Los Angeles County
Commission on Disabilities
Celebrating 32 Years of Leadership & Advocacy
www.laccod.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: ROSEMARY OSUNA
Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities
(213) 974-1053
LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
AND THE
COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES’
16TH ANNUAL
ACCESS AWARDS LUNCHEON
On October 15, 2007, in recognition of October as “Disability Awareness Month,” the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities hosted their 16th Annual Access Awards Luncheon.
This event’s program was hosted by Ellen Leyva, News Anchor for ABC7, at the New Otani Hotel and Garden in Downtown Los Angeles, which offers a delicious Western/Japanese cuisine. Entertainment was provided by the fabulous trio acapella Outasight and the ARC and Adults Handbell Choir, a group of developmentally disabled adults and children who make beautiful music with bells.
Among the 250 attendees present, at this event, were the Honorable Yvonne B. Burke, Supervisor for the 2nd District, Councilwoman Jan Perry (9th District), and Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas (26th Senate District), as well as a myriad of individuals and advocates of the disability Community.
The following ten individuals and/or corporations were saluted for demonstrating outstanding leadership and effectively creating opportunities that enhance the lives of people with disabilities:
Billy Barty Award
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Bill Tainter Award
Kristina Ripatti, Police Officer
Los Angeles Police Department
Pearl Ella Johnson Award
Lawrence Pleskow
When U Dream a Dream, Inc.
Chairperson’s Award
Captain Gregory C. Malais
Los Angeles City Fire Department
Jane Small Advocacy Award
Protection & Advocacy, Inc.
1st District
Washington Mutual
2nd District
Junior Blind of America
3rd District
Terri Lantz, Advocacy Coordinator
United Cerebral Palsy
4th District
Ben Rockwell, Vice President Californians for Disability Rights, Inc.
Chair, Metro Accessibility
Advisory Committee
5th District
Steve Miller, Executive Director
Tierra Del Sol Foundation
This event is held each year to honor individuals, corporations, and public entities that have made outstanding contributions and/or have demonstrated leadership, commitment, inspiration, facilitation or promotion of accessibility and equality for people with disabilities.
With proceeds generated from this gala event, the Commission is able to sponsor the Bill Tainter Scholarship Program for Students with Disabilities, and support the Commission’s outreach to the disability community. To date, through the Bill Tainter Scholarship Program, the Commission has awarded twenty $2,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors with disabilities. Most recently, on August 14, 2007, the following students: Lizeth Gabriola (1st District), Edwin Velasquez (2nd District), Paul Herzlich (3rd District), Adam Ohnstad (4th District), and Phillip Morrow (5th District) were the 2007 scholarship recipients.
The Commission thanks the following Corporate Sponsors for their generous contributions: Northrop Grumman, Washington Mutual (WaMu), The Resnick Family Foundation, Inc., American Honda Motor Co., Inc., actor, Thomas J. Black, and everyone that contributed to the success of this event. The Commission looks forward to many rewarding future luncheons and the continued support of the disability community.
Event Photos
ARC and Adults Handbell Choir
Miki Jordan, CEO, Junior Blind of America, 2nd District Award Recipient & Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke (2nd District)
Virginia Victorin accepting the 1st District Award on behalf of Washington Mutual (WaMu)