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March 18, 2008

By MEGHAN DURBAK The Kokomo Tribune Tue Mar 18, 2008, 11:25 PM EDT

Abby Hemmeger, 16, found it difficult to win a race without using her feet.

Seated in a wheelchair, Abby took on her opponent, Russ Ragland, a disability support services advocate from Ivy Tech Community College, in a race around a set of cones. She lost, despite using her feet to propel herself forward.

“That’s cheating! Abby, that’s cheating!” one of her friends called.

Laughing, she turned another corner, only to discover that Ragland beat her anyway.

Tuesday’s simulation was one Ragland has brought to Kokomo High School for eight years as a part of National Disability Awareness Month. Using an obstacle course, Ragland demonstrated the difficulties people with disabilities face in everyday life.

“I don’t want sympathy. I want empathy,” he said. “[Before I was in a wheelchair] I used to cross the street rather than being confronted by someone who was disabled. I didn’t know what to say to them.”

An accident confined Ragland to a wheelchair 23 years ago.

With the help of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee, Ragland hopes to get his message across to the general public.

While Ragland focuses on educating the general public, Bona Vista Programs staff promote programs for individuals with special needs. Bona Vista President Jill Dunn and Tammy Alexander, director of Industrial Operations, work hard to gain state and federal support to maintain programs.

Bona Vista provides support to more than 1,000 people a day. The non-profit organization assists individuals with developmental disabilities through residential and community-living programs, helps them acquire jobs, and teaches work and life skills. The program also helps early childhood development programs to assist in physical, occupational and speech therapy. Staff members use developmental therapy and applied behavior analysis services to help children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental delays.

But to keep these programs running, Dunn has to garner support from governmental agents, such as U.S. Congressman Dan Burton.

On Tuesday, Dunn and Alexander gave Burton a tour of the Kokomo facilities. Burton, a longtime supporter of special needs programs, helped Bona Vista enter into the Crane contract, a military experimental program.

Under the agreement, Bona Vista clients will have new jobs available to them where they will make pallets for the Army, to be used in land mine experiments, Alexander said. Bona Vista entered into a $47,600 contract, receiving approximately $15,000 in profit.

“The clients love having new jobs to do, and it increases their skills,” she said.

“I’m really impressed with this facility,” Burton said. “I think Bona Vista provides an extremely valuable services especially for people with special needs.”

After learning about the many programs available at Bona Vista, Burton said he and his administration would assist the organization in seeking out other contracts as well as grants.

“We’ll help in any way we can.”

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