Monday, March 14, 2011

Disability Awareness - The First Encounter

I remember my first encounter of meeting a child with a disability. My family and I had relocated from another state and I began fifth grade in at new school. My exposure to people with disabilities prior to moving was non-existent.

Within the first couple months of school, my teacher notified the class that we would have another student joining us periodically. One day, we were going to watch a film in class and our teacher asked if there was anyone who would like to volunteer to meet with the other student at her classroom and bring her back to our class. Happy to help, I volunteered. When I arrived at the other student's classroom, I was intrigued by the individual in front of me. She used a wheelchair and needed my assistance to help get her to the other classroom. As we began our trek down the hall, she shared with me that she had cerebral palsy and some other fun facts about her. When we arrived to begin watching the film, several of the other students appeared to be caught off guard by her. I thought she was great, smart and fun to be around. I felt the other students just needed a few moments to get to know her and learn about my new friend. Needless to say, each time our teacher mentioned she would be joining us; I was the first to volunteer to help bring her back to our classroom.

I was fortunate enough to learn about people with disabilities at a relatively young age. Rather than focusing on my friend's disability, I enjoyed the individual she was and the stories she shared. I saw her abilities and what she brought to the class as another student.

What was your first encounter with a person with a disability? Did you have a similar experience? Did you have the opportunity to get to know the person first?

** To obtain some tips on how to interact with people with disabilities, visit our web site at www.wa.easterseals.com and click on "Resources". **

Charissa Manglona
VP of Human Resources
Easter Seals Washington

Monday, March 7, 2011

The Value of Volunteering

There is so much talk of the meism attitude, the narcistic era, the out-for-number-one phenomenon - it can all be disheartening to say the least.

In an attempt to feel better about our society in these tough times, I pulled up a recent study by the Corporation for National & Community Service. It worked - I feel better! The recent statistics relating to volunteerism in the United States are extremely encouraging.

Over 63 million Americans volunteered in 2009 - up 1.6 million from 2008. These volunteers logged 8 billion hours of service, with a value of $169 billion. The numbers were pushed up due to higher numbers of women volunteering, especially those ages 45 - 54; and many more full-time employed Americans making time to serve.

What are people doing to help out? The number one activity is fundraising, with a close second of collecting or distributing food. Many Americans are also providing general labor and tutoring or teaching.

Bringing these statistics closer to home added to my renewed optimism. Seattle is now ranked the fourth highest large city for rates of volunteerism. Anecdotally, my happiest friends and associates are those that have several volunteer projects going at once! When I ask them what they would cut out of their busy lives if they had to, the answer is never their non-compensated activities.

The bottom line is that volunteering feels good. It allows us to focus on making a difference just for the sake of, well, making a difference. I have ramped up my volunteer involvement over the years, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I also greatly value those that lend their time and talent for the organization that I am honored to lead.

I guess the moral of this story is... if your spirits need a lift, visit volunteeringinamerica.gov to view some awesome statistics about your fellow Americans. Then, get out there and volunteer!

Cathy Bisaillon
President & CEO
Easter Seals Washington