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PR-09/28/2005: Recipients of 2005 People Who Care Awards Announced

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 28, 2005 San Mateo County Health Department Contact: Craig McCulloh, (650) 573-2480 (Voice), (650) 573-2220 (TDD) RECIPIENTS OF 2005 PEOPLE WHO CARE AWARDS ANNOUNCED SAN MATEO, CA—The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and the Commission on Disabilities are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2005 People Who Care Awards (PWC). These awards recognize individuals and organizations demonstrating outstanding initiative and dedication to enhancing the lives of people with disabilities in San Mateo County. On October 7, the recipients will be honored during the PWC dinner held at the South San Francisco Conference Center located at 225 South Airport Boulevard in South San Francisco. The recipients are: Marjorie Heymans, Volunteer Recipient: Heymans, a Belmont resident, is a volunteer and advocate for Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH). Since she and her husband have lost their hearing, Heymans has become all too familiar with the challenges the hard of hearing face. Gerry Rayward, Professional Recipient: Rayward, an art therapist, has supported the development of creative self-expression for people with disabilities in San Mateo County for more than 20 years. A Redwood City resident, Rayward is currently employed as the program supervisor for the Community Integration Program at Community Gatepath. Walter McVeigh, Educator Recipient: McVeigh is an educational case manager for adults with psychiatric disabilities at Caminar, Inc., and a volunteer at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Menlo Park. In sharing his experiences as a veteran recovering from a mental health disability, McVeigh has become a role model and inspiration to people with psychiatric disabilities. Target Store Redwood City (Nikki Uglow, Store Manager), Business Recipient: Target goes the extra mile with its initiative to support vocational rehabilitation for people with disabilities and help them succeed in the workplace. Golden Gate Regional Center (GGRC), Agency Recipient: GGRC has done an outstanding job of managing a growing caseload. GGRC, a hub for services for people with developmental disabilities, provides strong advocacy and lifetime support. Stephen Juel, Lore Radisch Lifetime Advocacy Award: During his tenure in the San Mateo County Aging and Adult Services Division (Juel recently retired), he advocated for and supported programs and services that continue to improve the quality of life and increase opportunities for the independence of people with disabilities. In addition, Juel has been a leading proponent of creating an arts center for people with disabilities in San Mateo County. Honorable Warren Slocum, Charlene A. Silva Outstanding Leadership Award: Accessibility of all the County’s polling places is a top priority for San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder Slocum. He included people with disabilities in selecting the County’s accessible voting technology and worked with the Center for Independence of the Disabled to evaluate the accessibility of polling sites. He also incorporated disabilities sensitivity training into the Elections Division’s Poll Workers Academy and hopes to offer the training to all 2,000 poll workers. San Mateo County Supervisor Adrienne Tissier will emcee the awards presentation, and entertainment will be provided by the Night of Comedy, featuring comedians with disabilities. PWC will also feature an art showcase for artists with disabilities who reside in San Mateo County. The exhibit, co-sponsored by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors; Commission on Disabilities; and ARTshare, San Mateo County, Inc., is an excellent opportunity for artists with disabilities to show their work and to raise awareness of the talent in our community. The artwork can be viewed during the reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., where the art will be sold by silent auction. The show will also be on display at the Caldwell Gallery in the Hall of Justice (400 County Center) in Redwood City from October 11 to 31 during Disabilities Awareness Month. Dinner is served at 7:00 p.m., and the cost is $45 per person. Table sponsorships are available. For more information or to buy tickets, call the Commission on Disabilities office at (650) 573-2580 (voice) or (650) 573-2220 (TDD). You can also find information on Commission’s Web site. Go to www.smco-cod.org and click on “Special Events.” ###