Anniversary Edition
Photo of President George Bush signing into law the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Access Quarterly Florida elections- Your Voice Counts! Recap: Celebrating Independence LIVE! ADA 30th Anniversary 2020 Hurricane Season: Are you Ready? Cathy’s Story
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In this Issue 01Time to Vote! Mail in voting option
02 Celebrating 03 LIVE!
The Annual Gala went VIRTUAL!
04 ADA 30th 05 Anniversary
How one Law changed and still changes the lives of people with disabilities today
06 Are you
Hurricane Ready?
Tips and information to get you prepared
07 Cathy’s Story Meet Cathy Garrett
All Voices Count.
written by Chance Morrow
Primary Election
Are You Registered to Vote in Florida?
Election Day August 18, 2020 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
didn’t already know, this year is an election year- this means that it’s time for you to get out and vote!
Eligible individuals can register to vote at any time. The Florida deadline to register in order to participate in an upcoming election is 29 days before the election. The registration deadlines for 2020 are: • Presidential Preference Primary Election: February 18 • Primary Election: July 20 • General Election: October 5
What if I Can’t Get to Physical Voting Location to Vote? Those who have difficiulties getting to physical polling sites have another option to cast their ballots: Vote by mail. The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot in Florida for the August 18th Primary Election is 5 p.m. Saturday, August 8th.
How to Request a Vote-By-Mail Ballot in Orange County Request your vote-by-mail ballot online or by phone at 407-836-8683 or by fax, mail or email: Fax: 407-254-6598 Mail: P.O. Box 562001, Orlando, FL 32856-200 * For your vote to count, your signed vote-by-mail ballot must be received no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day – postmarks do not count. For more information on Vote-By-Mail ballots in Florida, click here.
Deadline to Register July 20, 2020 Early Voting August 3 - August 16, 2020 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. General Election Election Day November 3, 2020 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Deadline to Register Octrober 5, 2020
Important Dates
It’s time for all voices to be heard during this election season. If you
Early Voting October 19 - November 1, 2020 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
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!
Celebrating Independence
In a Whole
New Way
Orange County Supervisor of Elections, Bill Cowles, and his wife Cheryl. Bill was the recipient of the 2020 Beverly Chapman Award.
2020 has proven to be a challenging year on many
fronts, and just about everyone and everything has been affected in some way. CIL knows how important it is to break down barriers, and how important the Annual Celebrating Independence Gala is to their mission. For that reason, it was decided that the annual in-person event would be turned virtual and streamable on Facebook and YouTube on June 12, 2020, and presented by Orlando Health Regional Medical Center. The virtual event was emceed by high-energy Ted Bogert, who also hosts a popular Facebook Live show called The Ted Show.
With a lush silent auction, and a key raffle to win four Disney Park Hopper passes and two night hotel stay, the live event was one not to miss out on! During the onehour live segment over 250 people tuned in to view a celebration of CIL’s work. Cathy Garrett, CIL Consumer, shared her story of how her entire life changed in just a moment while giving birth to her daughter, and how CIL stepped in to give her the support that she needed during her road to recovery. Meet Cathy and read more about her story on page 3. It was also a celebration and highlight of the incredible partnerships that CIL has developed to expand the reach of their work and spread of their mission. Presenting sponsor and dedicated partner to CIL, Orlando Health, shared a special message with all who tuned in to the live show.
Special guest, Darryl “The Miracle Man” Perry, sits with Celebrate LIVE! Host, Ted Bogert
Holly Muller, Chief Nursing Officer at Orlando Health Regional Medical Center, illustrates and explains their dynamic partnership with CIL and shares a personal connection to the CIL organization.
Jody Seltzer, with Celebration Title Group, joins in the celebration during the livestream event in a pre-recorded message.
Special Guest, Darryl “The Miracle Man” Perry, former University of Florida Football player, shared his unique story of how his life has changed after dying and coming back to life with a permanent disability. The virtual event also celebrated two award winners, the recipeints of The Beverly Chapman Award, and The Champion Award.
The Beverly Chapman Award This award was created in honor of one of CIL’s founders, Beverly Chapman, this year’s award was presented to Bill Cowles, Orange County supervisor of elections. Not only is Cowles a friend of the blind and visually impaired community, but he has gone above and beyond to provide accessibility to all people, most notably through the voting process. Mrs. Beverly Chapman was a powerhouse advocate for people with disabilities at a time when the Americans with Disabilities did not exist. She fought tirelessly for disability rights and inclusion throughout her life. She held a weekly column in the Orlando Sentinel, worked to create an accessible tollway (E-Pass as we know it today), and nationally, helped in the passing of the ADA 25 years ago.
The Champion Award The Champion Award is presented to an organization that works to better the lives of those with disabilities. Chair the Love, a nonprofit that both empowers and provides accessibility for individuals in need of mobility assistance, was the recipient of this year’s award.
Jerry Diaz, a local Florida artist and welder, created the two custom awards. The Beverly Chapman award, a natural heart shaped metal sculpture, and The Champion Award, a torch representing a trailblazing organization.
Not only does Chair the Love’s partnership with CIL provide access to wheelchairs for Central Floridians in need, but the organization’s efforts also include distributing hundreds of wheelchairs to third world countries. Chair the Love has also sponsored and volunteered two ramp build projects for CIL clients. Through its donations and services, this organization has provided tremendous opportunities of mobility for disabled individuals around the world. The night ended with a POP of confetti as CIL’s Development Director, Brittany Pilcher, announced that not only had the event’s monetary goal been reached, but it had been exceeded! To view a recording of the live event, visit CIL’s YouTube page! A very special thanks to Presenting Sponsor, Orlando Health, and all other sponsors that made the night a success for CIL and a success for independence. Also be sure to check out The Ted Show on Facebook @WelcomeToTheTedShow.
A special thanks to the evening’s dedicated interpreter, Jeff, with Interpretek interpreting services.
Presenting Sponsor
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Just 30 years ago, The Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush at the White House in front of an overwhelming crowd of diversity. Little did the President know at the time that this signing would change the lives of countless individuals with disabilities across the country; opening doors for people with disabilities in all aspects of community life, including employment. The Civil rights law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The ADA also gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion.
“
Photo of President George Bush signing into law the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 on the South Lawn of the White House. L to R, sitting: Evan Kemp, Chairman, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Justin Dart, Chairman, President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. L to R, standing: Rev. Harold Wilke and Swift Parrino, Chairperson, National Council on Disability, 07/26/1990.
This Act is powerful in its simplicity. It will ensure that people with disabilities are given the basic guarantees for which they have worked so long and so hard. Independence, freedom of choice, control of their own lives, the opportunity to blend fully and equally into the rich mosaic of the American mainstream. President George H.W. Bush ADA Signing Ceremony - July 26,1990
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1. People using wheelchairs who wanted to ride a bus or train would need to abandon their wheelchairs. 2. A restaurant could refuse to serve a person with disabilities. 3. A grocery store could prevent a disabled person from buying the goods there.
DID YOU KNOW?
7 facts of life before the passing of the ada
4. If a person in a wheelchair could actually physically enter a library, he or she might not be able to check out library books, because of the wheelchair. 5. Any place of employment could refuse to hire a person just because of his/her disability.
6. A person with disabilities could legally be paid less just because of his/her disability, even if he or she was doing the same work as another person. 7. Because the restrooms on trains were not accessible, people often had to wear precautionary diapers when they traveled.
Mark Your Calendars!
Join CIL during the month of July, as we celebrate the impact of the ADA on our community and all of the amazing people that live in it. Since it’s passing almost 30 years ago, the ADA has affected countless people from all walks of life. While we celebrate differences and daily triumphs and victories of our consumers and friends in the disability community, we want to share some personal stories during this month leading up to the historical event. Share Your ADA Story! We’d love to share your story on how the ADA has impacted your life- be it big or small. Send an email to cmorrow@cilorlando.org. Photos are also welcome to be included.
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Are you
HURRICANE
READy? Fast Facts Each year, approximately 10 tropical storms form over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. Out of these, six become hurricanes. Florida is the most prone state to hurricanes, experiencing at least 40% of all that occur throughout the country. Not surprisingly, Florida is also the state with the most expensive homeowners’ insurance and year after year, millions of dollars are spent on hurricane preparedness. The Orlando area has been struck by 12 hurricanes, including one major system in Category 3 Hurricane Donna in 1960. The broader region, extending from Tampa Bay to Daytona Beach, has been hit 33 times, including five major hurricanes.
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CIL Orlando serves 7 counties in Central Florida, which means
there’s thousands of individuals in our community who might not be ready in case of an emergency. This hurricane season, CIL wants to provide the most valuable resources for the protection of you and your family.
Have a Plan that includes
• Tracking the storm • Getting emergency supplies • Evacuation planning • Accessing resources to help prepare, respond, and recover Tell people your plan: Discussing your plan with family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, caregivers, etc. Let people know where you are (whether you stay at home or evacuate).
National Weather Service Hurricane Preparedness Hub For more information about how you can prepare for this year’s hurricane season, visit www.cilorlando.org/hurricane
Meet Cathy, On September 19th, 2019 Cathy Garrett received an epidural in preparation for the arrival of her second daughter, Chloe Anne, but after taking a nap, she woke up with her heart racing. By the time her husband got her nurse, Cathy was slumped over, experiencing the beginning stages of a rare amniotic fluid embolism (AFE), ultimately leaving her in a coma for 9 days. Doctors were unsure if Cathy would have the strength to recover. Cathy recalled, “The doctors told me I had a 1% chance of survival… on day 2 or 3 my husband said he felt like I was giving up. He said he felt like there was just kind of a look in my eyes that I was just exhausted and just wanted to die essentially.” It was at this point that Cathy’s husband,Eli, brought her newborn daughter,Chloe Anne, to see her. Although she didn’t get to hold or see her, it seemed like Cathy could sense that her daughter was in the room with her, giving her the much-needed motivation and strength to recover, as Cathy likes to say, “her love saved me.” Doctors thought Cathy would be in the hospital for 6 to 8 months, but her determination led to a speedy recovery, which allowed her to leave the hospital after only a month. She still faces certain daily challenges on her road to recovery, as being both a stay-at-home mom and stroke survivor is incredibly physically and mentally tiring. CIL has provided Cathy with a walker to help her regain her independence, and it has proven to be a tremendous help in many ways. Cathy says, “There’s been several days that I’ve gotten dizzy. So, the walker makes me feel more safe. It’s allowed me to start cooking, because it’s hard for me to stand in one spot for a long time. If I’m changing Chloe Anne’s diaper I’ll sit down. It just allows me to do more.” Cathy has been so grateful for CIL’s support during her road to recovery. She says, “I’m really thankful for CIL in giving me the walker. It’s been such a huge help in making me feel safe in my own home… My experience in general has been wonderful. Everyone has been so nice to me and welcoming. It kind of feels like a family.”
mily with the ing for her fa ok co y jo en w tor from CIL. Cathy can no ng wheel rolla tti si r he of assistance
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our mission CIL, in partnership with the community, promotes inclusion of people with disabilities by eliminating architectural, communication and attitudinal barriers. CIL provides education, resources and training to enhance self-determination through informed choice.
our board Chair Mellissa Slover-Athey Past Chair Kim Byerly Vice Chair Maxine Moul Secretary Cheryl Stone
Steve Beres Ronika Carter Hector Del Valle, MSW Tamara Mackroy James “Jim� Moody Christopher Nelson Dr. Maxine Ruddock Ha Tran