News Articles
The following information is forwarded to you by the DBTAC-Great Lakes ADA Center (www.adagreatlakes.org) for your information:
For Immediate Release
July 1, 2008
Media Contact: Shari L. Veleba
Media/PR Manager
ODVC/National Forum
sveleba@yahoo.com
614/477-1454 cell
National Forum on Disability Issues to feature presidential candidates in Columbus, Ohio July 26th
The Ohio Disability Vote Coalition (ODVC) is co-hosting The National Forum on Disability Issues, a nonpartisan event that will feature the invited presidential candidates in Columbus. The event is Saturday, July 26, 2008 from 12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the First Church of God Conference and Technology Centre, 3480 Refugee Rd., Columbus, OH 43232. There is no charge to attend, and the event is open to the public.
The ODVC is co-hosting the historic event with the Washington, D.C.-based American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). More than 70 national and state disability-related organizations, veterans groups, and AARP, are co-sponsoring the event. The Forum is free and open to the public, but registration is required to attend. To register, visit www.aapd.com.
Journalist Judy Woodruff, of PBS' NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, will serve as event moderator. More than 1,000 participants from Ohio and neighboring states are expected to attend. The invited presidential candidates will address their disability policy positions on issues such as: Employment, Healthcare, Long-Term Community-based Supports, Housing, Transportation and Education. All are vital topics to people with disabilities. The event will be streamed "live" on the Internet to a national audience in the tens of thousands, and will also be made available for broadcast to radio reading services throughout the United States. News Talk 610 WTVN radio is a media sponsor of the event.
The Forum will be the only event of its kind to take place in the country as the November General Election approaches. The event coincides with the 18th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, landmark civil rights legislation that has improved the lives of the more than 50 million Americans who have disabilities.
"This unique opportunity lets voters with disabilities learn firsthand from the candidates themselves what each candidate's positions are on disability issues and national policy that affect so many today," said Sue Hetrick, ODVC co-chair, and director of advocacy at The Ability Center of Greater Toledo.
The mission of the Ohio Disability Vote Coalition is to maximize the political power of Ohioans with disabilities through nonpartisan voter education, registration and participation of all people with disabilities at all levels of the election process.
ODVC Contact:
Sue Hetrick, co-chair
shetrick@abilitycenter.org *
Toll Free Phone: 866/575-8055
ODVC, 670 Morrison Road - Suite 200,
Gahanna, OH 43230