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VOLUME 21 NUMBER 4 SEPTEMBER 2014

THE NEWSPAPER POSITIVELY FOR, BY & ABOUT THE DISABLED

IN THIS ISSUE

VISITABLE'S

WEBSITEWWW. ABLENEWS.COM

ADA AT STADIUM

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Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People withDisabilities Victor Calise presented a certificate ofappreciation on behalf of Mayor Bill de Blasio to theCerebral Palsy International Research Foundation(CPIRF) at home plate at Yankee Stadium. With Calise,left, are, left to right, Richard Ellenson, the founda-

MOPD And Yankees Celebrate 24 Years

tion CEO, Thomas Ellenson, Yankee Manager JoeGirardi, Marissa Lelogeais and Alexander Baird.

The presentation was made as part of DisabilityAwareness Night at the stadium as part of the City’scommemoration of the 24th Anniversary of theAmericans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

CRPD Out of CommitteeSenate Goes On VacationWithout Floor Vote

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Autism CARESSenate Agrees to $1.3Billion Over Five Years

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Curb Cut SurveyCIDNY Finds 70%Inaccessible

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Emergency PreparednessPlanning EncouragedBy Mayor and OEM

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Bussani Delivers TaxisQueens Store OpensTo Provide Accessible Cabs

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Lyft Resumes OperationsRide-Sharing OKAfter Settlement

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SportsParalympians Get ESPYS &David Beaver Dies

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Published ByMelmont Printing

PublisherAngela Miele Melledy

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U.S. Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa),Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), and MarkKirk (R-Ill.) recently joinedformer Senate Majority LeaderBob Dole (R-Kan.) and represen-tatives from major veterans ser-vice organizations to support Sen-ate ratification of the Conventionon the Rights of Persons with Dis-abilities (CRPD) at a press con-ference in Washington, D.C.

The Senators were joined byJohn Stovall, National Securitydirector, of the American Legion;Sherman Gillums, associate ex-

Sens. Join Vets In Support Of CRPD

ecutive director of Veterans Ben-efits for Paralyzed Veterans ofAmerica; Tom Tarantino, chiefpolicy officer of Iraq and Afghani-stan Veterans of America; theWounded Warrior Project; theVietnam Veterans of America;VetsFirst, a program of UnitedSpinal Association; the Air ForceSergeants Association; the Mili-tary Officers Association ofAmerica; and the Blinded Veter-ans Association.

The Convention on the Rightsof Persons with Disabilities Suc-cessfully Passed Out of the For-

eign Relations Committee butneeds to get a floor vote in theSenate.

The Convention on the Rightsof Persons with Disabilities andits Optional Protocol was adoptedon Dec. 13, 2006 at the United Na-tions Headquarters in New York,and was opened for signature on30 March 2007. There were 82signatories to the Convention, 44signatories to the Optional Pro-tocol, and one ratification of theConvention.

This is the highest number ofsignatories in history to a UNConvention on its opening day. Itis the first comprehensive humanrights treaty of the 21st centuryand is the first human rights con-vention to be open for signatureby regional integration organiza-tions. The Convention enteredinto force on May 3, 2008.

The Convention follows de-cades of work by the United Na-tions to change attitudes and ap-proaches to persons with disabili-ties. It changes the movementfrom viewing persons with dis-abilities as objects of charity,medical treatment and social pro-tection towards viewing personswith disabilities as subjects withrights, who are capable of claim-ing those rights and making de-cisions for their lives based ontheir free and informed consentas well as being active membersof society.

The Senate has repeatedly leftfor recesses without bringing it tothe floor for a vote.

Georgia ratified the Convention on 13 March 2014

Andorra ratified the Convention on 11 March 2014

CURRENT STATUS OF CONVENTION ON THERIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

The U.S. HAS NOT YET SIGNED ONThe ratification of the United Nations Convention on theRights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was defeatedin the U.S. Senate by a vote of 61-38 in December 2012.

In December 2013, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), rank-ing Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Com-mittee walked away from the negotiations on the Treatyand went home for the holidays, ending the discussion.

On July 31, 2014 the Senate adjourned for vacationwithout CRPD coming to the floor for a vote.

147 ratifications and 158 signatories to the CRPD82 ratifications and 92 signatories to its

Optional Protocol (OP)

PCORI Approves Funding For Research ProjectsThe Patient-Centered Out-

comes Research Institute(PCORI) Board of Governorsrecently approved $54.8 mil-lion in funding to support 33new patient-centered compara-tive clinical effectiveness re-search (CER) projects that willstudy health conditions andconcerns that affect millions ofAmericans. Three of theseprojects focus on disabilitiesincluding mental health condi-tions, nervous system disor-ders and multiple chronic con-ditions.

The studies also will com-pare different approaches todelivering care, improving pa-tients’ access to care, andstrengthening methods to con-duct more rigorous patient-

centered CER. In addition, sev-eral of the projects focus on theneeds of particular popula-tions, including older adults,racial and ethnic minorities,children and individuals withlow-incomes.

With this latest round ofawards, PCORI has approvednearly $549 million in supportof a total of 313 researchprojects and initiatives since itbegan funding research in2012. PCORI expects to awardroughly $1 billion in researchsupport over the two-year pe-riod from 2014 through 2015.

“We’re pleased to announcethis new round of studies thatcomplement and enhance ourgrowing portfolio of patient-centered research projects de-

signed to help patients andthose who care for them makebetter-informed health andhealthcare decisions,” saidPCORI Exec. Dir. Joe Selby.

“These projects reflect thebest of the innovative ideasbrought to us by investigatorsguided by input from patients,family caregivers, cliniciansand other healthcare stake-holders,” Selby continued. “Aswe refine our funding an-nouncements, with an increas-ing focus on specific prioritytopics and larger pragmaticstudies, we continue to benefitfrom and seek insightful pro-posals initiated by researchersand their stakeholder part-ners.”

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The U.S. Senate recentlyapproved the AutismCARES Act, which would

dedicate $1.3 billion in federalfunding for autism during thenext five years.

The bill was introduced andpassed across party lines and nowgoes to Pres. Barack Obama forhis signature.

“The Senate has now joinedwith the House of Representa-tives in sending a clear and bipar-tisan message — the federal gov-ernment will not abandon threemillion Americans with autism inthe midst of a public health cri-sis,” said Autism Speaks Pres. LizFeld.

Autism CARES (HR.4631) en-joyed broad bipartisan support inboth the Senate and the Houseand passed unanimously by voicevote. Autism Speaks joined withdozens of other national disabili-ties organizations in urging Con-gress to act before the law’s expi-ration date on Sept. 30.

Attorney General EricSchneiderman recently issueda statement regarding theAmericans with DisabilitiesAct’s (ADA) 24th anniversaryand how his office strives touphold that legislation.

“Twenty-four years ago to-day, President George H. W.Bush signed into law theAmericans with DisabilitiesAct, which for the first time es-tablished wide-ranging civilrights protections for peoplewith disabilities.It was a his-toric step toward fulfilling ournational commitment to equaljustice under law for all. TheADA has since proven to be apowerful tool for defending therights of people with disabili-ties, and its protections remainessential today. Too often, NewYorkers with disabilities en-counter barriers to access athousing complexes, retailstores, hospitals, clinics, officebuildings, theaters, stadiums,schools, universities and at theballot box. The ADA hasproven crucial to dismantlingthese barriers, thereby protect-ing each person’s right to leada full and independent life.”

“My office is deeply commit-ted to fulfilling the ADA’spromise of one set of rules for

Ryan Hait-Campbell takes the stage at the National Association ofthe Deaf (NAD) convention in Atlanta where he was named DeafYouth Ambassador.

Hait-Campbell, from Seattle, Wash, is a new media design ma-jor at Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Insti-tute for the Deaf. He and three other students started a business,MotionSavvy, which is intended to help communication betweendeaf and hearing people. Media Savvy uses new technology thatmay convert hand shapes into text.

Elena Mayer, of St. Louis, Mo., was selected female Deaf YouthAmbassador.

The two Deaf Youth Ambassadors will work with NAD to ad-dress a social issue within the deaf community. They will also rep-resent NAD at presentations, workshops, the Youth LeadershipCamp and other events in the community.

Hait-Campbell said he wants to use the experience he’s gainedin starting a business to help other fledgling companies startedby deaf entrepreneurs.

Campbell Named NAD Ambassador

Senate Approves Autism CARESIntroduced by Sens. Menendez

and Enzi and Reps. Chris Smith(R-N.J.) and Mike Doyle (D-Pa.),Autism CARES reauthorizes thelandmark 2006 Combating Au-tism Act for another five years atan annual funding level of $260million. The funding would beused primarily for autism re-search grants awarded by theNational Institutes of Health;funding also would be providedfor continued autism prevalencemonitoring; training of medicalprofessionals to detect autism;and for continued efforts to de-velop treatments for medical con-ditions associated with autism.

“The Senate’s action today en-sures these vital autism programsare reauthorized and continueproviding research, services andsupports individuals with autismand their families have come torely on,” said Menendez. “TheAutism CARES Act is a model ofbipartisan, bicameral cooperationand I am proud I was able to work

on it and look forward to seeingthe President sign this critical leg-islation into law.”

Feld said the Combating Au-tism Act, enacted in 2006 andthen reauthorized in 2011, “hasserved our community by creat-ing guidelines for the manage-ment of sleep disorders, ADHDsymptoms, and other medical con-ditions. Among the many re-search advances have beenprogress with anxiety treatmentsand obesity.

“So much more needs to beachieved, particularly as the in-cidence of autism continues torise at such alarming levels andso many of our children withautism start aging out of ser-vices and face uncertainty overhousing, employment, trans-portation and adult services,”she added. “Passage of this leg-islation is testament to thededication of our grassrootsadvocates taking action withCongress through our Autism

Champions web tool.”Doyle said the federal

government’s autism programsare providing important newknowledge about autism.

Autism CARES would task thefederal government with survey-ing the current landscape of adultservices and report to Congresswhere gaps exist and how to mosteffectively address those needs.

The bill also would empowerthe Interagency Autism Coordi-nating Committee (IACC), apanel with public and federal gov-ernment representatives that de-velops and updates a strategicplan for addressing autism, withthe task of avoiding unnecessaryduplication and making recom-mendations to implement thestrategic plan.

The U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Serviceswould be directed to takecharge of implementing theplan and reporting to Congresson progress.

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Attorney General’s Office Promises Full ADA Complianceeveryone, regardless of ability,by dismantling barriers to ac-cess for individuals with dis-abilities across the state. Werecognize that 24 years afterenactment of the ADA, we stillhave important work to do toremedy ongoing discriminationagainst individuals with dis-abilities. My office will con-tinue to vigorously enforce theADA against businesses, land-lords and other entities thatfall short in eliminating barri-ers to accessibility. We willcontinue to be a resource forthe advocates, affected indi-viduals and families who areseeking the equality of accessand opportunity promised bythe ADA.”

The office’s ADA efforts arecoordinated through the Attor-ney General’s Civil Rights Bu-reau, which is focused on com-prehensive enforcement of theADA. Recently, the bureau an-nounced agreements withVornado Realty and Kimco Re-alty, two large landowners thatoperate shopping centersacross the state.

The agreements called forboth landowners to address ac-cessibility issues in the parkingfacilities and common areas ofthose shopping centers. Besides

upgrading those facilities,Kimco will encourage its larg-est tenants to address accessi-bility issues inside their stores.

The bureau also reachedagreements with severaltheaters across New York City

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The Center for Indepen-dence of the Disabled,New York’s (CIDNY)

staff and volunteers from theNational MS Society fanned outacross downtown Manhattan toconduct curb cut surveys onJune 4.

Surveyors evaluated the curbcuts at 157 intersections usinga survey instrument that tookinto account major features ofthe Americans with Disabilities

Various groups and organizations recently attended the New YorkMets annual Autism Awareness Day event at Citi Field, where aspecial section of seats were exclusively reserved for guests withautism and their families.

They enjoyed a pre-game party in the Bullpen Plaza and en-joyed exploring the shops and eateries at Citi Field. The gameopened with the National Anthem performed by singer and actorJ.W. Cortes, a marine-turned television actor, who was accompa-nied by his five-year-old son who is on the autism spectrum. Cortesis also a well-known activist for charities such as Autism Speaksand the Wounded Warrior Project.

CIDNY Conducts Curb Cut Survey Downtown

Act requirements for accessiblecurb cuts.

At these 157 intersections,1066 possible sites where a curbcut was needed were docu-mented, including center is-lands in roadways that spannedintersections. Of these 1066 cor-ners, 824 corners had measur-able intersections for evaluationof accessibility. Of the 1066 pos-sible sites, 242 (22.7 percent)had no curb cut at all.

Mets Host Autism Groups at Citi Field

June 4, 2014 Curb Cut Survey No. of Sites % of sites No Cut 242 22.7%* Incorrect Slope 230 28.0% Ramp Width less than 36in 22 2.7% Lip at Cut 171 20.8% No Detectable Warning 444 53.9% Crumbling Concrete 93 11.3% Led to Pot Hole 51 6.2% Object Obstructing Cut 50 6.1% Barrier in Pathway to Curb Cut 19 2.4% Total Measurable Inaccessible Curbs 564 68.4%** Total Inaccessible Curbs 806 75.6%***

Map indicates curb cut locations.

CIDNY’s survey looked atcurb cut width, degree of slope,detectable warnings as well asthe conditions of the cuts in-cluding issues like crumblingconcrete; barriers on the curbcut; and pot holes directly infront of the curb cut. As a re-sult of the surveys, they foundthat 68.4 percent of the mea-surable curbs had barriersthat would prevent safe pas-sage for people with disabili-ties.

To view the full report visitwww.cidny.org/resources/Curb%20Cut%20Survey%20Report%20Final.pdf. Measuring accessibility

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Continued on page 14

ADA Anniversary Celebrated

Government officials recently recognized the24th anniversary of the

Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA), Signed by Pres. GeorgeH. W. Bush, the landmark leg-islation that provides greaterrights, opportunities, accessibil-ity and inclusion for the dis-abled.

Pres. Barack Obama signed aproclamation, stating in part, “Ata time when people with disabili-ties were turned away at movietheaters, rejected for employ-ment and measured by what somany thought they could not do,leaders and activists refused toaccept the world as it was.

“On the anniversary of theAmericans with Disabilities Act(ADA), we honor those whofought against discrimination,and we recommit to tearingdown barriers and guaranteeingall Americans the right to pur-sue their own measure of hap-piness.”

“Even as we commemoratethis milestone, we recognizethat too often, casual discrimi-nation or fear of the unfamiliarstill prevent disabled Americans

from achieving their full poten-tial,” said Obama. “That is whymy Administration is pushing tofulfill the promise of and betterenforce the ADA. Fifteen yearsafter the Olmstead decision, inwhich the Supreme Court ruledit discrimination to unjustifiablyinstitutionalize someone with adisability, we have increased thenumber of homes integratedinto communities that are avail-able for persons with disabili-ties.

“Under the Affordable CareAct, insurance companies arebanned from discriminating onthe basis of pre-existing condi-tions, medical history or geneticinformation. Expanding on myexecutive order to establish thefederal government as a modelemployer of individuals with dis-abilities, my administration isalso providing federal contrac-tors with the tools and resourcesto recruit, retain and promotepeople with disabilities.”

The American Association ofPeople with Disabilities (AAPD)held an ADA celebration on therooftop of 101 Constitution Ave.,

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• Housing Rights: Know Your Rights Wednesday, August 6, 2014 5:30-7:30pm

• Employment Rights for People with Disabilities Wednesday, September 3, 2014 5:30-7:30pm

Mayor Presents Sapolin Awards at ADA Event

More than 300 attended theCity’s 24th Anniversary of theAmericans with Disabilities Act(ADA) celebration at the N.Y.Public Library main branch.Mayor Bill de Blasio and Commis-sioner of the Mayor’s Office forPeople with Disabilities (MOPD)Victor Calise presented five Mat-thew Sapolin awards to advocatesand activists recognizing theirefforts on behalf or people withdiabilities.

DeBlasio spoke about the ben-efits of the ADA and the progressthat has been made. He spoke

The event was attended bymany advocates and members ofthe disability community. Publicofficials in attendence includedCity Council Mental Health Com-mittee Chair Andrew Cohen andOffice of Emergency Manage-ment Commissioner JosephEsposito. The event was hostedby Pres. and CEO of the N.Y.Public Library Tony Marx.

Gerald Issac, manager of compli-ance programs at Jet Blue Airlinesaccepting the Title I Sapolin AwardEmployment Award.

Exec. Dir. of the Harlem Indepen-dent Living Center received theFrieda Zames Advocacy Award.

Handi-Lift Pres. Doug Boydstonwas presented with the Title IIIPublic Accommodations Award.

Theater Breaking Through Barri-ers Assoc. Dir. Nicholas Viselli re-ceived the Tittle II Public ServiceAward.

The Title IV TelecommunicationsAward was given to CustomerRelations Manager of New YorkRelay/711 Mary Beth Mothersell.

about curb cuts, accessible busesand taxis, seating in stadiumsand theaters and the progress yetto be made. “We are, every day,building on the legacy of theADA,” DeBlasio said. “We have todo some extraordinary things sowe have a lot to celebrate on the25th anniversary.”

Calise thanked deBlasio andFirst Deputy Mayor AnthonyShorris for their committment toaccessibility and for providingservices for people with disabili-ties. In introducing the awardeeshe said about Sapolin, “Hetouched every one of us and it’sstill great for us to be able to honorhim.”

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T axis For All Campaign(TFAC), started more than 16years ago by United Spinal’s

own Terry Moakley, MarvinWasserman and a host of others, is notincorporated and does not have a bud-get or a staff, but people with disabilities everywhere owe TFACthanks.

Thanks for tenacity in the face of entrenched industry and govern-ment opposition to accessible taxis, for creativity in crafting argu-ments and policy that appeal to industry, media and elected officials,and thanks for, perhaps, changing the meaning of the word “taxi.”TFAC member advocacy, through lawsuits, lobbying and public edu-cation has resulted in a commitment from the de Blasio Administra-tion for 50 percent access to yellow cabs (operating in Manhattanbelow 96th St.) and 50 percent access to the new green, street hailtaxis north of 96th St. and in the boroughs.

To recap, two and one half years ago, Gov. Andrew Cuomo sup-ported the disability community in its struggle for accessible taxis.At the time, TFAC, United Spinal and others were in litigation withNew York City and the Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC).

A street hail privileges bill was being considered to provide hailservice outside Manhattan. The governor called us to Albany wherewe negotiated a law to sell 2,000 new medallions for yellow cabs, allof which had to be accessible and up to 18,000 street-hail permits forthe boroughs, at least 20 percent of which had to be accessible.

During the ensuing two and one half years, litigation proceededsuccessfully. Mayor Bloomberg, at last, relented and ended his oppo-sition to accessible cabs and supported our efforts.

Mayor Bill de Blasio reiterated the commitment and the TLC gotrules passed to fund accessible service and prepared a Disabled Ac-cessibility Plan (DAP). DAP preparation was required by the legisla-tion passed two and one half years ago. In the DAP, TLC commits to50 percent green access, although only 20 percent was required bylaw. TLC will also create a central dispatch service for both the greenand yellow accessible cabs.

Meanwhile, the MTA has ordered or is operating over 400 MV1accessible sedan-type vehicles and is spending $575,000 this year onAccess-A-Ride. Medicaid will spend over $200 million on ambuletteservice to get poor wheelchair users to medical appointments.

The DAP doesn’t address the obvious - Medicaid and MTA/Access-A-Ride can carry their passengers cheaper in taxis and will inevita-bly start transferring riders to accessible taxis. The DAP also doesn’tprovide a method of getting to the 50 percent accessible green cabs ifa third set of street-hail permits goes unsold, either because of lackof demand or political opposition.

If the third set of permits is not sold Medicaid and Access-A-Ridepassengers may consume all accessible taxi capacity in the boroughs.Keep in mind that the greens are not all the for-hire vehicles in theboroughs, only a small percentage. Most for-hire vehicle service inthe boroughs will remain inaccessible even when 50 percent of thestreet-hail green taxis are accessible.

Despite flaws, the DAP is far more progressive than we wouldhave dared to dream only a few years ago. Vehicle conversions aregoing full-steam ahead and accessible vehicles can be seen on thestreets in both green and yellow. Congratulations to TFAC (whichincludes of course, United Spinal) and to those who are trying tomake “taxi” mean “accessible taxi”, in the same way “bus” has cometo mean “accessible bus” due to disabled advocacy.

BY JAMES WEISMANSENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL COUNSEL

UNITED SPINAL NOW

TFAC, the DAP and NYC PWDs

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Mayor Bill de Blasio andOffice of EmergencyManagement (OEM)

Commissioner Joseph Espositorecently encouraged New York-ers to take steps to ensure theyare prepared, as the City headsinto peak hurricane season.

De Blasio and Esposito werejoined by New York City Hous-ing Authority (NYCHA) ChairShola Olatoye, Mayor’s Officefor People with DisabilitiesCommissioner Victor Calise,and Department for the AgingCommissioner Donna Corrado

De Blasio, Encourages NYers to Prepare For Hurricane Seasonat Red Hook Initiative, wherethey assembled “Go Bags” forNYCHA residents to ensurethey are prepared in the eventof an emergency evacuation.

“New York City is most vul-nerable to hurricanes from Au-gust through October,” said deBlasio. “It’s time to start think-ing about your emergency plan.We saw during HurricaneSandy just how disruptive amajor storm can be to this city.Almost three million New York-ers live in a hurricane evacua-tion zone, so it’s imperative that

people prepare and make a planfor what you will do if you areordered to evacuate your home.”

“Being prepared for a hurri-cane or any emergency is thebest way to keep you and yourfamily safe,” said Esposito.“Make an emergency plan withyour family, and have a Go Bagpacked with essentials you mayneed in the event that you haveto leave your house in advanceof a storm.”

“For New Yorkers who havemedical, physical, cognitive orsensory disabilities, emergencysituations can be a serious chal-lenge,” said Calise. In order toprotect themselves and theirfamilies, it is imperative they areprepared. Persons with disabili-ties should talk with familymembers, care attendants andfriends to come up with a planthat works for everyone. Know-ing what your abilities are willhelp you to prepare. Each indi-vidual should have a ‘Go Bag’ready that includes proper medi-cations, medical supplies andappropriate durable medicalequipment for 3-5 days or longer.

The City encourages resi-dents to take three key steps toprepare for hurricane seasonwhich include finding outwhether they live in one of thecity’s six hurricane evacuationzones; making a plan so youknow what to do, how to findfamily members, roommates orneighbors and how to communi-cate during an emergency; andstaying informed by signing upto receive emergency updatesand information online and viae-mail, text, phone and Twitterthrough the City’s free NotifyNYC program at NYC.gov.

The City has the “Ready NewYork: Hurricanes and New YorkCity” guide available in print,audio format and translated into13 different languages. Theguide offers instructions for pre-paring a disaster plan and fea-tures a map of the City’s sixhurricane evacuation zones anda list of hurricane evacuationcenters in all five boroughs. NewYorkers are encouraged to visitwww.nyc.gov/knowyourzone todownload the guide or call 311to request a copy.

AHRC Suffolk and NYSARC recently hosted two bicycle journeysthat concluded with a ceremony at the Capitol steps in Albany,N.Y., to celebrate NYSARC’s 65th anniversary. Eleven NYSARC chapters participated from various startingpoints throughout the state.

Disabilities advocate John Robinson, who was born withoutfull arms or legs, embarked on a bike ride as well, traveling 365miles throughout upstate New York with a three-wheeled, handoperated bicycle. Several NYSARC chapters conducted morningstart ceremonies and afternoon welcoming events for Robinson,fourth from left, on his way to Albany.

Nearly 1500 supporters and government officials greeted thebikers with a celebration when they arrived at their destinationin Albany.

Bikers Mark Anniversary of NYSARC

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Isit here procrastinating writingthis column. On MSNBC, the lib-eral T.V. station, there’s a shout-

ing match between a lefty commen-tator and a token righty imported togive the illusion of balance. They’rearguing about Obamacare.

I’m temporarily distracted. Next Step fought for healthcarereform before we were defunded for straying from an exclusivefocus on disability issues. I remind myself that Obamacare isn’treal reform.

It benefits insurance companies and for-profit hospitals butdoesn’t provide insurance for all who need it, including peoplewith disabilities.

I remind myself that Comcast owns MSNBC and made a busi-ness decision to go liberal to attract viewers who dislike Fox,no place for a serious policy debate.

I switch to C-SPAN. Ralph Nader is promoting a coalitionbetween liberals and conservatives to reclaim government frombig business which has bought and paid for it, denying us anychance to have a say. It’s a complicated argument.

If I have trouble following it despite my degree in politicalscience, 44 years in government and a dozen books on econom-ics, how can it convince others with disabilities to join a massmovement to reclaim our democracy?

It can’t but it doesn’t matter. I became an activist not be-cause of what I know now, but because of how I was treatedthen. I wasn’t allowed in public school; people laughed at mebecause I walked and talked funny; they wouldn’t give me adriver’s license when I passed the test everyone else took; theywouldn’t give me a job I was qualified for.

I became an activist because others wouldn’t treat me like ahuman being and I wouldn’t accept being treated that badly.Important people like Pop and Mom supported me so I foughtback.

But I didn’t start fighting by stopping Pres. Reagan from gut-ting Section 504 or helping draft the ADA. I started by findinga lawyer to sue the guy who wouldn’t hire me. Fortunately, Ididn’t need to. Instead, I got a job advocating for poor people,so long ago that there wasn’t a disability rights movement yet.I started by helping them get benefits, one person at a time,one benefit at a time — education, housing, food.

Truth is most of us start out as activists that way. You’retreated unjustly where you live, you get mad enough to learnhow to make things better and find others who want to makethem better, too.

Then you discover that the cause of the injustice you foughtisn’t local. It’s rooted in state or federal laws or practices thatyou must also change to be free and join others who want thatfreedom.

In the process, you’re not the same person you were. Youlearn things you wouldn’t have learned otherwise. You workwith people you would never have met.

You have experiences you could never have imagined. You’rean activist writing a column to recruit more people to make theworld a better place.

On Becoming An Activist

THECONTRARIANBY ETHAN ELLISADVOCATE

On Saturday, September 20 wheelchairathletes of all ages and ability levels willcompete in a variety of track and field,table tennis and slalom course events onthe Burke campus in White Plains.

The community is invited to come cheeron the athletes!

For more information, call the BURKE WHEELCHAIR GAMES HOTLINE(914) 597-2850 or visit www.burke.org to download the registration form.

Pioneering Rehabilitation™

BE A PART OF AN INSPIRING AND UNFORGETTABLE EVENT

WWW.BURKE.ORG | 785 MAMARONECK AVENUE | WHITE PLAINS, NY 10605 | (888) 99-BURKE

THE 2014 BURKE WHEELCHAIR GAMES

Registration beginsat 8:30 a.m.Entrance fee is $25for athletesFinancial assistancewith registration feeis availableFree for spectatorsLive entertainment,games, free parking

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Bussani Mobility Teamhas opened a new loca-tion in Queens to help

New York City (NYC) complywith the Taxi & LimousineCommission’s (TLC) plan to in-crease the number of wheelchairaccessible yellow taxis to 50 per-cent of the fleet by 2020. Thepercentage of green outer-bor-ough cabs outfitted with rampsis also expected to rise from 20percent to 50 percent.

Bussani Mobility is workingdirectly with taxi-base stationowners and drivers to secure thespecially equipped taxis, obtainfinancing and grants and to ser-vice the vehicles.

The retrofitted wheelchair-ready cabs, including the ToyotaSienna and Dodge Grand Cara-van, are equipped with theindustry’s quietest and simplestramp system manufactured byleading conversion companyBraunAbility. The rear-entrycabs make any left- or right-street hails easy to accomplish.Fleet orders of all sizes are be-ing arranged through BussaniMobility.

“This is a huge step in the

Bussani Opens Queens Store – Delivers Taxisright direction to make our greatcity and everything that it hasto offer available to everyonewho visits or lives here,” saidDaniel Bussani, vice presidentat Bussani Mobility Team.“More and more people now relyon wheelchairs and scooters tomove about.

“After 40 years in the mobil-ity business, the wheelchair ac-cessible taxi plan is an initiativewhich we support 100 percent.As we’re helping operators un-derstand the potential of thisprofit center for their busi-nesses, we also hope to increaseacceptance of disability issues aswe get more wheelchair acces-sible taxis out on the road.”

Bussani Mobility Team is aprovider of automotive mobilityproducts and services for peoplewith disabilities. Established in1974 with headquarters inBethpage offices in Smithtown,Mamaroneck and nowSunnyside, N.Y., Bussani Mobil-ity offers a complete line ofwheelchair vans and mobilityequipment from top manufac-turers available for purchase orrental.

Home care is changing.

At Independence Care System, we work with you to coordinate thehome care, health care and socialservices you need to live at home.

Join ICS. Be as independent as you can be.

1-877-ICS-2525 • info@icsny.org • www.icsny.org

ICS operates a nonprofit Medicaid managed long-term care plan serving residents of Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens.

How will you keep the services you know you need?

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T he ride-sharing app,Lyft, will now legallybe able to operate in

New York City, since a lawsuitagainst the company was re-cently resolved.

New York’s attorney generaland superintendent of finan-cial services came to an agree-ment with Lyft, which will putthem in full compliance. Pre-viously, the city’s Taxi and

Lyft Resumes Operations After SettlementLimousine Commission (TLC)found the company did notcomply with its safety and li-censing requirements.

They also claimed that thecompany was not adhering tolivery guidelines in respect toserving disabled riders. Thisstipulates that a base ownercannot refuse to serve peoplewith disabilities, with or with-out mobility aids, or their ser-

vice animals. Furthermore,they must supply an accessiblevehicle if needed and cannotimpose additional charges forany of these accommodations.

Lyft, based in San Francisco,uses pink vehicles emblazonedwith mustaches on the front.The lawsuit claimed that theymisrepresented the nature oftheir operation as peer-to-peertransportation, rather than a

traditional for-hire livery ser-vice, which essentially theyare.

The company held them-selves out to be merely a con-venient ride-sharing servicewhere people can make extramoney with their cars by help-ing others easily get a liftthrough their smartphonesand stored credit cards.

The state claims that this isa thinly veiled attempt to por-tray themselves other than ataxi service, but the only dif-ference is that it uses differenttechnology.

Meanwhile, Lyft’s opera-tions in upstate New York havebeen suspended pending theresolution of similar issues.

According to New Yorkstate, the company tried tolaunch their fleet in boroughsof New York City without go-ing through the necessarychannels and conforming tostate regulations.

Lyft is operating in morethan two dozen states through-out the country.

*New sales and parts.

Our expert technicians have over 25 years of experience making Wheelchair Medic

the place to go for all of your repairs and new purchases

of wheelchairs, scooters and other mobility devices.

(718) 352-1623 www.WheelchairMedic.com

10% Discount*

Council Towers I Met Council777 Co-op City Boulevard 120 Broadway, 7th FloorBronx, NY 10475 New York, NY 10271Monday – Thursday 9 am – 4 pm Monday – Thursday 9 am – 4 pm

Friday – 9 am – 2 pm only Friday – 9 am – 2 pm only

NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SENIORAPARTMENTS FOR RENT

COUNCIL TOWERS VII HDFC is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for 78 Section 8-assistedone bedroom housing rental apartments now under construction at 2219 Givan Avenue in the Co-op City section of theBronx. This building is being constructed through financing from the New York City Housing Development Corporation(HDC), the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), and the U.S. Department ofHousing and Urban Development (HUD).

One Household member must be at least 62 years of age to qualify

*Subject to occupancy criteria**Income guidelines subject to change

Tenant Rent is approximately 30% of Gross Household Income based on Section 8 guidelinesand includes gas for cooking. Qualified Applicants will be required to meet Section 8guidelines and additional selection criteria.

ApartmentsAvailable

ApartmentSize

House holdSize*

Total AnnualIncome Maximum**

78 1 Bedroom 1 $29,400

2 $33,600

OR by telephone: (212) 453-9613 (please speak clearly)

Applications may be requested by mail from:Council Towers VII ; c/o Met Council120 Broadway, 7th FloorNew York, NY 10271

Applications can also be picked up in person at the following locations:

New York City Housing Development CorporationGary Rodney, President

No Broker’s Fee. No Application Fee.

Bill de Blasio, Mayor

Individuals can also download an application from the internet at www.metcouncil.org/housing or email requests toct7inquiry@metcouncil.org. Completed applications must be returned by REGULAR MAIL ONLY to a post officebox number that will be printed on the application, and must be postmarked by September 24, 2014. Applicationsreceived after this deadline will not be processed until applications received by the deadline are processed. Onehousehold member must be at least 62 years of age to qualify. Applications will be selected by lottery; applicantswho submit more than one application will be assigned a higher log number (least chance of obtaining an apartment).Eligible households that include persons with mobility impairments will receive preference for 4 of the units.

New York City Department ofHousing Preservation and Development

Vicki Been, Commissioner

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SPORTS SCENE

U.S. Paralympians were recog-nized recently at the 2014ESPYS, held at the Nokia The-atre at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles.

In its 22nd year, the ESPYS,short for Excellence in Sports Per-formance Yearly, commemoratesthe most exciting moments, great-est achievements and top perfor-mances in athletics around theglobe. The 2014 ESPYS nomi-nees, first announced June 24,featured 30 U.S. Olympians and

eight Paralympians in 16 catego-ries. Winners were determined byfan vote.Sled hockey player DeclanFarmer of Florida was named BestMale Athlete with a Disability.

At the 2014 Paralympic WinterGames, 16-year-old Farmer postedtwo goals and one assist in TeamUSA’s 3-0 win against Canada tosecure a spot in the gold-medalgame versus Russia. Farmer alsonotched one goal and one assist inTeam USA’s 5-1 win over Italy.For its gold medal-winning perfor-mance, the U.S. team was namedTeam of the Paralympic Games atthe USOC’s inaugural Best of U.S.awards this April. This is his firstESPYS win.

Additionally, sled hockeyplayer Josh Sweeney, who scoredthe gold medal-winning goal inTeam USA’s 1-0 victory over Rus-sia at the Sochi 2014 ParalympicWinter Games, received the inau-gural Pat Tillman Award for Ser-vice. A special honor created byESPN and the Pat Tillman Foun-dation in honor of former NFLplayer and U.S. Army Ranger PatTillman, the award recognizes anindividual with a strong connec-

tion to sports who has served oth-ers in a way that echoes theTillman legacy. “This is a tremen-dous honor and, hopefully, thisaward will help others like me re-alize that nothing is impossiblewithout hard work and dedica-tion,” Sweeney said. “Organiza-tions like the Pat Tillman Foun-dation are amazing and beinghonored by them is extremelyhumbling.” An able-bodied icehockey player in high school,Sweeney was drawn to sledhockey while rehabbing an injuryhe received from an improvisedexplosive device in October 2009

while serving as a sniper in theU.S. Marine Corps in Afghani-stan. He later received a PurpleHeart for his service.

Jamie Whitmore, a cyclist,claimed the Best Female Athletewith a Disability. At the recent2014 UCI Para-cycling TrackWorld Championships, Whitmoretook first place in the time trialand pursuit events, setting worldrecords en route to both gold med-als. In the 2013 UCI Road WorldCup series, she was undefeatedin competition as she won all sixC3 road race and time trialevents, and at the world champi-onships, she also swept her classand won gold in both the road raceand time trial.

A hopeful for the 2016 U.S.Paralympic Team in cycling, thisis her first ESPYS win.Shetopped triathlete Minda Dentler,cross-country skier Oksana Mas-ters, cross-country skier andwheelchair racer TatyanaMcFadden and alpine skierLaurie Stephens. Masters,McFadden and Stephens allmedaled at the Sochi 2014Paralympic Winter Games.

David Beaver, a foundingmember of the United States As-sociation of Blind Athletes(USABA), recently died at 79.

During his career of more than40 years, he developed under-graduate and graduate programsfor adaptive physical education attwo universities and was an elitecoach in wrestling, track and fieldand goalball for athletes with vi-sual impairments.

He served as chair for morethan 10 years on USABA’s SportsDevelopment Committee, creat-ing cooperative relationships withthe U.S. Olympic Committeegoverning bodies. He served ascoach in the 1976 Toronto Olym-piad, was leader for athletes withvisual impairments at the Inter-national Games for the Disabledin Holland in 1980, and served aschef de mission at the 1984 gamesin New York. In 2011, he was in-ducted into USABA’s Hall of

Paralympians Honored at 2014 ESPYS

Adaptive Sports Pioneer David Beaver Dies

Fame as a special contributor.“It was my pleasure as a new

member of the USABA board ofdirectors in the early 1980’s towork with Dr. David Beaver,whose memory is enhanced byrecollection of his early involve-ment with the U.S. Associationof Blind Athletes,” said OralMiller, current member on theUSABA board. “Although hisdirect involvement in the opera-tions of USABA changed overthe years, Dr. Beaver alwaysthereafter supported and en-

couraged sports for the blindand visually impaired.”

Beaver earned a master’s de-gree in physical education andadministration at Springfield Col-lege in Massachusetts. His firstteaching position was as a physi-cal education instructor, coach ofwrestling and assistant coach oftrack at Columbia High School inNew Jersey. In 1960, he becamedirector of athletics and physicaleducation, as well as the coach ofwrestling in Massachusetts.

From 1963 to 1967 he was anassistant professor of physicaleducation, coach of track andcross country, and assistant coachof wrestling at Lock Haven StateCollege in Pennsylvania. In 1972,he attended the University ofNorthern Colorado, earning adegree in physical education ki-nesiology and in special educationfor the physically challenged.

In 1988, Beaver participated in

post-doctoral studies at OregonState University in the field ofphysical education for individualswith severe and profound disabili-ties.

He retired in 2000, after nearly25 years as a professor of physi-cal education at Western IllinoisUniversity, predominantly serv-ing as the adapted physical edu-cation specialist. The majority ofhis professional life was spentteaching and coaching, howeverBeaver was always dedicated toindividuals with disabilities andadapted physical activity.

While serving in the U.S. Re-serve Army Medical Corps, he be-came interested in soldiers whoacquired disabilities. From thenon, that was his career’s primaryfocus.

Beaver is survived by his wifePhyllis, daughters TraceyRatermann and Kristin Beaver,and two grandsons.

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Josh Sweeney, right, accepts thePat Tillman award from actor JeffBridges at the 2014 ESPYS.Declan Farmer and TJ Oshie of the

St. Louis Blues NHL team standwith the NCAA National Champi-onship Trophy during the ESPYSEscape.

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INFORMATIONFORUM

BURKE HAS FREE SUPPORTGROUP ON PULMONARY DISEASEBurke Rehabilitation Hospital has an-

nounced an expanded Pulmonary SupportGroup for community residents who have achronic lung disease such as pulmonary fi-brosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary dis-ease, commonly referred to as COPD.

The goal of the support group is to pro-vide individuals living with chronic lungconditions with tangible tools to assist withthe coping with the disease as well as a fo-rum to speak about their experiences andshare with others who have similar diag-noses.

The Pulmonary Support Group meetsfrom 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. the first Wednesdayof every month in room B-204 in the Bill-ings Building at the Burke RehabilitationHospital’s main campus at 785Mamaroneck Ave. White Plains. Informa-tion provided at the support group also per-tains to other areas of interest to those withpulmonary disease and their caregivers.Topics such as how can exercise and nutri-tion affect ones ability to breathe will alsobe discussed. The Pulmonary SupportGroup is free and open to anyone in the com-munity. New members are welcome to at-tend.

For information contact Pam Jones, 914597-2843.

QUADRUPLE AMPUTEEPENS AUTOBIOGRAPHY

“Overcoming Obstacles” is an autobiog-raphy about Andre Donegan, born a qua-druple amputee who was given up as a tod-dler by his mother, but persevered againstall odds to become a celebrated screenplaywriter, speaker and athlete.

The book is available at www.inspiringvoices.com, Amazon, Barnes and Noble,and other outlets.

BCID HAS FREESUPPORT GROUPS FOR PWD

The Brooklyn Center for the Indepen-dence of the Disabled (BCID) hosts a num-ber of free groups for people with disabili-ties. On Wednesday mornings they host aWork Readiness Group for People withChronic Mental Illness.

They conduct a brain injury supportgroup on the first and third Tuesday after-noon every month and the Peer SupportGroup for People with All Types of Disabili-ties on Thursday afternoons.

Their Support and Advocacy Group forPeople Who Are Blind and Visually Im-paired and their Friends takes place onFriday mornings.

For information call Sandrina Kingston,718 998-3000.

BALLET ACADEMY OFFERS DANCEFOR PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON’S

Ballet Academy East recently announcedthe addition of a dance class called Dance forPD® for people with Parkinson’s this fall.Dance for PD classes, developedcollaboratively by Mark Morris Dance Groupand the Brooklyn Parkinson Group, are cur-rently offered at Mark Morris Dance Center,The Juilliard School, and at several locationsin Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens.

Dance for PD offers specialized danceclasses accompanied by live music for peoplewith Parkinson’s, their caregivers, familymembers and friends. Professional teach-ing artists integrate movement from mod-ern, ballet, tap, folk and social dancing andchoreographic repertory to engage partici-pants’ minds and bodies and create an en-joyable, social environment for artistic ex-ploration. Dance for PD classes providea social environment for participants to in-teract with other communitymembers.There is no charge for the Dancefor PD classes. Advance registration re-quired. Call Dance for PD, 718 218-3373.

SELF-ADVOCACY ASSOCIATIONOF N.Y. PLANS CONFERENCE

The Self-Advocacy Association of N.Y.State’s 2014 Annual Self-Advocacy Confer-ence “Transforming the System: Reinvest-ing in US!” is planned for Oct. 30 to Nov. 1at the Marriott Hotel, Albany, N.Y. Regis-tration packets are available atwww.sanys.org.

Brochures can also be obtained by call-ing, 518 382-1454 to have one faxed, mailedor emailed.

LION KING OFFERSSPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS

A special performance of the Lion King,presented for people with autism and othersensory disorders, will be given at theMinskoff Theatre in New York City on Sept.28, at 1 p.m.

Unlike typical performances, attendeesare allowed to make noise, dance and takea break in the lobby with activity areasstaffed with specialists. Also, the show hasbeen slightly altered, where jarring soundsand sights are reduced.

To purchase tickets visit www.tdf.org/thelionking.

SUPPORT AVAILABLEFOR MUSCULAR DISORDER

The Myasthenia Gravis ResearchFoundation’s website offers information onsupport groups, resources, managing symp-toms, and preparing for productive doctorsvisits.

Visit www.myasthenia.org.

BURKE REHAB TO HOSTWOUND CONFERENCE

Burke Rehabilitation Hospital will hosta wound healing conference at their maincampus in White Plains on Sept. 6, 8:30 a.m.to 3 p.m.

Family physicians, residents and nurseswill learn about prevention, early recogni-tion and treatment of chronic wounds, suchas ulcers. Registration is free for the first50 people who register.

For information contact Gloria Negron,gnegron@montefiore.org.

STONY BROOK PLANNINGVENTure THINK TANK E-VENT

On Sept. 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., theVENTure Think Tank will be holding itsfirst community-based E-vent, in personand online, designed specifically to addressinitiatives of importance to ventilator us-ers and their families.

The Think Tank was founded by BrookeEllison and Pamela Block and is a collabo-rative and multidisciplinary think tank de-signed to meet the needs of individuals whoare dependent on ventilators to breathe.

Tentative speakers include representa-tives from FEMA, engineering and alterna-tive energy specialists and ventilator users.The E-vent will cover a range of topics, withparticular attention given to emergency re-sponse. There will also be an art show fea-turing the work of vent-user Nick Dupree.

For information, email venture.sbu@gmail.com.

INSTITUTE LAUNCHES MYAMERICAN DREAM VIDEO CONTEST

National Disability Institute (NDI), re-cently kicked off its 4th Annual My Ameri-can Dream-Voices of Americans with Disabili-ties Video Contest. The contest encouragespeople with disabilities to share their Ameri-can dreams via video for a chance to win$1,000, a digital tablet and sessions with amentor to help make those dreams a reality.

To enter, contestants must create and sub-mit a three-minute video by Sept. 9 thatshowcases their personal story and the stepsthey are taking toward achieving theirdreams.

Following the entry deadline, an indepen-dent panel will select five finalists. Americawill then have a chance to view the five fi-nalist videos beginning Sept. 29 and casttheir votes for the grand prize winner on theofficial contest website.

The contest winner will be announced byor before Nov. 10.

To learn more about the contest and for acomplete list of submission guidelines andcontest rules visit http://dream.realeconomicimpact.org.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTSSEPTEMBER 4

Emotional and Other Barri-ers to Organizing Your Space6:30 to 9 p.m. at West End Colle-giate Church, 245 W. 77th St.,West End Ave. For informationcall 845 278-3022.

SEPTEMBER 5SHARING Festival presentedby Martha Lloyd Community Ser-vices. 9 to 3:30 p.m. For informa-tion call 570 297-2185 ext. 1253.

SEPTEMBER 6Wound Healing Teaching Day8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the RosedaleRoom of the Billings Building atBurke Rehabilitation Hospital,Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains.For information call 914 597-2877.

SEPTEMBER 7Disabled Queers of New York,support group for gay men, 12 to2 p.m. at the LGBT CommunityCenter, Manhattan. For informa-tion call Anthony 718 389-8180.

Disabled in Action Meeting1:30 to 4 p.m. at Selis Manor, 1stfloor auditorium, 135 West 23rdStreet between 6th and 7th Ave.For information call 718 261-3737.

Paralympic Games Rio deJaneiro, Brazil. For informationvisit www.usaba.org. ThroughSept. 18.

SEPTEMBER 8Golden Bridge Business andInnovation Awards SanFransisco. For information visitwww.goldenbridgeawards.com

SEPTEMBER 11Access-A-Ride Presentation 1p.m. at BCID, 27 Smith St., 2ndfloor, Brooklyn. For informationcall Sandrina Kingston 718 998-3000.

SEPTEMBER 22Golf Outing sponsored byNYSBOC to benefit CerebralPalsy of Westchester 10 a.m. atthe Hollow Brook Golf Club, 1060Oregon Rd., Cortland Manor. Forinformation call John Colangelo914 937-3800 ext. 215.

SEPTEMBER 28Lion King for people with autismand other sensory disorders 1p.m. at the Minskoff Theatre, 200West 45th St., Manhattan. Forinformation visit www.tdf.org/thelionking.

SEPTEMBER 30Intro to Flexible Web: PowerSeminar for JAWS usersCCVIP, Baruch College. For in-formation call 646 312-1420.

ONGOING EVENTSFree Workshops and Servicesat United Cerebral Palsy of NewYork City Family Connect Cen-ters throughout the five boroughs.For information call 718 436-7979 ext.704.

Free Creative Writing Pro-gram/Writing Workshop, Sat-urdays 2 to 4 p.m. for Gulf, Af-ghanistan & Iraq Vets. For infor-mation call Zachary Sussman 212992-9809.

Social & Support Group Sat-urdays 5:30 to 7 p.m. at NAMI-NYC, 505 Eighth Ave., #1103,35th St. For information on thisand other workshops call 212684-3264.

Movie Club, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. atNAMI, 505 Eighth Ave., 35th St.,#1103. For information call 212684-3365.

Knitting & Crochet Groups,11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays at ICS,25 Elm Pl., 5th floor, Brooklyn.For information call 718 907-1600.

CHADD Meeting Children andAdults with ADD, first Mondays,5:55 p.m. at 65 W. 89th St. Forinformation call Harold Meyer212 724-9699.

Rights for Imprisoned Peoplewith Psychiatric Disabilities,first Mondays, 12 to 2 p.m. atUrban Justice Center, 123 Will-iam St., 16th floor. For informa-tion call 646 260-6575.

SORT Support Group/Work-shop for clutterers/hoarders 6to 8 p.m. first Mondays at EIS,80 Maiden Lane. 11th floor.For information call 212 308-2210.

Housing and Benefits Clinics,Mondays and Tuesdays 10 a.m.to 1:30 p.m., and Writers Work-shop every Thursday, 4 to 6 p.m.at CIDNY 841 Broadway #30113-14 Sts. For information callEva Eason 646 442-4156.Brain Injury Support Groupfor family members and survi-vors, second Mondays at 6:30p.m. at Helen Hayes Hospital.For information call 845 786-4044.

Art for Everyone Tuesdays 10a.m. to 1 p.m. at ICS, 400

Fordham Rd., 10th floor, Bronx.For information call LatriciaJames 718 907-1622.

Lupus Alliance of Long Is-land/Queens Support Groupmeets once a month on Tuesdays7:30 to 9 p.m. in Flushing. Forinformation call 516 802-3142.

BCID hosts support groupsfor people with disabilities.Free Parent Support Group,first Tuesdays 6 to 7:30 p.m. atthe Brooklyn Parent Center,BCID, 27 Smith St., Brooklyn.For information call 718 951-5186. Brooklyn SystemsChange Network, second Tues-days Deaf Computer Class ev-ery Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.and 2 to 4 p.m. at BCID, 27 SmithSt., Brooklyn. For informationonthis and other workshops call 718998-3000.

Education Advocacy for Par-ents Intensive Workshop atMetropolitan Parents CenterTuesdays & Thursdays 10 a.m. to1 p.m. at Sinergia, 2082 Lexing-ton, 4th floor bell 333, 126th St.For information call GodfreyRivera 212 643-2840 ext. 301.

Brooklyn Family Support Ser-vices Advisory Council, thirdTuesdays 10 a.m., will be held at25 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn. Forinformation call 718 642-8512.

Work Readiness Group runby the BACE Program ofGoodwill Industries for peoplewith chronic mental illnessWednesday mornings. Peer Sup-port Group Thursday after-noons at BCID, 27 Smith St.,Brooklyn. For information call718 998-3000.

Body/Mind Support Group for& by people who are both physi-cally and mentally disabled/chal-lenged, 6 to 8 p.m. every 2ndWednesday at HILC, 289 St.Nicholas Ave., #21 lower level.For information call Ed Randolph212 222-7122.

Adaptive Climbing Classes forpeople with physical disabilitiespresented by the Brooklyn Boul-ders 7 p.m. every Thursday at 575Degraw St., Brooklyn. For infor-mation call 347 834-9066.

Financial Coaching everyThursday, 12 to 4 p.m. at NAMI.

To have your event or meetinglisted, send information to AbleNews, P.O. Box 395, OldBethpage, N.Y., 11804. Thedeadline for calendar items isthe 10th day of the month pre-ceding the date of publication.Calendar items will be acceptedonly if they have a specific date.

For information call 212 684-3365, ext. 214.

Family Support Group, forparents and caregivers of childrenwith disabilities 5 to 7 p.m. sec-ond and fourth Thursdays atBrooklyn Community Services,285 Schermerhorn St., Brooklyn.For information call MariaGraceffa 718 622-9400.

Support and Advocacy Groupfor People who are Blind orVisually Impaired and theirFriends, Friday mornings atBCID, 27 Smith St., Brooklyn.For information call 718 998-3000.

Adaptive Sports (S.P.A.R.E.S),1 to 2 p.m. for kids with a dis-ability 5+ , every other Saturday(All Oerter Rec Center, 131-40Fowler Ave, Flushing) wheel-chair basketball, football, tennis,floor hockey, softball, sled hockey,sitting volleyball, adapted swim-ming, power wheelchair soccerand track and field. http://www.nycgovparks.org/acces-sibility

Memory Arts Café: 6 p.m., ev-ery 2nd Wed. has free art eventsfor people living with Alzheimer’s,caregivers & public held at theN.Y. Memory Center, 199 14 St,4 Ave, Brooklyn. For informa-tion call 718-499-7701.

Imagine It! Build It! LegoProjects for children with spe-cial needs first Saturdays 1 to 3p.m. at Flatlands Library, Brook-lyn, fourth Fridays 4:30 to 5:30p.m. at Red Hook Library, Brook-lyn, third Saturdays 11:30 a.m. to1 p.m., at Saratoga Library,Brooklyn. For information call718 253-4849.

Adaptive Teen Time Programfirst, second & third Saturdays 12to 2 p.m. at Central Library,Trustees room, 10 Grand ArmyPlaza, Brooklyn. For informationcall 718 253-4948.

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to address hearing accessibil-ity and ticket sales access.

Responding to complaintsfrom advocacy groups, the of-fice investigated the availabil-ity of assisted listening de-vices at several theaters in thecity.

After finding that three the-aters did not provide the ap-propriate auxiliary aids, the

A.G. PROMISES ADA COMPLIANCEContinued from page 3

office secured agreements withthose theaters to ensure thatsuch aids will be available topatrons. In addition, the bu-reau has been working to en-sure that theaters provideequal access to ticket sales forindividuals with disabilities.

In addition to these recentagreements, the bureau contin-ues to enforce the ADA against

ADA ANNIVERSARYContinued from page 5in Washington, D.C. Manycongressmembers attended, aswell as disability activists. In ad-dition, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa)

businesses that fail to accom-modate service animals of in-dividuals with disabilities. Ithas also taken action against

public transportation provid-ers and municipalities that failto ensure access to polling siteson Election Day.

was honored with the TonyCoelho Award, and AT&T wasgiven the AAPD Corporate Lead-ership Award.

PERSONAL PLACEPERSONAL PLACEMEET A COMPANION, PHONE FRIEND, PEN PAL, OR EVEN A SPOUSE

A •Asian B• Black C •Christian D •Divorced F•Female G •Gay H •Hispanic J •Jewish M •Male N/D •Non drinker N/S • Non Smoker P •Professional S •Single W•White

GUIDELINES: Able assumes no liability for the contents of or replies to any personal advertisements, or the actions of any individuals. Any such liability restsexclusively with the advertiser, or a respondent to such advertisements. Able may, in its sole discretion, reject or delete any personal advertisements which itdeems inappropriate. This service is intended solely for personal advertisements of singles. No ads will be accepted from couples, groups or organizations.Advertisers and respondents must be 18 years of age or older. No ads will be published seeking persons under the age of 18.

CHECK ENCLOSED Make Checks payable to Able Newspaper

VISA MASTERCARD AMERICAN EXPRESS

PERSONAL ADS

TO PLACE AN AD TO ANSWER AN ADJust write up your ad and mail with your check or moneyorder to Able Personal, P.O. Box 395, Old Bethpage, N.Y. 11804.We will assign an Able Personal number and forward allresponses to you. Be sure to include your name and ad-dress. Just $12 for 15 words plus $1 for each additionalword to appear one month.

Put your response letter in an envelope with the A# of theperson you are writing on the front. Put this envelope inanother envelope addressed to Able Personals, P.O. Box395, Dept. RS, Old Bethpage, N.Y. 11804. Enclose $2 per re-sponse to cover the cost of handling and mailing fees. Donot send cash. Checks or money orders only. Be sure toinclude your address or phone number. For faster responseplace 44 cent stamp on envelope.

CUT OUT AND SEND WITH YOUR PERSONAL AD

NAME

ACCT# EXP. DATE

ADDRESS ZIP PHONE

SIGNATURE

BSM, 38, fairly handsome, 5’9”,Aquarius, starving artist/ free-lancer,writer and illustrator. On gov’t assis-tance looking for SF, 30’s for pen pal,platonic relationship to start, but roomfor more. All races welcome. A368

WF, 70-Mild disability, uses cane, meetnew friends-Senior M/F lunch groupforming. Nassau. A 370

APM, 58 seeks BF friendship and dat-ing. I love to travel in Australia andSingapore. A371

Who knows, I might get lucky and this

senior citizen could meet a nice lady to

spend quality time with. If you could

be this lady, I’d love it. A372

SWM, 49, with spinal muscular atro-phy seeks SWF30-48 for dating in Suf-folk or Nassau county. I enjoy fishing,comedy clubs, movies, murder mysterydinners, nascar races and LI Ducksbaseball. A373

SWM, 65, seeks SWF for a phone

friend and eventually maybe to meet.

I do not have a computer, so send

your phone number. A374

SWM 63, Seeks nice lady for serious long

term relationship, please include phone

number. A375

62-year-old widow, looking for gentle-man who drives and enjoys easier lifestyle. A376

SWF, 58, looking for that special guyto spend the rest of my life with. I’measy going, out going person and Ilove doing most everything. Let’senjoy life together. A377

CENTER FOR INDEPENDENCE

WHEELCHAIRS & SCOOTERSACCESS EQUIPMENT VAN CONVERSIONS

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The approved researchprojects resulted from PCORIFunding Announcements (PFAs)issued in September 2013 underPCORI’s five broad National Pri-orities for Research.

The PFAs sought proposalsfor research that will provide

FUNDING APPROVEDContinued from page 2

patients and those who care forthem with the evidence-basedinformation needed to makebetter-informed health andhealthcare decisions.

Details about the newly ap-proved studies are available atwww.pcori.org/pfaawards.

AbleBusiness

DIRECTORY

CIVIL RIGHTS LAW FIRMJames E. Bahamonde, Esq.

(646) 290-8258 (516) 783-9662FREE CONSULTATION HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL

www.civilrightsNY.com

HOUSING & ACCESSIBILITY DISCRIMINATION

SERVICE DOG DISCRIMINATION

This Spot Could Be Yours.To Place An Ad Call.

AbleAbleAbleAbleAble516 939-2253

BraunAbility to Build Final Paratransit Van in October

BraunAbility is scheduledto build its finalParatransit commercial

vehicle in October and recentlyhonored the life of the vehicle linewith a celebration.

The paratransit line producedmobility-equipped full-size vansfor commercial use. More than

25,000 Paratransit vans werebuilt at Braun headquarters inWinamac, Ind. during the courseof the vehicle’s life, with 3,000being delivered to North Carolinaalone.

BraunAbility’s paratransitproduct was built on the FordEconoline chassis and when Ford

discontinued its Econoline prod-uct BraunAbility made the deci-sion to end production of itsParatransit vehicle.

“Ralph Braun began by in-stalling wheelchair lifts on full-size vans like these,” said NickGutwein, BraunAbility president.“This product is where it allstarted. This is Braun.”

BraunAbility began production

on the paratransit vehicles in thelate 1970s. The passing of theAmericans with Disabilities Act in1990 served as a springboard forincreased orders of mobility prod-ucts by state and federal agencies.BraunAbility will focus its effortson manufacturing wheelchair liftsand wheelchair accessible ve-hicles for consumer and commer-cial use.

AbleCLASSIFIED

ADVERTISING

AUTOMOTIVE

Haircuts In YOUR homeMen, women and children.Serving LI and NY only. Call917 363-6834.

POWER WHEELCHAIRSAnd much more. Call for moreinformation 845 337-4914.

FOR SALE

HAIRDRESSER

AAAAAbleblebleblebleCLASSIFIEDSCLASSIFIEDSCLASSIFIEDSCLASSIFIEDSCLASSIFIEDS

Wheelchair accessible inOceanside, five bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, elevator, ramps androll-in shower, asking $749,000neg. Call Dan 516 557-4510.

COMPANION

HOUSE FOR SALE

NAME

ADDRESS

ZIP

PHONE ( )

RUN MY AD IN THE:

L.I. EDITION N.Y. EDITION N.J. EDITION

CHECK ENCLOSED $

Make checks payable to Able Newspaper

VISA MASTERCARD AMERICAN EXPRESS

Acct# Exp. Date

Signature Security code______

CLASSIFIED MAIL-IN FORM

Print my ad as follows(Use one space per word)

CLASSIFIED AD RATESINDIVIDUAL1 Edition - $5 per 5 word line2 Editions -$8 per 5 word line3 Editions -$10 per 5 word lineBUSINESS1 Edition - $10 per 5 word line2 Editions- $16 per 5 word line3 Editions- $20 per 5 word lineMAIL TO:ABLE NEWS, P.O. Box 395,Old Bethpage, N.Y. 11804OR to place your ad with a creditcard by phone call 516 939-2253DEADLINE:The 10th day of the month prior to publication.

EMPLOYMENT HAIRDRESSER

SERVICES

REAL ESTATE

HOUSE FOR SALEWheelchair accessible homein Staten Island, 3 bed-rooms, 2.75 bath, elevator,roll-in shower, generator,$779,900 neg. Call GailSweeney 718 420-2300.

FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE

YOUR AD COULD BE HERE CALL 516 939-2253253

FREELANCE REPORTERSReporters needed for AbleNewspaper. Send clips tobusinessfor24@aol.com.

HAIRDRESSER

NURSEAvailable for visits to Dr, as-sist with daily care, medica-tion. Call 631 775-6357

EXERCISE BIKETheracycle 100 leg exercisingbike, automatically pedals for-wards/backwards, $2,000,pristine conditon. Call 917-

226-4259.

FOR DMF COMPANYExperienced Installers/techni-cians wanted, now hiring. Call631 623-6810.

FREE EQUIPMENTThe National AmputationFoundation has free equip-ment. Call 516 887-3600.

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