accomplishments of the award winners and United Cerebral Palsy.
Documentary Without Limits: California Man Featured in Temecula Film Festival Documentary
Forty-six- year-old Redlands, California native Willie Stewart, and his film "Armed for the Challenge," were featured last week at the Temecula Film Festival, which was attended by more than 14,000 people.
Stewart was a great high school athlete, participating in football, rugby and had a wrestling match record of 54-0. In 1980, he was two weeks away from beginning his freshman year at the University of Maryland on an athletic scholarship when a roofing accident atop the Watergate building in Washington, D.C. severed much of his arm.
Like many who suffer an injury of this magnitude, coping with a disability had its own set of challenges. Feelings of anger, depression and rehabilitation were certainly among those obstacles. Today, Stewart has returned to sports on a scale that is nothing less than remarkable.
The documentary, produced and directed by University of Southern California student Patricia Thio, captured a week of Stewart's preparation for the national triathlon championships in the physically challenged division held in New York. The original subject of Thio's film was an ex-gang member and the tattoo removal process, but the project fell through two weeks prior to the project's due date. Having met Stewart four years earlier and knowing the impression he had made on her, Thio contacted him and the rest is history.
Thio documented Stewart's work as director of PossAbilities, a nonprofit support group for patients recovering at Loma Linda University from the loss of limbs, as well as the birth of his daughter during this experience.
Thio says,
"I love the idea of bringing awareness to social issues that don't normally have a voice. Disability is something that a lot of people don't know about and I think this film and Willie sharing his story will give people a better understanding. They will get to know what it is like to be disabled and what you are able to do even though you are disabled."
As director of PossAbilities, Stewart applies more than just physical rehabilitation for people who have lost limbs. He learned from a personal two-year battle with alcohol and drugs while coping with depression that people with disabilities need help, not only through rehabilitation and learning to use artificial limbs, but also in dealing with other people in social situations.
Stewart's model of living Life without Limits is one that we can all benefit from. Since January 2008, the film has been shown at over 15 other California film festivals, including the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Brian's Song: A Hawaii Native with CP with the "Heart of a Warrior"
Recently, ESPN's E:60 television show featured a person with disabilities defying the odds on the football field. Lisa Salters reports on the story of Brian Kajiyama.
Brian Kajiyama was born with cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair, with a limited speaking capacity. Despite these challenges, he has worked his way up to being an assistant football coach at the University of Hawaii.
As a boy growing up in Hawaii, Kajiyama dreamed of playing football for his hometown University of Hawaii Warriors. While he never would, he did the next best thing, and became the team's biggest fan. By the time he was a student at the University of Hawaii, he was not only at every home game but every practice, rain or shine, sitting on the sidelines in his wheelchair. He is such a die-hard fan that he also watched practice every morning and as a result, caught the eye of one of the new coaches.
Everything changed for him when Hawaii defense coach Jeff Reinebold noticed Brian in the summer of 2005 and introduced himself. Soon thereafter, Reinebold and Brian developed a deep friendship that continues to this day. Jeff would bring Brian around the football office, and Brian would offer his help when he could. Soon Kajiyama was helping the Warriors prepare scouting reports on their opponents and in one particularly crucial instance, when the team was stranded in Boise, Idaho after a game, Brian was called upon, who had remained in Hawaii, to help the team prepare for the next week's game by heading over to the office and preparing the defensive strategy and discussing it over the phone with the coaches stranded in Boise.
In 2007, Kajiyama was named a graduate assistant football coach for the Warrior team by then head coach June Jones. He helped the team accomplish the nearly impossible - becoming the only perfect team in Division I football. He also accompanied the team to their Bowl Game that year in New Orleans.
But when Jones and Reinebold accepted coaching positions at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas earlier this year, things changed. Brian, now a PhD student, thought he would continue as the team's graduate assistant but in May 2008, the new head coach, Greg McMacken, re-assigned Kajiyama to student manager in charge of academics, a position he fills to this day for the love of the team that he has followed since he was a kid.
Brian Kajiyama's story is inspiring and uplifting in many ways. He is the "Heart [and Soul] of the Warriors," and is a shining example of a person with disabilities living "Life Without Limits."
Finally, on September 25, 2008, President Bush signed the ADAAA into law.
"Disagreements over the bill were worked out in two years of intense behind-the-scenes negotiations that included members of both parties and people with disabilities, as well as the National Association of Manufacturers and the United States Chamber of Commerce." writes the New York Times.
The bill's intent corrects the limitations initially imposed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that, since enactment in 1990, has fallen victim to watered down interpretations at the hands of judicial review and most importantly the Supreme Court. Further, the New York Times notes, "The bill declares that the court went wrong by 'eliminating protection for many individuals whom Congress intended to protect' under the 1990 law... In an effort to clarify the intent of Congress, the bill says, 'The definition of disability in this act shall be construed in favor of broad coverage.'"
It is indeed a great day for people with disabilities, and helps restore protection from discrimination and the original intent of the ADA.
For more information, contact Annie Acosta of the Disability Policy Collabortion of United Cerebral Palsy and The Arc of the United States at (202) 783-2229.
A diverse group of more than 75 people gathered in light rain on Capitol Hill near the United States Capitol Building Tuesday, September 9, 2008 to rally in support of DSPs and HR 1279. First introduced in 2007 by Representatives Lee Terry (R-NE) and Lois Capps (D-CA), the bill would give states federal funds to increase the wages of direct support professionals working with people with disabilities also called DSPs or home caregivers.
Though the inclement weather caused mischief with the microphones, supporters were enthusiastic as they prepared to visit with and plead their case to their Congressional Representatives.
Currently, DSPs working in private practice make an average of $8.68 per hour for work that is emotionally and physically exhausting. Nineteen percent of all DSPs live in poverty and 25% are without their own healthcare. Turnover is high, and the resulting lack of continuity in care can be demoralizing for or even harmful to people with disabilities.
"We've seen what happens when our clients don't get consistent care," Andrea McMurray, a caregiver from Lawrence, Kansas, told those attending the rally. "We've seen them turn inward, stop trusting the people who are supposed to help them. But when they can depend on a staff member to be there... it's amazing what they can do."
People with disabilities make up 20% of the voting population yet often do not participate in the election process.
UCP launched DontBlockMyVote.org in 2004 to help engage people with disabilities and their supporters in the election process. The campaign initially focused on registering new voters and raising awareness about polling place accessibility issues. DontBlockMyVote.org helped many new voters participate in the 2004 election while generating thousands of letters to Congress and the President of the United States to help secure additional funding for the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).
As the 2008 election approaches, we want to make sure that people with disabilities have their say on Election Day and encourage you to familiarize yourself with local voting resources. Contact your State board of elections to find out about local polling places and to learn what they are doing to ensure accessibility. Polling places must meet ADA accessibility regulations. The Department of Justice has created a checklist for polling places.
Lack of transportation can be a voting barrier for a person with a disability. Oftentimes local campaign offices recruit volunteers to help with transportation and other services that help people get to the polls. Contact local offices for both the Democrat and Republican parties for more information.
Many taxi companies offer free or low cost cab rides to senior citizens and people with disabilities on Election Day.
People with disabilities might benefit from early voting. About half the states offer some sort of early voting. Early voting differs from absentee voting in that voters may visit an election official's office or, in some states, other satellite voting locations, and cast a vote in person without offering an excuse for not being able to vote on Election Day. Contact your State board of elections to find out if early voting is allowed.
Founded in 1948 to help people with cerebral palsy, today United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) is a pivotal advocate for the rights of all people with disabilities. As one of the largest health charities in America, UCP is dedicated to advancing the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with disabilities.
Disabled get more access at State House The Boston Globe Boston,MA,USA 10/1/08 The tens of thousands of dollars in improvements were spurred by a lawsuit against the state that alleged the State House did not comply with some requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
ADAPT Organizes "DUH City" in Washington, DC UCPeople Blog Washington, DC,USA 9/24/08 Last week, more than 500 disability rights activists from ADAPT converged in Washington, DC to set up "Operation DUH."
Congress Approves Mental Health Bill Washington Post Washington,DC,USA 9/24/08 Congress approved legislation yesterday that would require private insurers to provide the same level of benefits for mental illness as they do for physical maladies, a change lauded by advocates as a great shift in the nation's understanding of mental health.
Precocious, gifted and autistic Kansas City Star Kansas City,KS,USA 9/23/08 What she probably doesn't realize is that the Kansas City School District's special education program has reached a critical juncture as it strives to fix itself for Sylvia and 2,400 other students with special education plans.
Institutionalized Medicaid recipients sue Florida Associated Press Plant City,FL,USA 9/21/08 Lee is among the Medicaid recipients across Florida challenging the nightmare of the old and disabled: to be forced from comfort and familiarity into a nursing home.
Deaf and blind students get on-the-job training The Gazette Colorado Springs,CO,USA 9/21/08 The Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind is trying to change that grim employment outlook for its students with an internship program funded by an $80,000 state grant.
Finding Her Rhythm by Engine's Cadence New York Times New York,NY,USA 9/20/08 Born deaf, she has become the top women's motocross racer, using a technique that relies on the rhythms of the engine to indicate when to shift gears.
Lack of vitamin D linked to multiple sclerosis Reuters USA 9/20/08 Children later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis had far lower levels of vitamin D than other youngsters, Canadian researchers reported yesterday in studies showing more links between the "sunshine" vitamin and disease.
Autism is caused by a 'supercharged' mind, scientists claim The Telegraph UK 9/17/08 Children who develop autism have "supercharged" brains that are so clever and sensitive that they make everyday experiences utterly overwhelming, new research claims.
Congress passes expansion of disability law Associated Press Washington,DC,USA 9/17/08 The House passed the measure by voice vote as well. But Hoyer noted that it took months of difficult negotiations involving the business community and advocates for the disabled to find the right balance between the rights of the disabled and the obligations of employers.
A Film Festival That Showcases the Disabled New York Times New York,NY,USA 9/16/08 "We want to enlighten people that they don’t have to be afraid when somebody who’s got cerebral palsy walks into their building or comes in with a wheelchair," Mr. Hassid said. "There's really an opportunity to create an open door where you can look beyond the disabilities and start to see people for who they are and what skills they have."
More Paralympics coverage from around the world Media dis&dat Blog Towson, MD,USA 9/14/08 The Paralympics have really arrived there's even ticket scalping, according to The Guardian in the UK.
People with disabilities given a chance to water ski KJCT 8 Grand Junction,CO,USA 9/13/08 "The idea is to help people with disabilities overcome their confidence issues, and to gain confidence in doing new things," said Colorado Discoverability Executive Director Jim Prinster.
Comedian handles punch lines, palsy The News Tribune Tacoma,WA,USA 9/9/08 He has a speech impediment brought on by cerebral palsy, causing the inevitable comparisons to The Evergreen State College graduate Josh Blue, a comedian with a similar condition. Blue won the reality-TV competition "Last Comic Standing" in 2006.
Recycling Hope and Inspiration NBC 13 Birmingham,AL,USA 9/7/08 A unique business venture in Birmingham is about to celebrate two years of putting people with disabilities to work, but United Cerebral Palsy Enterprises wants you to think of them as a business first.
Children with disabilities saddle up for therapy State Journal-Register Springfield,IL,USA 9/4/08 Because horses have the same gait as humans, the warmth from the horses' movements relaxes and softens their riders' muscles, according to Ashley Thompson, who's also with United Cerebral Palsy of Land of Lincoln.
Big dogs a big help to the disabled The Boston Globe Ipswitch,MA,USA 9/4/08 From guide to hearing dogs to canines who assist people with mobility problems, it's a line of work that's more commonly associated with breeds such as golden and Labrador retrievers.
Abbott now making his PITCH for people with disabilities ESPN USA 9/4/08 Abbott recently began working as a pitchman with the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy on a campaign appropriately called PITCH (Proving Individuals with Talent Can Help), and he's using baseball as a forum to get his message out to the public.
EEOC issues Q&A guide on disabilities Newsday USA 9/3/08 The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has issued what it calls a comprehensive question and answer guide on the rights of workers with disabilities.
Target Settles Suit With Blind Over Web Site MediaPost Communications New York,NY,USA 9/2/08 Target has agreed to pay $6 million and revamp its Web site to settle a lawsuit brought by the National Federation of the Blind.
Cheer for DJ today The Sun Chronicle Attleboro-North Attleboro,MA,USA 9/1/08 You won't miss Gregory. He's the one walking with a cane and a highly noticeable limp - toes pitched in, elbows spread wide, the result of cerebral palsy. Gregory has gained awards and national attention as he attempts to walk all four rounds of every 2008 PGA Tour event.
ND students 'disabled' for day Notre Dame Observer Notre Dame,IN,USA 9/1/08 The 47 architecture students experienced three different physical handicaps - some had to be on crutches for part of the day, others were confined to wheelchairs, and others walked around with blindfolds simulating individuals who were physically handicapped or blind.
Greed trumps compassion in stadium's disabilities policies Indy Star Indianapolis,IN,USA 9/1/08 Why is it that the Colts, in their beautiful new stadium, have refused to recognize that people with disabilities need closer parking and the use of the elevators more than the media hounds and the corporate bigwigs?
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During the entertainment portion of the evening, UCP Board Trustees Debbie Francis and Cheryl Hines previewed a new early intervention initiative that will debut later this year, My Child Without Limits. Gala attendees heard via 
