The Athens County Commissioners declared March Developmental Disability Awareness Month at their Thursday meeting.
The declaration comes in anticipation of the 2009 Awareness Disability Festival. The event, scheduled for Tuesday at the Athens Community Center, will showcase disabled persons' art as well as the Just like You Parade.
This year will be the festival's eighth anniversary and will be coordinated by ATCO, Inc. ATCO is a work training center that provides career education for adults with developmental disabilities. Personnel Plus, an ATCO affiliate, helps place patients with local business openings.
Another component of the center is the Passion Works Studio, which provides disabled people with art supplies and instruction. The studio will provide art for the festival.
For County Commissioner Larry Payne, this is the first year he has not helped plan the event. Prior to his election, Payne was chairman of the ATCO Board. Our people and workers at ATCO and Personnel Plus are great
he said. We have people working all over Athens. People with disabilities have needs and concerns just like us and that needs to be brought out more.
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Dan Quarfoot
