Please take note and mark your calendar for the upcoming Access Press award banquet put on by our Board of Directors. An Award will be given to the individual that has made a notable difference in our community. See the Charlie Smith Award banner below for nomination criteria and nominate the person that most exemplifies what the Charlie Smith award represents. It will be a fun night, with interesting people, a well-known guest speaker and lots of good food. Watch Access Press for more information or visit the web site www.testing.accesspress.org.
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Headwater “Walk for Justice” is coming up Sept. 21st. If you haven’t sponsored a Walker already you can sponsor an Access Press Walker by calling 651-644-2133. Or just show up at Boom Island, ask to sponsor an AP Walker and take a “Walk for Justice”. For more info: www.walkforjustice.org.
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With this issue being dedicated to education and employment, we’ve got several articles pertaining to each. The disability community is definitely on the move and we all need to realize that before employment there needs to be a good foundation. Education is that foundation. Be it from a four-semester trade school or a four-year university, we all need a good education. It’s a process that should continue throughout our lives..
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This month Amy Farrar put together a fabulous profile of a remarkable man. Kevin Sullivan was doing everything right to become a success before his accident in 1984. After his initial hospitalization and rehabilitation, he continued on that same track to success. Kevin is married and owns his own “flourishing business,” he says with a smile. As some of you may know, Kevin Sullivan owns and operates In-Home Personal Care, a PCA agency. Kevin gives back to the disability community by offering the best service his agency can provide. Kevin has aspirations of starting another business around teaching the disabled to fly airplanes. What a guy!
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Kevin Kling is back with us this month. Kevin tells us about the “Goofus and Gallant” side of his personality. He also takes us on a very humorous trip, Kling style, through a motorcycle accident and the proceeding time in the hospital. This is a must read — Kling puts to words the thoughts all of us have had at one time or another! Thanks Kevin!
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Rep. Betty McCollum is keeping her word to the disability community. She is doing a great job of watching out for all us in Washington DC. It has to be difficult to push for services for the disabled and the elderly with the economy the way it is, especially when services cost tax money up front and the returns will not be seen for several years. Thanks for the update article, Rep. McCollum and staff.
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John Schatzlein had time to write an interesting column on spirituality this month even though he was looking at a couple weeks stay in hospital. Pete Feigal has put out a grand column on mental illness while he was on down time with his health. We send our best to both these workhorses.
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It’s time to take another step forward toward being heard, and we here at Access Press know how difficult that first step can be for all of us. We’d like to initiate that step by asking, you, the reader of Access Press, to tell us what you want from us. Whether it’s an idea for a story, a comment on a past article, or just something that concerns you, we want to hear about it. You can write us a letter and send it via snail-mail to Letters, c/o Access Press, 1821 University Avenue W., St. Paul, MN, 55104; or you can fax a letter to us at 651-644-2136; or send it electronically to access@testing.accesspress.org. Please put “Letters” in the subject box when eMailing for this purpose.
