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Disability in the News
AccessABILITY '98:
An International Letter-Writing Competition to Promote Better Understanding of Challenges of Disabled
VANCOUVER, Canada, April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Canadian wheelchair athlete Rick Hansen is among the celebrities encouraging students of all ages to take part in AccessABILITY '98, an international letter-writing competition designed to help promote better understanding of the many challenges that must be faced and overcome by students with mobility-related disabilities.
Sponsored by Garaventa (Canada) Ltd., the letter-writing competition is open to all elementary, high school and college/university/technical school students in the United States and Canada.
"We still have a long way to go in our quest to remove both physical and attitudinal barriers," says Rick Hansen, the wheelchair athlete who, in 1985, circled the globe on a two-year Man In Motion tour to raise awareness of the challenges faced by persons with disabilities.
"But I am heartened by the progress made in the last decade and would encourage each and every student to look around their community and environment, not only to identify accessibility issues, but to work towards possible solutions."
Students throughout the United States and Canada are invited to enter AccessABILITY '98. Over 35,000 school board officials and administrators, state and provincial offices of organizations serving people with disabilities were notified of the competition through a direct mail campaign.
"Access to far too many public and private educational facilities in North America remains a significant obstacle for students of all ages with mobility- related disabilities," notes Garaventa spokesperson, Barbara Bell.
"But through better understanding of the need for improved access to these opportunities, we move closer to enabling a new generation of young students to realize their educational dreams, goals and aspirations."
The Garaventa AccessABILITY '98 letter writing competition closes June 15. Winners will be announced the week of July 15, 1998.
Finalists will be chosen by a panel of judges that include leading figures from journalism, government and advocacy groups. They are: Eric Boyd, Managing Director, Canadian Paraplegic Association; Miriam Braunstein, Assistant Editor, New Mobility Magazine (U.S.); Raymond Cohen, Publisher/Editor-In-Chief, Abilities Magazine (Canada); Edwina Julliet, Director, U.S. National Task Force on Life Safety for People with Disabilities; and Gordon H. Mansfield, Executive Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Over $12,000 (U.S.) in cash prizes will be awarded. The first, second and third place winners in each category (elementary, high school and college/university/technical school) receive a combined total of $9,175.
Authorized Garaventa dealers throughout Canada and the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska, are co-sponsoring the competition, and will provide $100 (U.S.) to each of the thirty honorable mention winners.
Garaventa will donate an Evacu-Trac(TM) emergency evacuation device for persons with mobility-related disabilities to the three schools or institutions in the name of the first prize winners in each category.
Dedicated to developing safe and reliable accessibility solutions since 1978, Garaventa (Canada) Ltd. is a world leader in the development of accessibility products for persons with mobility-related disabilities.
For more information on AccessABILITY '98, and to obtain competition entry forms, contact Garaventa at 1-800-663-6556, or visit their website at http://www. garaventa.com.
Judge's bios and competition promotional material available. Competition information can also be found by visiting the company web site: http://www.garaventa.com.
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