Disability Awareness Night with the Chiefs a Big Hit
On Thursday, July 17, 2008 The Peoria Chiefs partnered with Easter Seals Peoria, CWTC, PARC, and Peoria Production Shop to create greater community awareness of the needs and abilities of individuals with disabilities. EP Global Communications, publisher of Exceptional Parent Magazine, and Mass Mutual Central Illinois Agency and its Special Care Planning Division hosted the Disability Awareness Night at O'Brien Field.
Participants of disability focused programs across Central Illinois attended the game. Despite the Peoria Chiefs loss to the Lansing Lugnut, the event was a winner and a fun time was had by all who attended.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H. W. Bush. ADA covers a broad spectrum of civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination based on disability.
These partner agencies had information booths set up at the game for attendees to learn more about the services they provide, people they serve, and how the community can get involved. Mass Mutual donated 250 tickets to the familes of children with disabilities in Central Illinois through Easter Seals Peoria. The Chiefs made special discounted tickets available through the partnering agencies to their staff, volunteers, and friends.
CWTC, PARC, and Peoria Production Shop shared a booth at the event. The agencies worked togehter to create a fabulous Take Me Out to the Ballgame Basket. Attendees who stoped at the partnering agenices booth registerd to win the basket filled with baseball themed items which included a Chiefs Hat, t-shirt and autographed baseball donated by the Peoria Chiefs. The lucky winner of the Take Me Out to the Ballgame Basket was Blaine Rench. The basket was presented to Blaine by Tom Sander of Peoria Production Shop.
EP Global Communication presented the Exceptional Parent Maxwell J. Schleifer Distinguished Service Award to Margaret Swanson, Dean of the Health Careers Department and the Peoria Downtown Campus for ICC, at 6:40 p.m., just prior to the start of the game. Named after the late founder and editor-in-chief of Exceptional Parent magazine, the award recognizes the honoree's advocacy on behalf of individuals with disabilities.
O'Brien Field is fully compliant with all ADA requirements. The stadium is fully accessible to all individuals with disabilities.
For more information on this event or participating with PARC, contact Sibylle LaHood at (309) 689-3608.
