By rdnewsNOW staff

Connecting Community

Red Deer event to promote acceptance and inclusion

Nov 25, 2019 | 3:39 PM

Central Albertans are encouraged to join people around the world next month in acknowledging and promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities is recognized across the globe on Dec. 3 each year.

However, Capabilities Connection of Central Alberta Association (CCCAA) is hosting an event this Saturday at the downtown branch of the Red Deer Public Library (RDPL) to better connect the entire community, and raise the awareness that everybody is capable and valued.

Dawne Hammerschmidt, vice chair for the Capabilities Connection of Central Alberta Association says the event is free, features great local speakers and concludes with a Q & A session.

“Our MC this year is J.R. Bjornson, he has a visibility impairment,” says Hammerschmidt. “We also have Chelsea Hagen – she speaks with an AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) device and has cerebral palsy and is very well-spoken, and we have Bond Jewell who is an athlete and local businessman. We also have Jocelyn Wilson who is a student at RDC right now and a few vendors that have disabilities of various natures that will be selling their creations.”

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Hammerschmidt says making our communities accessible comes with many benefits.

“Just think about things like shoveling your sidewalk,” she explains. “It could have a huge impact on somebody that has an ambulatory concern or balance issues. Or in the case of Chelsea, to allow her that time to give the output of speech, instead of walking away when she maybe hasn’t quite got the message across, just little things like that.”

International Day of Persons with Disabilities in Red Deer will be held inside the Snell Auditorium on Nov. 30 from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

You can register online here.