Access Press - July 10, 2008

Bringing News and Information to People with Disabilities Since 1990

This version of Access Press does not include graphics, photos, advertisements, Directory of Organizations, Friends of Access Press listing, hyperlinks or email links. It is laid out in the order that content appears in the print version on pages 1 through 16.

Monthly Quote: “People who say they don’t care what people think are usually desperate to have people think they don’t care what people
think.” — George Carlin (May 1937 - June 2008)

Page 1, Article 1: Access to Central Corridor LRT stations a concern
Few speak out on disabilities-related issues

by Access Press staff and contributors

As planning for the Central Corridor light rail transit line continues, questions are being raised about the issue of accessibility to the station platforms along the 11-mile route. Issues of access were raised during a series of public hearings on the light rail preliminary design plans, which wrapped up this summer.

The Central Corridor would extend between downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. The Metropolitan Council will submit preliminary plans for the $892 million line to the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) in early September. FTA approval for the project is crucial as the federal government would pay half of the project’s construction costs.

Only a handful of people raised questions about accessibility at the recent municipal consent hearings, which were sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), Hennepin and Ramsey counties, Hennepin and Ramsey County Regional Rail Authority boards, and the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

One of the issues that will affect access at stations is public art and how art is incorporated into each station design. During the hearings and at meetings of the Metropolitan Council’s Central Corridor Management Committee, much attention has been paid to public art. Elected officials have pushed hard for much public art to be added to station plans, saying that the stations otherwise will be sterile and bland in appearance.

But Metropolitan Council Chairman Peter Bell has told the committee he isn’t inclined to change the staff recommendations. He and project staff note there is a move nationally toward standardized station design.

Stations have to be accessible to the disabled and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), said Bell. He noted that Metropolitan Council advisory committees are pushing hard on the access issues. Members of the Central Corridor Community Advisory Council who represent the disability community have maintained a strong and unified position regarding the importance of station accessibility and continuity. On Hiawatha Corridor, community groups and artists were extensively involved in the station design process. Bell said that has resulted in stations that have different configurations. That has raised questions about access. “Every station on Hiawatha is different and riders have to figure out how to navigate in them.”

At one of this summer’s hearings, activist Darrel Paulsen pointed out that station design can play a key role in how usable stations are for riders. Paulsen is a wheelchair user.

“We want people with disabilities to feel safe and comfortable in stations,” he said. “When stations are laid out in different manners and fixtures are designed differently from station to station, it can be very difficult for transit riders with disabilities to use them.”

Anne White, chair of the District Councils Collaborative (DCC), said neighborhood groups along the light rail line also have concerns that stations be accessible as well as attractive. One red flag the DCC is raising is that at some platforms, rail riders have to travel down a sidewalk in the middle of the street. The DCC wants more marked mid-block crossings, saying those would be safer.

Here are the key issues tied to light rail transit access issues during station design and construction:

• Continuity is extremely important and each station has to have similarities in regard to location of ticket machines, benches, boarding areas and emergency help buttons should be in the same location on all platforms and easily accessible for everyone.

• Benches and accessible seating need to be provided at each station and need to be located both inside and outside of the sheltered areas.

• All routes leading to the station need to be fully accessible. If the station is elevated, or on a hill, consider all routes of access to the station.  What is the safest route for everyone, including persons with disabilities?

• Additional space needs to be provided for the pay machines.  People should not be standing on top of each other, waiting in line to use the machine.

• The gap between the station platform and car should be as narrow as possible, but measuring no wider then 2.5 inches at the widest point.

• Provide more efficient heaters at the stations that are accessible to people with disabilities and are powerful enough and designed so that the heat flow actually reaches the people in the shelters.

• Make sure art work does not obstruct the view on the platforms, not only up and down the track, but at the sides of the platform.  It is also important that the shelter walls and other dividers have some markings on them, so that individuals with low vision will be able to see them and move around them accordingly. People need to see the connecting LRT and buses traffic.

• Make sure that connecting intersections have accessible pedestrian signals which will warn people with low vision or no vision when to safely access the platforms and train.
 
The list was developed by Rozanne Severance, Ken Rodgers and Margot Imdieke Cross who serve on the LRT Central Corridor Community Advisory Council and the Transportation Accessibility Advisory Committee (TAAC). Information was also provided by Access Press Assistant Editor Jane McClure.

Page 1, Article 2:

What will become of our elders?

by Mary Gallagher

“What’s going to happen to our elders?” That was my first thought when I learned that some grants that helped fund Minnesota’s 43 Living-at-Home/Block Nurse Programs (LAH/BNP) were not renewed during the most recent round of Department of Human Services Community Service/Services Development (CS/SD) grants.

Throughout Minnesota LAH/BNP staff and volunteers provide assistance to elders to help them remain healthy and safe in their own homes. According to a 2008 survey conducted by the United States Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging, most seniors prefer to remain in their homes, which represent independence and security. Most services are offered on a sliding scale basis and no one is turned away because of inability to pay for services.

Keeping elders out of nursing homes makes financial sense as well. According to the 2006-2007 Cost and Services report by Elderberry Institute, every dollar invested in LAH/BNPs saves taxpayers $3.50. Elderberry Institute is the umbrella organization for LAH/BNPs.

In the same report, 40 Minnesota metro and rural LAH/BNPs were shown to have kept 1,138 people out of nursing homes for 8,238 months and saved more than $35 million, which would have been the cost of nursing home care if they had been admitted. During the 2008 legislative session Governor Tim Pawlenty and legislators expressed concern over the increasing percentage of the state budget expended for nursing home care costs.

Annual program budgets for the metro area LAH/BNPs average $110,000. Each program uses a combination of funding sources that includes grants from the state (CS/SD and other Department of Human Services funding), foundation grants, donations and fees for some services provided.

The St. Paul Payne-Phalen Living-at-Home/Block Nurse program is larger than most programs. In fiscal year 2006-2007, when our program kept 89 East Side elders at home and saved more than $4 million dollars, our budget was $257,000. Two CS/SD grants that provided a majority of the funding in recent years were not renewed for the coming year. The impact of the loss will mean changes to Payne-Phalen’s program including staffing and service cuts.

Many local, state and national elected representatives do appreciate the value of having LAH/BNPs available to seniors in their districts. Two newer LAH/BNPs on the East Side, North East Neighborhoods in District 2, and Dayton’s Bluff Seniors in District 4, were among 12 new Block Nurse Programs throughout Minnesota to receive $20,000 in base funding as part of a bill passed during the recent legislative session. Payne-Phalen and other established programs also receive this base funding.

The Payne-Phalen Program is seeking new grants, donors and other sources to fill the gap so we can continue our work. But since we didn’t have a lot of notice about the grants that weren’t renewed, we’re concerned about how we’ll be able to provide for the elders who rely on us. I’m particularly worried about some of the East Side elders I’ve come to know—people like Teri, Norm, Helen and Cal.

Teri, 56, was introduced to the BNP by friends. The program typically serves persons 65 and older, but the age limit may be lowered when individuals have disabilities. Four years ago Teri had surgery for a brain tumor. The effects of the tumor left her paralyzed on the left side. After spending six months at Courage Center getting rehabilitation, Teri and her husband moved from their home in Forest Lake to an accessible apartment in a senior building near Lake Phalen. Teri attends monthly social gatherings and has helped as a volunteer in the Block Nurse office.

Norm is an 85-year-old widower. His two adult children live in other states. Since the first of this year Payne-Phalen staff and volunteers have visited Norm 29 times. He has received help with medical forms, nursing assessments, wound care and rides to medical appointments. We also found someone to assist him with cooking, housekeeping and lawn services. When he has questions about a health issue, is concerned about his ability to drive due the weather, or needs help with a situation at home, he calls us.

Helen is an 82-year-old widow who has no children. She has macular degeneration and is legally blind but has been able to stay in her home with the help of rides to the doctor and bank from staff and a volunteer who takes her shopping every other week. At a monthly blood pressure clinic the block nurse noticed that Helen’s blood pressure was dangerously low which put her at risk of a heart attack or a fall. Our nurse called her clinic to obtain a change in her medications which stabilized her pulse and prevented medical complications. Helen also enjoys visits from nursing students and attends the Payne-Phalen program’s monthly social gatherings.

Cal is 80 and has outlived three wives. He is a Korean War veteran and has health issues including diabetes, hypertension, and vision problems that require regular visits to the VA Medical Center. A block nurse staff person picks him up and accompanies him to visits and helps him navigate the halls of the clinic. After each visit he says, “I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Our staff also helps educate Cal about his diabetes. He has his blood pressure checked at a free monthly blood pressure clinic that the block nurse program conducts in his building.

Lack of funding to sustain LAH/BNPs should be of grave concern for any elder, their caregivers, relatives, neighbors, and anyone in the community who hopes to be an elder one day. The repercussions of cuts to our program could be noticeable soon, and in some cases they might be serious, not to mention costly in the long term. Pawlenty and the legislature have expressed increased share that nursing homes have taken up in recent state budgets.

Employers could see a rise in absenteeism as adult children need time off work to care for elderly relatives, since block nurse staff and volunteers won’t be available to provide visits and rides to doctor appointments. If we have to discontinue blood pressure clinics and are unavailable to notice elders whose symptoms indicate health conditions so we can refer them to their primary clinics to get treatment, there may be an increase in the number who suffer falls, strokes, or heart attacks.

What’s going to happen to our elders? I’m afraid of finding out what the answer will be.

Mary Gallagher is manager of elder/volunteer services for the Payne-Phalen Living-at-Home/Block Nurse Program in St. Paul.

Editor’s note: As the population of Minnesota and the United States continues to age, the demand for services like the Living at Home/Block Nurse Program will only increase. The programs provide a vital service in keeping elderly and disabled person safe in their homes and involved with their communities. Most St. Paul neighborhoods have Living at Home/Block Nurse Programs. There are also programs in parts of Minneapolis and in the rest of the state. For a list of programs or to learn about issues affecting these programs, visit www.elderberry.org

Page 2, Article 1: Editor's Column

by Tim Benjamin

The economy sure has become the topic of conversations at all levels—from political circles to water cooler talk. Brigette Menger-Anderson, Personal Assistant Services Manager at Metropolitan Center for Independent Living, recently discussed gas prices and their effects on seniors and people with disabilities in a conversation on Minnesota Public Radio, http://tinyurl.com/5m3ogs. That conversation was broadcast June 5 on National Public Radio. As we go to press, the New York Times has picked up the story, http://tinyurl.com/5aptk9. Both versions cover how commuting costs are hurting the healthcare industry, especially independent living. Many of the PCA agencies reimburse for gas mileage from one client’s home to the next, but don’t pay from the PCA’s home to the first client or from the last client to home. In many occupations, this is the standard. But in the home health care industry the salaries are so low that it’s making it difficult for agencies to find PCAs willing to travel or fulfill the needs of clients needing to have two or three visits per day. If you don’t have an eight-hour shift it’s hardly worth the PCA time with rising gas prices. Low salaries make it more difficult for PCAs to afford an economical car or to keep it maintained for best fuel efficiency.

PCAs are not the only ones affected by high gas prices. According to the New York Times article, Meals on Wheels has had to cut deliveries throughout the country. This is especially felt in remote rural areas. Elaine Eubank, president of CareLink, a nonprofit agency that serves elderly people in Arkansas, said “We’ve had one increase from Medicaid in 11 years, but home care and Meals on Wheels keep people at home for a fraction of the cost of a nursing home. The state pays for care once they’re in a nursing home. So our cuts may cost more than they save.” Gee whiz, have we heard this story before: cutting the funding of home care so that people end up living in nursing homes at a higher cost to the state? Most importantly, underfunding for home care results in people living where they don’t want to live.

Is drilling new oil wells the answer? Is light rail the answer? Light rail seems to me to be the more logical of the two. Neither of these answers is a quick fix by any means, but using more fossil fuels versus investing in a public transit seems like a no-brainer. So could we invest more money in two ways, first by increasing support for all levels of home care and second, by creating a larger, standardized, public transportation that everyone can use. By everyone I mean your grandmother, your neighbor who’s got vision loss, and your neighbor who is doing home care? The insurance industry sure doesn’t want the population to have no need for vehicle insurance. The oil industry definitely doesn’t want us to even become one or two percent less dependent on their products. Who else would lose profits if the country became dependent on public transit?

We have a new intern at Access Press, Silas Matthies, and he’s written his first published article. Silas brings us an article on the tragedy last month about the young man with autism who became lost in the Wisconsin wilderness. There’ve been many questions and conversations about implanting GPS in people who might find themselves lost or who are unable to communicate or navigate their way back to safety. We very much hope to bring you a more in-depth article on related topics in next month’s Access Press.

Hope everyone’s having a nice summer. And thanks to the great staff and volunteers who helped produce this July issue.

Page 2, Article 2:

Ten best and worst states for community services
Minnesota, Wisconsin do well

Minnesota cracked the top ten and Wisconsin got honorable mention in ADAPT’s ranking of the 2008 Ten Best and Worst States in the delivery of home and community services to people with disabilities and older Americans.

The advocacy group recently announced the rankings in the Hall of States building in Washington, D.C. The building is home to the National Governors Association, an organization that has been very vocal in recent years about the preference of community services over nursing homes and other institutions. Yet the association hasn’t been able to inspire its own member states to improve their provision of those services.

Speakers representing states in both the best and worst categories spoke at the press conference about the horrors of nursing home life and the joys of living in the community in states that provide good community services. Randy Alexander from Tennessee ADAPT and LaTonya Reeves from Colorado ADAPT spoke of the disability“underground railroad” that assists people in states without community services to move to states where they can live quality lives in their own homes with the supports and services they need.
 
The grouping of states into the top and bottom 10 was based on publicly available data from highly respected researchers, supplemented by the results of an informal survey widely distributed across the country by ADAPT. Few surprises emerged in the survey. Many of the 10 states doing the poorest job of providing services that allow citizens to receive long term care in their own homes in the community have been on the “worst” list over and over. States are listed alphabetically, not ranked numerically:

Ten best states: Alaska, Colorado,   Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont.
Honorable Mention: Kansas, New York, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Ten worst states: Arkansas, Georgia, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana Mississippi, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas.
Dishonorable mention: Alabama, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania.

Page 2, Article 3: History Note

William Henry Eustis
He gave money, land and his time

by Luther Granquist

In his autobiography he says little about his physical disability, only that when he chose to move West he wanted a city both “on the level” and “alive.” He chose Minneapolis, after rejecting St. Paul, Omaha, and Kansas City because of their hills. Eustis served as Mayor of Minneapolis from 1893-1895, ran unsuccessfully for Governor and Congress, and amassed a fortune as an entrepreneur and investor in various Twin Cities businesses. In 1923, he gave the Minneapolis School Board land for the Michael Dowling School, which is now an urban environmental magnet school. He also gave the University of Minnesota more than a million dollars for a “Minnesota Hospital for Crippled Children.” This is now part of the University of Minnesota Hospitals complex.

At a dinner in his honor on his 80th birthday he praised Minneapolis and its founding fathers. He urged them to pass on to the next generation “the ardor and lofty purpose of these founders.” Only in passing did he refer to the purpose of his gift. The city, he said, “abounds in works of humanity, not the least of which is to help those little folks, who without fault on their part, suffer from physical limitations.”

Eustis praised the city fathers too much. The community he extolled failed to provide children with disabilities the opportunities for schooling and failed to provide them adequate medical care. He could have called these community leaders to task rather than smother them with fulsome praise. Nevertheless, Eustis should not be faulted for his decision to spend his accumulated fortune as he did. His actions spoke louder than his words.

The History Note is a monthly column sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, www.mnddc.org or www.mncdd.org and www.partnersinpolicymaking.com

.

Page 3, Article 1: A more open election
Changes will make Minnesota elections
more accessible to disabled voters

by Mai Thor

Making the election process more open to Minnesotans is the intent of changes Minnesota state lawmakers enacted in time for the 2008 election. Voting rights advocates, the Secretary of State, leadership in the Senate and House and the governor worked hard on compromise language that everyone could live with and was ensured passage.

Since most of the legwork was done during the 2007 session, passage of these bills went off almost without a hitch. There were some bumps in the road as the process pushed toward its ultimate goal, most of which dealt with legislative process rather than the content of the bills. The result was the lumping of several bills into one large compromise bill authored by election legislation champion, Rep. Bill Hilty, DFL-Finlayson. The election this year will no doubt bring out many new voters and create long lines at the polls. It’s very good news for all Minnesota voters that these new laws will help protect them as they participate in the voting process this year.

Rep. Hilty also took the lead on a bill that included some key housekeeping provisions.

Here are some highlights:

• The agent delivery process is expanded to cover all individuals with disabilities and those who have incapacitating health reasons for casting an absentee ballot. The agent must have a pre-existing relationship with the voter. Or, designation of an agent can begin seven days prior to the election.

• Individuals who register to vote using the voter registration application can use any of the methods for a signature as defined in §645.44, including asking someone else to sign their name.

• County auditors must make AutoMarks (voting machines for disabled voters) available during the in-person absentee period, except in township elections.

• A township holding local elections is exempt from making accessible voting systems available if the town has fewer than 500 registered voters and if the cost of compliance is more than $150. The Secretary of State and other interested parties shall review cost and equipment options beginning in 2009 and end in 2016 in order to achieve full township compliance.

Other election legislation that passed includes:
• Military and overseas voting-military personnel and others who are overseas are able to receive absentee ballots electronically

• Automatic address update is made for voters who move. Voters no longer have to register to vote each time they move. The Secretary of State will automatically update voter rolls with new address change information from the postal service

• Nonpartisan election judges can serve. People who are not affiliated with a major political party in Minnesota can also sign up to be election judges. Previously judges had to declare party affiliation when they registered.

• Challengers will be required to show the same identification that voters do for same-day registration. Challengers previously were not required to show identification.

If you have questions about other election laws adopted by the 2008 Minnesota Legislature, contact the Office of the Secretary of State at 651-215-1440 or www.sos.state.mn.us

Page 3, Article 2: Major changes proposed
Goodbye Full Accessibility

by Steve Gold

In 1990, the disability community, Congress, state officials and businesses made numerous compromises to pass the ADA. Despite compromises, then-President George H.W. Bush, disability leaders and Congress trumpeted eventual full accessibility of public and private facilities. Sometime in the future, people with disabilities would achieve equal opportunity with non-disabled and full accessibility would be achieved.

Since 1990, we have seen some progress—curb cuts are now more the norm; ramps provide access to some stores and businesses (definitely not in every one), some public swimming pools, playgrounds, and governmental buildings provide a degree of accessibility (often begrudgingly); sports venues are more accessible.

However, by and large, neither the governmental entities (Title II of the ADA), nor private business entities (aka, public accommodations) (Title III) have taken the initiative on their own and said “oh, Congress has made disability a civil right, and we will do the right thing and make our facilities and programs accessible.”

Rather, progress has been slow, often requiring disability advocates to take the initiative and demand governmental and business entities to comply with the 1990 law and not make more compromises. The process is slow because disability advocates may not exist in a community, or they get frustrated that change is so difficult.

On June 17 the federal Department of Justice (DOJ) issued proposed rules to the ADA’s federal regulations which, if adopted, will significantly undercut the original 1990 compromises and will impose numerous regressive restrictions. Many of the proposed rules will ensure that full accessibility will be, at best, postponed indefinitely.

The proposal rules, together with all the background information, cost estimates, commentaries etc., total about 1000 pages. Here, we will address only the Title II requirement of “program accessibility ... when viewed in entirety” and the Title III requirement for removal of “readily achievable” barriers from existing facilities.

Here are two proposed changes:

Title II. The current “program accessibility” regulation requires a public entity’s programs and services be accessible, when they are “viewed in their entirety.”

Re: the proposed rule “Existing play areas and recreation facilities.” If a public entity has “multiple play areas as part of its program,” for program accessibility “only a reasonable number but at least one of such play areas would be required to undertake structural modifications to provide access for individuals [i.e., children] with disabilities.” The “reasonable number but at least one” rule applies also to swimming pools and state parks.

Did the DOJ forget that “program access” for the past 18 years already implicitly required “at least one” accessible facility, or the program in its entirely would not be accessible? With the proposed rule, wouldn’t public entities shoot for the minimum—one, regardless of the changes that might make many or all of the play areas accessible?

DOJ asks if the “reasonable number, but at least one” is workable, or should DOJ provide a list of factors that a public could use to determine how many of the existing play areas or swimming pools to make accessible? Folks—these are our children with disabilities!

DOJ asks if play areas should have a “safe harbor” from compliance with the applicable requirements in the 2004 Americans with Disability-Accessible Guidelines (ADA-AG). This means that some play areas that might be in compliance with local standards could be exempt from ADA-AG standards that presumably require greater accessibility.

Does anyone think DOJ would have proposed a “safe harbor” to end discrimination based on race or gender?

Related to the problem of a “safe harbor” is the DOJ question “what is the tipping point” at which the costs of compliance “... would be so burdensome that the entity would simply shut down the playground?” The ADA is a civil rights statute that is supposed to ensure for disabled folks the equal opportunity and the same benefits as non-disabled people. But let’s get real! Does anyone know of any public entity in the entire country that has closed down any public playground or swimming pool because of inaccessibility?

DOJ wants to hear if “existing play areas less than 1,000 square feet should be exempt” from accessibility requirements. This size was chosen because of an assumption that such small areas represented 20% of the play areas located in public schools. Great! Disabled children in those schools could be effectively kept off the play areas, presumably like they are being kept out of mainstream classrooms. Every small neighborhood tot lot would be exempted. The rulemaking asks if 50% of monkey bars, sliding boards, and other “elevated play components” in playgrounds should be exempt from accessibility. DOJ asks if “additional ground level play components” should be substituted for the “elevated play” components.

Title III - Section 36.304. The current regulation requires removal of barriers in public accommodations when it is “readily achievable” to do so.

It is important to remember that the existing federal regulations require removal of barriers only when it is “readily achievable”—which on a case by case basis ensures that only reasonable modifications will occur. “Safe harbors” will exempt from barrier removal even those situations that are “readily achievable” to be made accessible.

A small business will receive a “safe harbor” if it spends in a given year one percent of its gross revenues on barrier removals. Advocates who have been frustrated since 1990 asking businesses to “remove barriers” by building a ramp or making a bathroom accessible, now will have the fun of arguing about a business’s “gross revenues” in a given year and the costs of any alleged barrier removal the business claims it has made. Should advocates ask if the business took a tax deduction or received a tax credit for the barrier removal? If it claims it did, should the advocate take their word or request to read their 1040s? Then, the advocates come back the next year and start the entire process again on another inaccessible element? And we thought it was difficult to get a ramp with the existing regulations.

The proposed regulations also question whether to fully enforce the Access Board’s guidelines for stages, auditoriums, witness stands, assistive listening systems, golf courses, service animals, golf cars, mobility devices, auxiliary aids, captioning, video interpreting services and other areas.

You have 60 days to submit comments. All comments must be sent by 8/18/2008. Refer to Documents ID DOJ_FRDOC 0001-0025 (Title III, Public Accommodations) and DOJ_ FRDOC-0001-0026 (Title II, Governmental Programs). You can find these documents at the following web address, as well as submit your comments on-line by going to www.regulations.gov

Back issues of other Information Bulletins are available online at www.stevegold ada.com with a searchable archive at this site divided into different subjects. To contact Steve Gold directly, write to stevegoldada@cs.com or call 215-627-7100.

Page 3, Article 3: Minnesota campaign ads get
captioning makeover

by Jamie Taylor

Effective July 1

On the Internet, on TV, on the radio – candidates running for state office have for years competed for as many ears as possible. Now they will have to compete for eyes as well. During the 2008 legislative session, Minnesota became the fourth state to pass a captioning law for campaign ads.

Effective July 1, all candidates running for state-level office in Minnesota must include closed captioning on their television and website ads. Transcripts of website ads must be placed on a campaign’s website. The law also requires written transcripts of radio ads on campaign websites.

This law benefits everyone, not just the 10% of Minnesotans who are deaf, hard of hearing, and/or deafblind. Many people find themselves in places like gyms where the sound is turned off but a TV is on. Other people simply understand things better if they can see information in text form.

But you might not see captions on ads for Minnesota’s United States Senate race this year – because the captioning law doesn’t apply to them. Captioning of campaign ads remains voluntary for county- and federal-level Minnesota candidates. It also doesn’t apply to presidential candidates, who are covered by a separate federal law.

Rhode Island, California, and Florida have had their state campaign ads captioned for years. Their example shows that it is easy to do and is not rocket science. It just takes a little education.

The law took effect July 1, and the Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans (MCDHH) is ready to educate prospective viewers and voters. CDs will be ready and waiting for all candidates to watch and learn what to do. Presentations on how to caption their ads will be made. For candidates who like to get hands-on experience will be provided on how to caption political ads.

With all of the available resources there simply will be no excuse not to caption their campaign ads. But for candidates who don’t want to caption their ads, an opt-out option remains. Candidates can file a statement for each ad aired with Minnesota regulators explaining why the captions are missing.

Jamie Taylor is Civic Access and Technology Specialist for the Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans (MCDHH)

Page 4, Article 1: Women are winners
Changing face of sports highlights more opportunities
as well as challenges

by Carrie Salberg

Can a quadriplegic woman sail solo across the English Channel? Can a woman in a wheelchair be a hockey player? In both cases, the answer is a resounding yes.

Jen Onsum and Hilary Lister are great examples of women with disabilities choosing to stay active in competitive and recreational sports. Historically, women generally have lagged behind men in the area of athletics. This disparity is even more pronounced between men and women with disabilities.

According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, disabled women are not getting as many opportunities as men are in all levels of sport. In 2002 the International Wheelchair Federation reported that only 12 percent of all wheelchair basketball players in the world were female. International Paralympic Committee statistics show that less than one-third of all athletes participating in the 2004 games in Athens were women. This was up from a mere 23 percent in the 1992 games in Barcelona. But it still illustrates the significant gap between disabled men and women athletes.

When Hilary Lister was a child she aspired to become a biochemist. She was an active child who participated in many sports in school in England. Lister’s plans changed when in her 20s she was diagnosed with a rare disorder called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. The muscle-wasting disease left her a quadriplegic, only able to move her head, eyes and mouth.

Lister was housebound for four long years. On her web site, she describes those years as her darkest days. When a friend convinced her to go sailing with him in 2003, Lister’s life was transformed. She instantly fell in love with the sport and felt a life-altering sense of freedom. She described sailing as being “the nearest thing to flying.”

Tired of always being a passenger, Lister was determined to devise a way to sail independently. A chance encounter with a famous sailor at a London boat show brought her dream of a solo sail closer to reality. She secured a sponsor to design a boat that she could operate herself. By puffing air into two straws, she was able to steer the boat and control the sail.

Lister then set her sights even higher. Her next goal was to sail solo across the English Channel. In August of 2005, with a support boat following a half mile behind, she accomplished this goal and became the first quadriplegic to cross the English Channel solo. In 2007, Lister pushed herself further, setting another record by becoming the first female quadriplegic to circumnavigate the Isle of Wight—a distance more than twice that of the English Channel.

This summer, 36-year-old Lister faces her biggest challenge to date. On June 16 she set out on what will be a three-month journey around Britain. If all goes according to plan she will be sailing every day, stopping to rest at various ports around the British Isles. About her amazing sailing accomplishments, Lister says, “It’s about showing that anyone can live an active life.”

St. Paul athlete Jen Onsum, 27, is also leading an active, sport-filled life. Onsum, who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy, has been playing Power-Hockey since the Minnesota PowerHockey League was formed in 1997. She describes PowerHockey as being very similar to ice hockey: “We have simply replaced the ice with a gym floor and the puck with a wiffle ball. Our skates are our wheels.” She adds that “the determination, competitiveness and intensity are just as strong [as in ice hockey].”

Onsum began playing adaptive sports in middle school, seeing it as a great opportunity to be an athlete like her able-bodied peers. With her limited upper body strength, she found her niche in defense and has been voted MN PowerHockey Defender of the Year four times. PowerHockey is a predominantly male sport; Onsum is one of fewer than 10 females playing in Minnesota.

When asked what she likes best about competitive sports, Onsum said that she loves the adrenaline and the rush of playing. “I love playing as rough and tough as the guys and showing them that girls can kick some butt, too,” she said. The Women’s Sports Foundation asserts that women and girls with disabilities need to be given the same encouragement as their male counterparts in the area of athletics. Involvement in sports has obvious health benefits but can also raise self-esteem and improve body image in girls.

In the case of Hilary Lister, the recreational sport of sailing gives her a sense of freedom and puts her on equal footing with other sailors. She says, “If I’m on the water, I’m as able as the person in the boat next to me.”

Jen Onsum sums up the benefits of competitive sports: “Playing sports teaches people to have greater self-confidence, to be more out-going and how to really be a ‘team’ player, all of which can benefit you in all aspects of life.”

To follow Hilary Lister’s journey around Britain, visit: www.hilarylister.com. For more info on MN Power Hockey: www.powerhockey.com/minnesota

Page 4, Article 2: Book Review

A Showcase of Ability, Athlete First
A History of the Paralympic Movement

written by Steve Bailey; reviewed by Chuck Campbell

A Showcase of Ability, Athlete First traces the development of the Paralympic Movement from the establishment of the first organized sports for people with disabilities through the 2004 Paralympics.
Bailey notes that early development of organized sports for people with disabilities was impeded by the misperception that these sports were about rehabilitation rather than world championship competition between elite athletes. The Paralympic Movement is helping to dispel that myth.

Though many people think the “para” in Paralympics refers to paraplegia, Bailey explains that it actually derives from Greek and Latin words meaning “next to” or “alongside” and “similar” or “the same” respectively. Use of the word “Olympic” began with German neurosurgeon Sir Ludwig Guttmann in 1949. At first that use was opposed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which saw the word as its copyright. There have been a variety of names over the years, but Paralympics has been the official name since 1988.

Sporting competitions for the disabled date back for almost a century, according to the book. The first international sports federation for people with disabilities was the International Committee of Silent Sports (CISS), established during the first World Games for the Deaf, held in Paris in 1924. Now known as the International Committee for Deaf Sports, it still uses the CISS acronym. Though a founding member of International Paralympic Committee (IPC), CISS withdrew from that group in 1995. It now operates the Summer and Winter Silent Games, also known as the Deaflympics, writes Bailey.

Bailey credits Guttmann for his leadership in establishing organized sports for people with disabilities. The Stoke Mandeville games opened the same day as the 1948 London Olympics. Guttmann, who established the Stoke Mandeville Spinal Injuries Unit in England in 1944, had utilized sports in the rehabilitation process. He saw the benefits of competition between people with similar injuries. He was also involved in the creation of the International Sports Organization for the Disabled, which provided competitive opportunities for people with disabilities other than spinal injuries.

For some time there were many separate organizations for people with different disabilities. This created problems as the various groups competed for assistance from the IOC. Bailey writes that the IOC was “instrumental in prompting confederacy among disability sports organizations.” Encouragement by the IOC led to the establishment of the International Coordinating Committee of World Sports Organizations for the Disabled (ICC) in 1982, with the goal of “speaking with one voice.” The ICC managed consolidation of individual organizations into what became the Paralympic Games.

Bailey presents an overview of the many groups that have served disabled athletes over the years. In 2004 the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation merged with the International Sports Organization for the Disabled. This latter group was founded in 1964 to offer sporting opportunities for amputees and other people with disabilities who were then ineligible for the Stoke Mandeville Games. The 2004 merger formed the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation.

Cerebral Palsy-International Sports and Recreation Association (CP-ISRA), created in 1978, also serves people who’ve had strokes and traumatic brain injuries. Bailey writes CP-ISRA is “very actively involved” with IPC.

International Association for Sport for Persons with Mental Handicap, International Special Olympics, Inc., and International Blind Sports Association, though not affiliated with IPC, also provide sports opportunities for people with disabilities.

Bailey cites the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) as, “the principal force for the Paralympic Movement, identifying as its vision: ‘To enable paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the world.’” In 2003, IPC introduced the new Paralympic motto: “Spirit in motion.”

Among the challenges IPC faces is classification of athletes to ensure meaningful competition. The idea is that athletes with similar disabilities should compete against each other. Classification has been an issue since Ludwig Guttmann organized sports for former spinal patients because it excludes people who don’t fit a category.

Discussing the nature of disability, Bailey writes, “individuals’ impairment becomes a disability when the organization of society prevents them from participating fully.” Continuing, “Effectively, society causes the disablement of those individuals who are impaired in some way. Inflexibility in organizational policies can be a barrier to enabling normal functioning of persons with a disability in society, as can cultural representations that patronize or dehumanize.” Bailey believes it is these barriers that should be disabled, and sports help to accomplish that. “The high profile Paralympic Movement has served to force communities to address questions of accessibility and inclusion for persons with a disability.” He also cites the role of sports in creating community, which I’ve seen myself watching the Minnesota North Stars quad rugby team. The player’s camaraderie afterward was obvious, and asking for interviews gave me an opportunity to meet some great guys. Google United States Quad Rugby Association, then follow the links to our home team’s site.

Athlete First, copyright 2008, is published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. of Chichester, West Sussex, England.

Page 5, Article 1:

Thoughts from my recent visit
Paralympics poised to open minds and doors in China

by Sherry Gray

When I lived in Shenyang 25 years ago, it was the early years of paramount leader Deng Xiaoping’s Open Door Policy, an ambitious plan to remake China to be modern and more open, including for citizens with disabilities. Deng was influenced by his son Pufang, a wheelchair user. In 1988, Deng Pufang established the China Disabled Persons Federation, www.cdpf.org.cn/home/home.htm, the organization which represents China’s 83 million people living with disabilities.

China is richer today, but the disability community has not modernized at the same pace. Twenty-five years ago few people had regular access to electricity. Today millions live in modern apartments furnished with advanced electronics and appliances. With the exception of such model individuals as Paralympics athletes or China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe performers, see the YouTube video: www.youtube.com/, Chinese with disabilities beg in public as they have for centuries, their stories of woe written in large characters on a piece of cardboard as they demonstrate their disability to passersby.

The coming of the Paralympics is changing China, as was evident on my visit in June. In preparation, Beijing has been making accessible accommodations, tourist attractions, and transportation facilities. A recent media blitz highlighted adaptations at the Forbidden City while the Beijing Para-lympic Games website highlights other improvements http://en.paralympic.beijing 2008.cn/index.shtml.

But behind this publicity lies the continuing challenges facing Chinese with disabilities. There are two key issues: accessible facilities and especially the cultural attitudes. In a June 19 article, The Economist Magazine “Limbering up for the games” described the measures being taken to increase security before and during the events in Bejing. The article states, “But other measures smack of overkill. Beggars and disabled people have been ordered, and in some cases forced, off the streets. Those from outside Beijing have been threatened with detention unless they go home until the games are over.” Read the complete article at: www.economist.com/.

China is still a developing country and most people live in rural villages and small cities. As television footage from the Sichuan earthquake showed, building construction standards need upgrading for all sectors of the country. Few streets have traffic controls, let alone signals or sidewalks designed to help persons with difficulty seeing, hearing, or walking. Elevators in most buildings are small and unreliable, when they are even available. For travelers, only the most expensive hotels will have the necessary facilities.

Nonetheless, intrepid travelers like Rosemary Ciotti of Arlington Virginia, who documented her 2004 trip in “Wheelchair Nomad: Beijing, China,” www.geocities.com/, are demanding changes in the tourism industry that hopefully will inspire modifications throughout China.

The Paralympics are expected to accelerate change. Jeff Burley, Adaptive Manager for Utah’s Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation and the Intermountain region manager of Professional Ski Instructors of America/Adaptive, wrote from his visits to Barcelona, Sydney, Athens and Beijing that accessibility improves dramatically in countries after they have hosted the Paralympics: “We have really enjoyed the trend of countries improving access following the Paralympic Games.” (“Travel and the Paralympic Movement,”www.disaboom.com/)

Chinese cultural attitudes toward disability can be complex. Many Chinese, especially successful urbanites, see disability as shameful. In contrast, though, people from impoverished rural areas see disability as a normal feature of human existence. When I show middle-class Chinese photos of my sister—she has cerebral palsy—they often pull a grave face and say to me, “A tragedy for your family,” then change the subject quickly. Their discomfort rests in traditional views of disability as an embarrassment: someone with cerebral palsy (and that person’s siblings) would find it difficult to marry, as few would be willing to marry into a family like mine. But when I meet workers from rural areas, their reaction is pragmatic and straight-forward and I often find myself answering questions about the practical, even intimate, details of my sister’s life, and hearing expressions of admiration for the high quality of her assistive technology devices.

Another issue is that in traditional culture independence and privacy are not valued highly. To be independent and private seems like a lonely way to live for many Chinese. Society is organized around the family, nicely illustrated for Americans through Amy Tan’s novel The Joy Luck Club. This emphasis on the close-knit, nurturing family has implications for the development of disability rights and means that the movement in China will not mirror the evolution of the movement elsewhere. For example, Rosemary Ciotti’s daughter (a student in China when she visited) was dismayed at being publicly rebuked for not pushing her mother’s wheelchair around Beijing. Her mother’s desire to be independent was not understood by Beijing people, who saw only an unfilial daughter forcing her mother to struggle.

The recent controversy over the Beijing Paralympics volunteers’ guide suggests that the Paralympics are challenging Chinese assumptions about people with disabilities. International groups reacted with outrage at wording that described persons with disabilities as “isolated, unsocial, and introspective…stubborn and controlling … defensive and having a strong sense of inferiority” (Ashling O’Connor, “Disabled Groups Outraged by Beijing Snub,” The Times, May 27, 2008, www.timesonline.co.uk/). Embarrassed at the gaffe, the Chinese Paralympic task force quickly revised the guide. Since then the newly-sensitized Beijing Organizing Committee, XXIX Olympiad Games (BOCOG) has increased publicity stressing China’s openness to the disability community.

In May when the country’s attention focused on earthquake rescues as the Olympic torch traversed China, Chinese Paralympic athletes became instant media stars. While Paralympians are not representative of the average person with a disability, it was a new idea for the Chinese public to connect images of persons seriously injured in the earthquake with the heroic images of athletes with disabilities being paraded by the BOCOG as an inspiration to the people of Sichuan.

The Paralympics will likely result in better facilities for international visitors as well as greater sensitivity to the needs of China’s own disability community. Isao Hokugo, president of Japan’s Para-lympic Committee and chairman of the Japan Sports Association for the Disabled whose experience with the Games dates to 1994 remarked to reporters on his recent visit to Beijing that, “According to our experience the Paralympic Games produced a huge boost for the welfare of people with disabilities in the host country….It is not just the Games itself that creates an impact, but the years after the Games.”

If so, we can expect more doors to open in China, fulfilling early visions of a modern society inclusive of all.

Cui Xiaohuo, “Learning a Lesson from Japan’s Paralympians,” China Daily, June 6, 2008, www.chinadaily.com.cn/

 

Page 5, Article 2: Bjerkesett honored
Years of helping are recognized by friends and peers

by Nancy Sopkowiak

During a long career as a champion for the disability community, Michael Bjerkesett has worked to improve the lives of others. Friends, family and colleagues surprised Bjerkesett at the Brooklyn Park Northland Inn June 19, in an event with plenty of roasting and toasting. Watching the video made about his life and accomplishments was a highlight of the evening for Bjerkesett and those who know him

Back in the 1960’s Bjerkesett made a name for himself in Minnesota sports history. He played football, baseball, and hockey at Fridley High School. His feats were often covered in the local news. Bjerkesett was named All Conference and All State as a defensive tackle for the Fridley Tigers football team.

During college Bjerkesett found himself in the newspaper yet again: A momentary dozing at the wheel by the driver of a car he was in brought permanent paralysis to Mike from his shoulders to his toes. The car went off the road June 8 and rolled over, causing back injuries that required a spinal fusion. Mike had just finished his second year at Bemidji State College… The elder Bjerkesett reports his son’s morale is high, partly due to a host of friends that visit with him and send him plenty of mail. His arms are not paralyzed so he is confident of being able to operate a wheelchair when his spine is healed.

After Bjerkesett finished his rehabilitation at North Memorial Hospital, he attended Southwest Minnesota State College. “There were a lot of disabled [at Southwest] who had been in chairs a lot longer than myself. They helped me a lot,” said Bjerkesett.

Bjerkesett graduated with a degree in Business Administration and Psychology. In his first full-time job, Bjerkesett counseled others in the rehabilitation program at North Memorial Medical Center. “All the babes in the place were hanging around him…He was a studly dude,” said a former hospital co-worker.

In 1973 Bjerkesett left North Memorial to form the United Handicapped Federation (UHF), a social action organization which linked together 19 disability groups in Minnesota. He served as the UHF’s first executive director. “Our first priority was to educate the public. We wanted people to know that the issues of the disabled were immediate and urgent… The issues included accessible transportation, building accessibility, employment, healthcare, and aging,” said a former UHF staff member.

UHF became a highly regarded organization under Bjerke-sett’s leadership. “I can’t praise enough the work of the United Handicapped Federation; because of their effort, opportunities have opened up to all the disabled. How nice to drive up to the entryway of a shopping center and see a sign in the closest parking area, Reserved for Handicapped,” said Doris Nelson from Minnesota in her book Through a Looking Glass.

Bjerkesett began a new endeavor in 1975, the National Handicap Housing Institute. He wanted to develop accessible affordable housing for low-income adults with physical disabilities. “He was able to find government funding to start his business and become successful while giving people with disabilities an opportunity for independent living,” said a colleague and former tenant. The non-profit organization has developed more than 2,000 accessible apartments.
In 2006 Bjerkesett was nominated for the National Spinal Cord Injury Association Hall of Fame Award as a corporate executive. “While I feel Bjerkesett hasn’t achieved the acclaim he deserves, few people have had more influence in directly changing the lives of so many (in the disability community),” said his nominator. Bjerkesett’s sister wasn’t able to attend his June 19 surprise party, so she wrote him a note: I’m happy to know you are being acknowledged. All of this energy directed towards you is well deserved… You are a quiet and humble man as you go about the work you do- competently, thoroughly, and beautifully …leaving behind quality homes for the handicapped and elderly.

Page 6, Article 1: Lost & found . . . a search for Keith Kennedy
Man with autism survives week in wilderness

by Silas Matthies

It is always frightening to have a loved one missing in the wilderness, especially when days go by and hundreds of searchers find nothing. What if the lost one doesn’t have the cognitive ability to find his way home, can not respond to his name, can not call out for help, and is without their life-saving medicine?

Such was the case at Trade Lake Camp, a camp for autistic adults near Grantsburg, Wis., from June 15 to June 22. Keith Kennedy, a 25-year-old camper from Shoreview, wandered off of the campgrounds. Kennedy’s autism limits his vocabulary to four words, and he must take anti-rejection medication due to a kidney transplant. Bruce Kennedy, his father, donated a kidney to his son in 1995.

For a week, hundreds of volunteers as well as firefighters from St. Paul and Maple Grove searched an estimated 40 square miles around Trade Lake Camp for Kennedy, with no success. One complication in the search was that he could be frightened by loud noises and run away from the searchers.

On the evening of the seventh day of the search, his mother Linda was beginning to feel “the reality” that her son may have died. The search was close to being called off.

Kennedy was found alive at about 7 p.m. on June 22 by two St. Paul firefighters. He was lying near a stream in an area that had been searched three times before. He was covered in dirt, bug bites and ticks, dehydrated and hypothermic, with a body temperature below 90 degrees. He could not stand or speak, but he was conscious and responsive. According to St. Paul firefighter Gary Ruiz, who first spotted him, at that time he could only respond to his name with a moan. But “to have him make that noise was one of the happiest days of my life,” Ruiz said.

Kennedy was transported via helicopter to the University of Minnesota Medical Center-Fairview. His parents only saw him briefly before he was airlifted away. He was initially reported to be in intensive care but was stable and doing amazingly well for having been lost in the wilderness for a week without his medication. His condition has continued to improve.

Why Kennedy wandered away from the camp, where he went, and how he survived will probably not be known due to his limited vocabulary. Linda Kennedy has said in media interviews, “From about age three he’s been a runner, and our house, really, truly, was like Fort Knox. We had so many systems set up to make sure that he was safe and not going to escape.” It is theorized that Kennedy sneaked into the cafeteria to eat some popcorn in the evening he disappeared, and then went into the woods out of fear of being caught. He was reported missing at about 8 p.m., and the search began.

His mother has resolved to help out the next time she hears of a missing person. She has also stated that she hopes the incident doesn’t turn people off to these kinds of camps that she says truly do help people with disabilities.

Bruce Kennedy is reportedly researching the idea of GPS chips that can be implanted under the skin to track a person that’s wandered away. However, that kind of use of a tracking device has long prompted debate in the disability community.

Page 6, Article 2: St. Paul releases report
Equal access for women, minorities and maybe even people with disabilities

by Carol Rydell

Improving equal access to St. Paul’s economic opportunities for women, minorities and people with disabilities is the intent of a plan announced June 5 by St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman. The plan is in response to an independent audit on inclusion completed in November 2007 after more than four years of pressure by community organizations to change city practices. Those changes would not have included individuals with disabilities without the participation of Kaposia, Inc., a national leader in employment services for persons with disabilities. While the city has fallen short on its participation goals for women and minorities in employment and contracting, most of those goals do not even exist for individuals with disabilities.

In 2003, the Equal Access Working Group was formed by the St. Paul City Council in response to heated testimony at a public hearing about the lack of access to economic opportunities. Kaposia was the only organization representing individuals with disabilities to participate in the public hearing and to work collaboratively with community organizations representing women and minorities throughout this process. For four years, beginning with Mayor Randy Kelly’s administration, the Equal Access Working Group pushed for an independent audit to determine whether the City of St. Paul’s employment and contracting opportunities were providing access for women, minorities and people with disabilities.

In November of 2007, four years after the city council hearing, the long-awaited audit report was completed by the Milwaukee-based Hall Legal Group. This report identified significant shortcomings by the city in accountability, coordination and communication between departments and in resources.

Surprisingly, the Hall Report identified the City of St. Paul as a leader in disability rights for even considering participation goals for individuals with disabilities. In short, St. Paul was a leader because it was doing something in an area in which most cities were doing nothing.

St. Paul’s demonstration of leadership was that it had adopted an employment goal of 10% for people with disabilities in 2006 for the affirmative action plans of contractors doing business with the city and also for the city’s own workforce after ongoing pressure from Kaposia. That goal is 2% higher than adopted by the City of Minneapolis.

After the release of the Hall Group Report, Kaposia challenged Coleman to demonstrate true leadership in disability rights by following through on recommendations made by Kaposia in 2003 and the Hall Report in 2007 by:

• Establishing employment goals for individuals with disabilities on city-funded construction projects to open up more opportunities like the Rondo Community Outreach Library and housing project in which three individuals with developmental disabilities earned union-level wages, a first in the region and possibly in the nation.

• Creating a category for business owners with disabilities in the city’s Vendor Outreach Project, a category which was eliminated by the city in 1995.

• And most importantly, achieving (or even exceeding) the 10% employment goal for individuals with disabilities in the city’s work-force and for contractors doing business with the City of St. Paul. The city reported 4.6% employment for persons with disabilities in March of 2008.

The city’s implementation plan does include the recommendation to create goals for individuals with disabilities. But the true measure of change will be when organizations like Kaposia no longer need to remind anyone that economic opportunities to correct injustices to women and minorities also need to correct injustices to people with disabilities and when every workplace in the Twin Cities reflects equal access for women, minorities and people with disabilities.

The report and a press release are available at www.ci.stpaul.mn.us/index.asp?NID=2566

Carol Rydell is the Service Development Coordinator for Kaposia, a St. Paul-based nonprofit corporation. Kaposia has been a national leader in providing opportunities for thousands of individuals with developmental disabilities and other challenges to access employment. To learn more about Kaposia, go to www.kaposia.com

Page 7 - 10: Directory of Organizations

Page 11, Article 1: News at a Glance

Courage Center named as Eleven Who
Care agency of distinction

KARE 11 TV recently announced Courage Center as its 2008 Eleven Who Care Agency of Distinction. In the 25-year history of the Eleven Who Care awards, Courage Center has had more winners than any other nonprofit agency. Eleven Who Care honors the contributions of grassroots volunteers and promotes the spirit of volunteerism in our community. Since 1983, the Eleven Who Care Program has recognized the outstanding efforts of 275 community volunteers. Since the awards began, 12 Courage Center volunteers have been honored with Eleven Who Care awards. The Agency of Distinction was created in 1990 to highlight a Twin Cities nonprofit organization. The Agency of Distinction, in addition to being honored, also receives the proceeds from that year’s dinner and live telecast. The 25th Year of Eleven Who Care will host a 90-minute telecast on Wednesday, Sept. 10. In addition to recognizing the efforts of 11 new volunteers, KARE TV will also look back at the previous 25 years and the impact volunteerism has had on this community. Courage Center encourages everyone in the community to tune in and help celebrate this terrific honor.

Source: Courage Center

Committee for People with Disabilities
looking for new members

The St Paul Mayor’s Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities is looking for interested people to serve as members. There is no deadline to apply. This committee serves as an advocate for people with disabilities. The committee works to make St. Paul a completely barrier-free community with equal opportunity for all citizens with disabilities by working to increase awareness of the needs in the disabled community.

It is an exciting time in St. Paul with the Republican National Convention coming to town in September and the Central Corridor light rail being developed. The disability community needs to be involved in these projects and many more. This committee plays a part in all St. Paul projects. The committee may have up to 18 members. At least 50% of the membership shall be people with disabilities. The meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month. If you are interested, please go to www.stpaul.gov and click on the “I want to” button at the top, then scroll down to “join a committee” and download an application. Or call 651-642-0520 and an application will be sent to you.

Source: www.stpaul.gov

AXIS seeks understanding of local Hmong
community’s health care directives

AXIS Healthcare is reaching out to the Twin Cities Hmong community by speaking with local elders about health care directives, which are instructions individuals give as a course of action if they become unable to make decisions for themselves. All agencies providing Medicare and/or Medicaid services must provide a written description of Minnesota state law regarding heath care directives to members. AXIS Healthcare wanted to find a way to address this subject in an appropriate manner and conducted a focus group at Peb Moob, a St. Paul Hmong senior day care center.

Aided by University of Minnesota nursing students and several interpreters, a group of 17 Hmong elders were asked their opinions regarding their “last breath” or “120th year” (terms many Hmong people use to describe their end of life). Questions included topics such as preferences between Western and traditional medicine and whom they would like to make health care decisions if they were unable. The responses were as unique as the individuals questioned, and suggested that this is a topic they thought needed to be discussed.

Most want to be surrounded by their families at home during their final moments; regarding whether they prefer Western or traditional medicine, nine prefer a combination of the two methods, with seven preferring Western medicine exclusively and one preferring to be treated with only traditional Hmong medicine. The eldest son or daughter was the most common answer when they were asked whom they would want to make decisions for them if they couldn’t speak for themselves. The Hmong elders made a point of saying we may get different answers from other Hmong people as everyone has his or her own unique beliefs. The general feeling was that this is something that needs to be talked about, even if it’s an unpleasant subject. One thing is clear: there’s no way to know someone’s wishes about health care directives, regardless of their cultural background, until the issue is discussed with them personally.

Source: AXIS Healthcare

Local rehab addresses intimacy for physically challenged couples

Carrie Shogren is a senior occupational therapist at Courage Center who works with people with an array of physical conditions. “Sexuality is an aspect of daily life that should be addressed as a part of a person’s rehab process after a traumatic injury or illness,” she said. In fact, one of the most-asked questions after a spinal cord injury deals with the issue of sexuality. “Every client with a spinal cord injury has questions about enhancing their sex life. Will I ever be able to have children or how can I make the sexual experience better for my partners are common questions asked during a person’s rehab process,” said Shogren. The IntimateRider by Minnesota-based HealthPostures is a product designed to enhance sexual mobility for couples working to overcome physical obstacles in their personal life. Now information about the IntimateRider is a part of the rehab process at the Courage Center. “People are most curious to know how it works,” said Shogren. “When they first sit in it they are amazed by the freedom of movement. For people with spinal cord injuries, mobility, sensation and function are the biggest concern in their sexual experience and the IntimateRider can help a couple return to a more normal life.” Ms. Shogren says the onset of a traumatic injury or illness greatly affects able-bodied partners too. “Their lives are changed because their loved ones do not have the same movement or function as they used to. It is important to provide options that will improve the experience for both partners.”

Source: www.courage.org

ADA Celebration

The 18th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act will be held on Friday, July 25 from 1–2 p.m. Exciting updates on the ADA Restoration Act will be given by Peter Berg, Project Coordinator of Technical Assistance & Employer Outreach DBTAC Great Lakes ADA Center, Chicago, Illinois. Entertainment will be provided by Jim Hanson on harmonica and Kip Shane on guitar. Light refreshments will be served.

The celebration will be held at the MN Department of Health, 1645 Energy Park Drive, Saint Paul, MN 55108. This event is free to the public, but reservations are requested. Please RSVP to MCIL at 651-646-8342 or bettyc@mcil-mn.org. If you require accommodations please make your request by July 18.

The sponsors for this event are: Access Press, ADA Minnesota, Arc Greater Twin Cities, the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota, Metropolitan Center for Independent Living, Minnesota Department of Finance and Employee Relations, Minnesota State Council on Disability, Pathways to Employment—DHS, DEED, MSCOD, United Cerebral Palsy of Minnesota and VSA arts of Minnesota.

PRISM facility seeks to aid criminal
offenders with mental illness

The PRISM (Providing Resources and Integrating Services to the Mentally Ill) Center opened in Hennepin County in early 2008. Offenders under Criminal Mental Health Court supervision are now reporting there are up to five days each week to receive and take proper medications. The usual barriers to obtaining medication, such as a lack of medical insurance or co-pays, have been removed. Social workers and probation officers also meet with offenders at the center, arranging for onsite access to needed social services such as housing, economic assistance and chemical dependency treatment.

“We see a lot of people whose crime is sleeping in a hallway,” said Judge Richard Hopper, who oversees the Criminal Mental Health Court. “This isn’t a crime that requires a police officer with a gun, an arrest and a weekend in the county jail. Most often, people who are sleeping in hallways are mentally ill…These offenders aren’t a danger to themselves or anyone else. We need to pursue mental illness from a medical and social service vantage point. In many cases, if we are able to treat their mental illness and ensure that they are taking their medications and receiving regular medical care, these individuals are far less likely to re-offend. There are plenty of services available. PRISM helps coordinate those services and uses a non-law-enforcement response that addresses the mental illness first. It’s cost-effective and humane, and it keeps our streets safer.”

Source: Hennepin County News

Page 12: Accessible Performances

The following performances will be Audio Described (AD) for people who are blind or have low vision, or interpreted in American Sign Language (ASL) for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Selected performances offer reduced admission prices for the patron and one companion. When calling a box office, confirm the service (ASL or AD), date, time, ticket price and anything else needed, e.g. length of performance, etc. If you attend a show, please share your feedback with the performing organization, interpreter, and VSA arts of Minnesota. Accessible performance information is compiled by VSA arts of Minnesota, Phone: 612-332-3888 or Web: www.vsaartsmn.org/ Also see Accessible Movie Theaters at bottom of page.

ADA Celebration - 18th Anniversary
July 25

Minnesota disability organizations celebrate the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act at the Minnesota Department of Health, 1645 Energy Park Drive, Saint Paul. Peter Berg will speak on the ADA Restoration Act; Jim Hanson and Kip Shane will perform music. ASL: Fri., July 25, 1:00-3:00 pm (Request by July 18), Tix: Free, RSVP with Metro Center for Independent Living, Phone: 651-646-8342, E-mail: bettyc@mcil-mn.org Web: www.adaminnesota.org

The Boy Friend

July 11 - 27

Lyric Arts Company of Anoka at Main Street Stage, 420 E. Main St., Anoka. ASL: Sat., July 12, 7:30 pm (IF a request is made at least one week in advance), Tix: $15, $13 student/senior, $17 box seats, Phone: 763-422-1838, Web: www.lyricarts.org

Cityscapes, Landscapes and Escapes: Fun in the Sun
July 13

Mpls. Institute of Arts, 2400 Third Ave. S., Mpls. ASL: Sun., July 13, 1:00 pm; Tour begins by the Information Desk in the museum lobby, Tix: Free, Phone: 612-870-3131, TTY: 612-870-3132, E-mail: dhegstrom@artsmia.org Web: www.artsmia.org

The Count of Monte Cristo

June 13 - Aug. 23

University of Minnesota Centennial Showboat Players at Harriet Island Regional Park - East Gate entrance to Showboat Landing, St. Paul. ASL and AD: Sat., August 2, 2:30 pm, Tix: $20; E-mail: showboat@umn.edu, Padelford Packet Boat Co. Phone: 651-227-1100, Web: www.riverrides.com or www.Showboat.umn.edu

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

July 11 - 27

Mounds View Community Theatre at Irondale High School, 2425 Long Lake Road, New Brighton. ASL: Sat., July 19, 2:00 pm upon request at least two weeks in advance, Tix: Reduced to $9 (reg. $16, $12 senior, student, $8 child), Phone: 651-638-2139, E-mail: goseemvct@aol.com Web: www.mvct.org

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

July 8 - 20

Children’s Theatre Co., 2400 - 3rd Ave. S., Mpls. AD and ASL: Sat., July 19, 2:00 pm, Tix: Mention VSA Offer for $13 tickets; regular discount is $20, Phone: 612-874-0400, Web: www.childrenstheatre.org

The Government Inspector

July 5 - August 24

Guthrie Theater, Wurtele Thrust Stage, 818 2nd St. S., Mpls.  AD: Sat., July 26, 1:00 pm; sensory tour at 10:30 am; Fri., August 1, 7:30 pm, ASL: Fri., August 8, 7:30 pm; Thurs., August 14, 7:30 pm, Captioning: Sat., August 16, 1:00 pm, Tix: Reduced to $18 (reg. $24-69); captioning users half-off, Phone: 612-377-2224, TTY: 612-377-6626, Web: www.guthrietheater.org/accessibility

Harvey

May 31 - Oct. 25

Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave. N., Lanesboro. ASL: Sun., June 29, 1:30 pm. Tix: Half price (reg. $25, student $12), Phone: 507-467-2525, 800-657-7025, E-mail: tickets@commonwealtheatre.org Web: www.commonwealtheatre.org

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

July 18 - Aug. 31

Jungle Theater, 2951 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls. AD: Thurs., August 7, 7:30 pm, Tix: Reduced to $10 (reg. $26-36), Phone: 612-822-7063, E-mail: boxoffice@jungletheater.com Web: www.jungletheater.com

Holes

July 10 - 20

Northfield Arts Guild Theater, 411 W Third St., Northfield. ASL: Sat., July 19, 7:30 pm, Tix: $12, $8 students, Phone: 507-645-8877, Web: www.northfieldartsguild.org

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

July 17 - Aug. 3

Trollwood Performing Arts School amphitheater, 200 Kandi Lane, Fargo, ND. AD: Fri., July 18, 8:15 pm, ASL: Fri., July 25, 8:15 pm – special seating required, Tix: Reduced to $10 (reg. $16.50-18.50), Phone: 701-241-6041, 701-241-4799, Web: www.trollwood.org or www.fargostuff.com

Les Miserables

Opened June 15, 2007

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, 501 W 78th Street, Chanhassen. AD and ASL: Sat., July 21, curtain 1:00 pm, lunch seating begins at 11:00 am. Specify the accommodation needed at time of ticket purchase to assure proper seating. Tix: Vision Loss Resources group $37 includes lunch: contact Stacy Shamblott, VLR, 612-871-2222; other tix (reg. $40-52) Phone: 952-934-1525 or 800-362-3515, E-mail: information@chanhassendt.com Web: www.ChanhassenTheatres.com

Little House on the Prairie

July 26 - Oct. 5

Guthrie Theater, 818 2nd St. S., Mpls. AD: Sat., Aug. 30, 1:00 pm; Sensory Tour 10:30 am; Fri., Sept. 12, 7:30 pm, ASL: Fri., Sept. 19, 7:30 pm; Thurs., Sept. 25, 7:30 pm, Captioning: Fri., Sept 26, 7:30 pm; Sat., Sept. 27, 1:00 pm, Tix: (reg. $29-75) Reduced to $20 for AD/ASL, $25 for captioning users, Phone: 612-377-2224, TTY: 612-377-6626, Web: www.guthrietheater.org/accessibility

The Magic of Myth

Aug. 3

Mpls. Institute of Arts, 2400 Third Ave. S., Mpls. ASL: Sun., Aug. 3, 1:00 pm Tour begins by the Information Desk in the museum lobby, Tix: Free, Phone: 612-870-3131, TTY: 612-870-3132, E-mail: dhegstrom@artsmia.org  Web: www.artsmia.org

The Merchant of Venice

June 27 - July 27

Great River Shakespeare Festival at Winona State University Performing Arts Center at Johnson and 10th (Howard) streets. ASL: Sun., July 20, 4:30 pm (1:00 pre-show conversation with William Cope Moyers available in ASL upon request), Tix: Reduced to $10 (reg. $20); Front Porch Conversation reduced to $5, Phone: 507-474-7900, Web: www.grsf.org 

Minnesota Fringe Festival

July 31 - Aug. 10

15th annual Minnesota Fringe Festival in Mpls. Schedule of selected AD, ASL, Captioned shows in July Access Press. Phone: 612-872-1212, E-mail: access@fringefestival.org Web: www.fringefestival.org or www.uptowntix.com

Minnesota Renaissance Festival

Aug. 16 - Sept. 28

Off Highway 169 at 145th St. 20 miles south of the Twin Cities, 3 miles south of Shakopee. Sign Language Saturday offers interpreters at most performances during the day, including 2:00 parade in front of the Bakery Stage. ASL: Sat., Sept. 6, 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, Tix: adult $19.95, senior (60+) $17.95; child (6-12) $10.95; advance tickets $16.95 adults, $8.50 kids, Phone: 800-966-8215, E-mail: info@renaissancefest.com Web: www.renaissancefest.com

Minnesota State Fair

Aug. 21 - Sept. 1

State Fairgrounds, 1265 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul Requests for ASL interpreters or Audio Describers for Grandstand Shows must be made two weeks in advance. ASL interpreters are also available to assist guests from 10 am to 8 pm daily, and will interpret a number of events daily, ASL: Jonny Lang and Buddy Guy with special guest Big Head Todd and The Monsters; Sun., Aug. 24, 7 pm, $35ASL: Toby Keith with special guests Carter's Chord, Trailer Choir and Mica Roberts; Mon., Sept. 1, 7:30 pm, $50; Other Grandstand shows available to request AD or ASL. Tix: Online, at State Fair box office, TicketMaster or by phone: General admission tix to the Fairgrounds: $11 (ages 13-64), $9 (65 and over), $8 (ages 5-12), free under 5. Pre-fair discount admission tickets available until Aug. 20 at Cub Foods, Phone: 651-288-4400 or 288-4448, TTY: 651-642-2372, Ticketmaster: 651-989-5151 (convenience charge), E-mail: tickets@mnstatefair.org or guestservices@mnstatefair.org Web: www.mnstatefair.org or www.ticketmaster.com

Murder Is Announced

July 11 - Aug. 10

Theatre in the Round, 245 Cedar Ave., Mpls. AD: Sun., July 27, 2:00 pm, Tix: $20, senior/student discount, Phone: 612-333-3010, Web: www.theatreintheround.org

Oklahoma!

July 24 - Aug. 9

Off Broadway Musical Theatre at New Hope Outdoor Theatre, 4401 Xylon Ave. N., New Hope. ASL: Fri., August 8, 9:00 pm (August 9 rain make-up), Tix: Free, Phone: 763-531-5151, TTY: 763-531-5109, E-mail: srader@ci.new-hope.mn.us Web: www.ci.new-hope.mn.us

Open Eye Figure Theatre Puppet Shows
July 11 - 25, 2008
Michael Sommers and Co. perform 35-minute shows followed by ice cream and music at 506 E. 24th St., Mpls. ASL: The Adventures of Katie Tomatie: Fri., July 11, 7:30 pm The Adventures of Juan Bobo: Fri., July 18. 7:30 pm Little Grandpa's Big City Adventure: Fri., July 25, 7:30 pm, Tix: free; donations accepted, Phone: 612-874-6338, E-mail: openeye@bitstream.net Web: www.openeyetheatre.org

Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood

July 11 - Aug. 3

SteppingStone Theatre for Youth Development, 55 Victoria St. N., St. Paul. AD: Fri., July 18, 7:00 pm, ASL: Sun., July 20, 2:00 pm, Tix: $11, student/senior $9, Phone: 651-225-9265, Web: www.steppingstonetheatre.org

Open Eye Figure Theatre Puppet Shows

July 11 - 25

Michael Sommers and Co. perform 35-minute shows followed by ice cream and music at 506 E. 24th St., Mpls. ASL: The Adventures of Katie Tomatie: Sat., July 12, 7:30 pm The Adventures of Juan Bobo: Fri., July 18. 7:30 pm Little Grandpa's Big City Adventure: Fri., July 25, 7:30 pm, Tix: free; donations accepted, Phone: 612-874-6338, E-mail: openeye@bitstream.net Web: www.openeyetheatre.org

The Secret Fall of Constance Wilde

May 31 - July 11

Guthrie Theater, McGuire Proscenium, 818 - 2nd St. S., Mpls. AD: Sat., June 21, 1:00 pm; sensory tour at 10:30 am; Fri., June 27, 7:30 pm, ASL: Thurs. and Fri., July 10-11, 7:30 pm, Captioning: Sun., June 22, 1:00 pm, Tix: Reduced to $18 for AD/ASL (reg. $24-69); captioning users half-off, Phone: 612-377-2224, TTY: 612-377-6626, Web: www.guthrietheater.org/

The Sound of Music

July 17- 20

Stillwater Community Theatre at Stillwater High School, 5701 Stillwater Blvd N. ASL: Sat., July 19, 2:00 pm, Tix: $10; senior, student, child $5, Phone: 651-351-8109, Web: http://ce.stillwater.k12.mn.us/Community_Theatre.html

Standards of Care

July 12 - 15

20% Theatre Company Twin Cities at Patrick's Cabaret, 3010 Minnehaha Ave., Mpls. ASL: Fri., June 13, 8:00 pm, Tix: Reduced to $12 for ASL patrons, student/senior (reg. $16), E-mail: info@tctwentypercent.org Web: www.tctwentypercent.org/

The Taming of the Shrew

June 27 - July 27

Great River Shakespeare Festival at Winona State University Performing Arts Center at Johnson and 10th (Howard) streets. ASL: Sun., July 13, 4:30 pm (pre-show conversation with Martin Moran at 1:00 available in ASL upon request), Tix: Reduced to $10; reg. $20; Front Porch Conversation reduced to $5, Phone: 507-474-7900, Web: www.grsf.org 

Thoroughly Modern Millie

July 18 - 27

Cross Community Players at Osseo Senior High School auditorium, 317 Second Ave. NW, Osseo. ASL: Fri., July 25, 7:30 pm, AD: Sat., July 26, 7:30 pm, Note: Those using the AD services will receive 2 complimentary tickets for July 26 if you call the messageline by Monday, July 14. Tix: Half-price (reg. $14, $12 student/senior, $8 child),Phone: 763-391-2787, E-mail: mail@crossplayers.org; non-perishable food items requested for the Food Shelf. Web: www.crossplayers.org

Triple Espresso

Ongoing

Music Box Theatre, 1407 Nicollet Ave, Mpls. AD:  Thurs., July 5, 7:30 pm; pre-show at 7:00 pm, Tix:  Reduced to $17 (reg. $32.50)  Phone: 612-874-9000, E-mail: tickets@tripleespresso.com Web: www.tripleespresso.com

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown!

June 27 - Aug. 3

Stages Theatre Co. at Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet. ASL: Sun., July 13, 2:00 pm; Wed., July 23, 10:00 am, AD: upon request, Tix: $15, $11 child (age 2-17) and senior (age 60+) plus $1.50 fee per ticket for phone and web orders, Phone: 952-979-1111, Web: www.stagestheatre.org

Accessible Movie Theaters

The movie complexes listed below offer MoPix-equipped captioning or description services. For show times, call the theatre; sign up to receive their email list; contact Minnesota Open Captioned Films, Web: www.mnocfilms.org/movies.html or Rear Window Captioned Film, Web: http://ncam.wgbh.org

Kerasotes Block E Stadium 15

600 Hennepin Ave., third floor, Mpls. 612-338-1466, bloc@kerasotes.com Accessible films in Auditoriums 2 and 12. (Note: DVS patrons: If your show is in Theatre 2, request headset with Letter C. If your show is in Theatre 12, request headset with Letter G.) Enter parking ramp on 7 th Street next to the Hard Rock Café. www.kerasotes.com/ (Scroll down the lower right-hand column every Friday morning to see what two films will have rear view captioning or DVS that week at Block E.)

AMC Eden Prairie Mall 18 Theatres

4000 Flying Cloud Drive at Eden Prairie Shopping Center, Hwy 212 and 494, 952-656-0010. Park in upper level lot between Sears and Kohl's. Accessible films in Auditorium 4.  

Science Museum of Minnesota Omnitheater

120 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul. Rear view captioning and DVS for most films in the Omnitheater or the 3D Cinema. Showtimes vary but are approximately hourly during regular museum hours: Monday-Wednesday 9:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m., Thursday-Sat. 9:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., Sun. 12:00 noon - 5:00 p.m. TTY 651-221-4585; E-mail: info@smm.org Web: www.smm.org or www.smm.org/info/accessibility.php.  

Lakes 10 Theatre

4351 Stebner Rd., Hermantown. 12 Handicapped Parking spaces near theater. Movie Line: 218-729-0335; Emergency Line: 218-729-0334; Fax: 218-729-0334; E-mail: Sfennessey@cectheatres.com    

Page 13, Article 1: Upcoming Events

Bright Gardens for Fraser tour

July 19

The 3rd annual Bright Gardens for Fraser Tour will feature eight breathtaking Twin Cities gardens and benefits children/adults with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other disabilities. The tour is an opportunity to learn from Hennepin County master gardeners who will be on hand at each garden. Informal gardening classes will also be offered at select locations. The tour will feature the work of local artists at some of the gardens. Details: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tickets are $20.

FFI: www.fraser.org/calendar, or Rose at 612-789-8343 or roser@fraser.org

Bike MS: Star Tribune TRAM

July 20

The Ride Across Minnesota (TRAM) is the ultimate Minnesota road trip: small town hospitality, Midwest cooking and the five best days of cycling the Iron Range and North Shore have to offer. Enjoy more than 250 miles from Grand Rapids to Chisholm, Biwabik, and Two Harbors, with a finish in Duluth.

FFI: 612-335-7900 or 800-582-5296

Camp Courage Open golf event

July 21

The 13th annual Camp Courage Open will be held at the St. Cloud Country Club. Golfers will help raise money for a great cause—Courage Center’s Camp Courage. Reg/lunch begin at 11 a.m., with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Cost is $150 each or $600 for a foursome. All proceeds from the tournament benefit Courage Center’s camping programs. Registration deadline is July 11. The round of golf is followed by a delicious dinner and short program.

FFI: Jacob Johnson at 763-520-0365 or jacob.johnson@CourageCenter.org

UCP-MN Golf Tournament

July 21

This is a golf tournament with hole-in-one opportunities and a silent auction. Sponsorships are available, and individual golfers are also encouraged to participate. Details: 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Oak Marsh Golf Course, 526 Inwood Ave N, Oakdale.

FFI: Jo Ann Erbes at 651-646-7588 or ucpmn@cpinternet.com

Celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act

July 25

Save the date and honor the legislation that provides us with access to pretty much every place we go. Celebrate the 18th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Details: St Paul, Midway Area.

FFI: ADA Minnesota at 651-603-2015(v) or 651-603-2001(tty)

Wheelchair Games for U.S. veterans

July 25 - 29

More than 500 disabled American veterans from around the country will converge on Omaha, Nebraska to test their agility, athleticism and strength of spirit in the 28th National Veterans Wheelchair Games, the largest annual wheelchair sports event in the world. Veterans from the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq will again join veterans from the previous conflicts in 17 competitive events. Presented by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Paralyzed Veterans of America, the games are open to all U.S. military veterans who use wheelchairs for sports competition.

FFI: www.wheelchairgames.va.gov

25th Annual National Night Out

August 5

The 25th Annual National Night Out will take place on Tuesday, August 5th in more than 140 communities in Minnesota and on more than 1100 blocks in Minneapolis alone. National Night Out brings neighbors together as nothing else does and simply sharing a potluck, some conversation and a few games builds community and safety, block by block. There’s still plenty of time to “Join the Celebration,” as July 22 is the deadline for applying to close your street for free on NNO.

FFI: 612-673-3000 or www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/nno

North American PowerHockey Cup 2008

August 8 - 12

Minnesota’s most exciting sports event of the summer is the North American Power-Hockey Cup 2008. The best power wheelchair hockey athletes from North America will compete for the coveted PowerHockey Cup. Power-Hockey adapts from ice hockey. Many of the rules are the same. They have simply replaced the ice with a gym floor and the puck with a whiffle ball. Their skates are their wheels. The determination, competitiveness and intensity are just as strong. Will the Minnesota Stars reclaim the Cup?

FFI: www.powerhockey.com

Symposium for Children’s Mental Health
and Learning Disabilities

August 13

The third annual symposium from the Ted and Roberta Mann Foundation, cosponsored by PACER Center, will feature breakout sessions as well as a number of keynote speakers. Speakers include Adolph “Doc” Brown, a professor who’s been in education for over 35 years, Jona-than Mooney, an activist and writer with dyslexia who didn’t learn to read until age 12, and Richard Pimentel, a leading expert on attitude change, overcoming barriers, and ADA issues. Details: Registration closed.

FFI: PACER Center at 952-838-9000.

Page 13, Article 2: From the front row, Theater Review

On the Virginity of Astronauts

by Raymond Luczak

Every year at the Minnesota Fringe Festival, there are always a number of shows with intriguing titles and premises. This one, The Virginity of Astronauts, attracted my attention, because some of its performers have disabilities. Naturally, I had to ask the show’s director and writer Daniel P. Reiva some questions.

Access Press: How did you get involved with the disability community, at least enough to hire four disabled performers in your show?

Daniel P. Reiva: All the performers in my show are volunteers. I have been working with performers who have disabilities since college. When I cast plays, I cast a wide net for auditions and I seek the best performer for a part. Over the years, I happen to have had many actors who have disabilities, but they have been selected because of their talent. Also, I have been fortunate to be able to do workshops with Anodyne Arts and often conduct my rehearsals at their location. I have also been involved with Artists With Disabilities Association (AWDA) for the past two years, which involves an incredible opportunity to network and work with other artists. AWDA has been also kind enough to provide me with a small grant to help finance the production.

AP: The Virginity of Astronauts is an odd title. Can you tell me what it’s about? What prompted you to write it?

Reiva: The title is from a book about NASA policies on astronaut sexuality. I applied this title to the play Ion by Euripedes, a 21st Century update on the story. The Greek name “Ion” is the same word we use for sub-atomic particles (ion). But in Greek mythology, Ion was the result of Apollo’s rape of Ion’s mother. Other ancient myths are wrapped around this story. In addition to poetry, drama and comedy, original music has been developed by various artists for the show.

AP: What do you hope that audiences seeing the show would get out of it?

Reiva: First, I hope that audiences enjoy the show and the many different talents that are showcased in it. Second, I hope audiences will see the cast as a reflection of the community as they translate this ancient story to a modern audience. As with ancient Greek drama, the play is a theater of humankind, invoking ancient rituals and imaging futuristic fantasies to express deeply held beliefs about what aspects of identity and consciousness can survive in the universe. More information about the show can be found at the Minnesota Fringe Festival’s website (fringe festival.org).

AP: Any last words on disability, theater