News Releases
ADA - Can't Live Without It!
A Celebration of the American's with Disabilities Act
by those who appreciate it the most.
On Saturday, August 2, PACE, Inc. will hold a celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at the Holiday Inn in Urbana. Luncheon is served at noon and the program will begin at 1:00 p.m. with awards presentations and people with disabilities discussing how the ADA has affected their lives. Speakers will be Paula Vanier and Richard Wellbank who both are people who have Cerebral Palsy with speech involvement and use wheelchairs and Shelly Couch who is deaf. Anyone who wishes to attend should call PACE at 217 344-5433.
In conjunction with the ADA Celebration, PACE will hold a Silent Auction from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Proceeds will be used for PACE's programs to promote independent living for people with disabilities.
Just 18 years ago, on July 26, 1990, the need for accessibility was recognized in the United States by enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Advocates with disabilities had been working for years to get a world of non disabled people to understand their needs. The signing of the Act was monumental.
We have changes to celebrate from basic 911 emergency system use by the deaf to ability to order pizzas by TTY or relay. We have people with vision loss who are able to access the same information on the internet as those who read the printed word and people who use wheelchairs who can get into their post office now or have landlords to clear a wider path in the snow than one for those who walk. Interpreters, curb cuts with textures for the blind, support dog acceptance, verbal testing for people who have learning disabilities, the list goes on and on.
"When PACE first started 22 years ago, we were making calls and knocking on doors to give people the wisdom of accessibility," says the PACE Executive Director Nancy McClellan-Hickey. Since the ADA's passage, people are coming to us. That is the door the ADA opened. The Legislation made the point and people started to talk and think and started to seek accessibility for their organizations and businesses, and communities. We are not done, but a lot more of us are mindful of Access and know it goes hand in hand with Independence."
Forms to advertise organizations/businesses in the program are on the events page of this website.
We are also taking personal ads about what the ADA means to you.
WHEEL A THON 2008!
Want something fun to do? Join PACE Center for Independent Living and Parkland College's Club Access in Wheel A Thon 2008! April 19th members of the community are coming together at Parkland to raise money for Scholarships and Independent Living Services for People with Disabilities.
Knowing about using a wheelchair daily is something only wheelchair users fully understand, but the community can catch a glimpse of how important access is and some of what a wheeler runs into. Come expand your mind, work those arm muscles and support two great causes. There will be wheelchairs for those who don't bring their own. Prefer to push or walk? That works too. Just register, line up your sponsors and collect your donations. Then it is off to the laps! Registration begins at 9:30 am the picnic is at noon.
An accessible event everyone can take part in, getting fresh air, making new friends and having a delicious picnic. Sign language interpreters will be provided. Signs will be posted at Parkland, for more information call PACE 344-5433 voice or 344-5024 TTY.
October 16 is PACE night at Monicals
monical's pizza PACE donation form for dining Oct 16 2007PACE Inc. Monicals Night is October 16, 2007
PACE supporters can eat pizza to support independent living!
20% of your monicals meal check will be donated to PACE. Just print out this form and take it with you that night and turn it in with your meal check. Or you can drop by 1317 E. Florida and pick the monical's pizza form up at PACE.
Participating monical's pizza are located in Champaign ( Mattis and Kirby Ave), Urbana ( Washington Ave. ) Danville (Bowman and Vermilion St), Gibson City (First St.), Mahomet (Lombard) Monticello (Bridge St.), Rantoul ( Champaign St.), Tilton (Georgetown Rd. ), and Tuscola (Route 36).
See you there!
PACE and Carle Low Vision collaborate successfully and the low vision fair is well attended!
East Central Illinois Low Vision Fair
Co-sponsored by PACE, Inc. Center for Independent Living and
Carle Low Vision Center, both of Urbana
Friday, June 15
Lincoln Square Village, Urbana
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
20 - 25 Exhibits featuring the latest research findings in eye disease; newest technology in adaptive devices in low vision and aids for the Blind. Representatives from several local Senior Service agencies; Mark Shelden, http://www.champaigncountyclerk.com/about_mark.html
Champaign County Clerk, demonstrating the AutoMark Voting Machine for persons with disabilities.
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Speakers
Welcome - Georgianna Frye, PACE, Inc. Visual Impairment Services Coordinator
Dr. Jewel Lewis, Carle Low Vision Specialist, Carle Low Vision Center
Judy West, Rehabilitation Instructor, State of Illinois Bureau of Blind Services
Dr. Paul Anthony, Vision Solutions, Springfield, IL
Sharon McBride, Certified Orientation and Mobility Instructor, State of Illinois Department of rehabilitative Services, Springfield
Possible Special Appearance by Judy Fraser, WCIA Television Personality
Possible LIVE Radio Feed – both not confirmed
Contact: Georgianna Frye, PACE, Inc. Visual Impairment Services Coordinator
217-344-5433 Voice
217-344-5024 TTY
217-344-2414 FAX
E-mail: georgianna@pacecil.org
Website: www.pacecil.org
SAVE THE DATE!
PACE, Inc. cordially invites you to--
MASQUERADE 100: Celebrating Community Reintegration
Date: Sunday, October 15, 2006
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Location: Urbana Civic Center, 108 East Water Street, Urbana
We'd love to see you there!
Twenty Years of Advocacy- PACE Annual Banquet and Silent Auction
Saturday, August 5th we will be having a great time at the Holiday Inn on Kilarney in Urbana. We will be celebrating everyone's advocacy efforts PACE has been part of or observed over the past 20 years. Submit your advocacy story for our booklet that will be handed out at the banquet. How have you educated others or changed a system for better access? Send your stories to Nancy McClellan-Hickey at nmch@pacecil.org before July 12.
Our banquet will be a tribute to those now and those who came before us, those who advocate for themselves and others. It is a tribute to those who call for change in existing systems and the creation of new more accessible systems. We will honor those who advocate in the spotlight as stars and role models and those who move quietly, behind the scenes and plug away piece by piece at the barriers before them. Some will write a letter, some will seek to educate, some will ask or demand what they need, yet others will chain themselves to a bus. We all work for what is fair and right, often in a world that doesn't seem to "get it." We are not alone, there is power in our numbers, together we move the world.
Please RSVP by calling Sara at PACE. Join us for the Silent Auction beginning at 11:00 am in the Atrium and sliced roast sirloin and herb chicken
dinner is served at noon. Our speaker will be Peter Berg of Great Lakes ADA and Accessible IT Center. Special diets are accomodated upon request. Dinners are $16.00 per person. We encourage supporters to donate a dinner so it is available to people who have disabilities who have financial need. Call Sara or Nancy at 344-5433 to see about receiving a donated dinner.
Survivor's Christy Smith Visits PACE Volunteers!
Christy Smith from the television show "Survivor Amazon" surprised PACE supporters with a visit to our Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon on Friday April 28th, 2006. She shared some of her Survivor experiences with staff and volunteers in a sit down chat. As some of you may remember Christy was the deaf Survivor on the series. She states on CBS's Website that she joined the cast of Survivor to raise deaf awareness and of course to try to win the million dollars. She was the 11th tribe member voted off and served as part of the jury. PACE staff and volunteers really enjoyed the visit with Christy. If you would like to learn more about her Survivor adventures you can visit the CBS site below. Christy also has her own website with deaf awareness and advocacy listed below.
or
Christy Smith's websitePeter Berg,ADA Technical Assistance Specialist, will Speak at PACE August 5 Banquet and Silent Auction
Peter Berg of the Greak Lakes ADA and Accessible IT Center in Chicago will help PACE celebrate 20 years of Advocacy Saturday August 5, 2006. He will speak on the ADA and answer questions from the audience. The event is held at the Urbana Holiday Inn on Kilarney. The auction starts at 11 am and dinner will be served at 12 pm. Invitations will be mailed out to PACE members and anyone is welcome to join us for this historical celebration. For Reservations please call 344-5433. Dinners will be $16.00 a plate. (Some complimentary dinners are available to members with a financial need.)
Accessible voting in Champaign County
Mark Shelden, Champaign County Clerk, demonstrated AutoMARK voting equpment to people at PACE, Inc. March 1st. The machine will allow people who are blind or have low vision to cast a private vote for the first time in this county. The user listens through earphones to an clear electronic voice that reads off the choices. Other counties and states are setting up their new voting equipment and better access as well. It was also noted people who have difficulty writing are often able to use this machine because it actually marks the ballot for the voter who pushes buttons to cast their vote.
SHARE A MEAL FOR PACE AND COMMUNITY SHARES WAS FUN AND SUCCESSFUL!
In January, PACE, Inc. Center for Independent Living joined Community Shares of Illinois, a statewide federation of not for profit organizations that enables people to use payroll deductions to make monthly donations to their favorite charities. A variety of local groups working on issues like health care, housing, homelessness and human rights are members of Community Shares.
On Tuesday, March 14, Community Shares held its third annual Share-A-Meal event in cooperation with several Urbana restaurants. By eating dinner at Milo's Silvercreek, Camelot or lunch or dinner at Kennedy's, supporters arranged 30% of the total amount of the meal to be donated by the restaurant to Community Shares. PACE supporters could designate a portion of that money to be donated directly to PACE.
Share-A-Meal was a great opportunity for family and friends to get together, enjoy a good meal and support PACE or other worthy organizations. Please watch for other Share a Meal events and make a reservation at one of the fine restaurants that have graciously offered to help non-profit fundraising.
For more information about donating to PACE through your workplace giving campaign, or for more information about Share-A-Meal, visit www.cs-il.org .
A member of INCIL
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