Appreciation Program Recognizes Outstanding Advocacy Efforts

Held at the Renaissance Atlanta Downtown Hotel, the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) Making a Difference Appreciation Program was about more than just handing out awards. After a warm welcome from Tom Seegmueller, GCDD chair, GCDD’s Executive Director Eric Jacobson summed up a year of advocacy by saying, “GCDD is really about ‘thinking outside the box.’ Our healthy mistrust of the rules is what makes us effective at changing policies and the public’s perception of people with developmental disabilities.” Jacobson underscored this statement by explaining that the GCDD’s mission is continue to do what it takes to achieve real careers, homes, learning, influence and supports for individuals and families who are living with developmental disabilities.

The 2010 Appreciation Program honored a year’s worth of superlative advocacy work for people with developmental disabilities. As Pat Nobbie, Ph.D., GCDD deputy director, opened the ceremony, she acknowledged that a “bad budget scenario” was a daunting obstacle to overcome but that the legislators being honored never wavered in their commitment to their causes. As a result, positive change was affected in spite of budget limitations. People should be responsible for their own decisions without the government getting involved, regardless of the consequences. I want to make my own decisions, and I would think that most people feel the same.The first award recipient went to Rep. Jimmy Pruett (R-Eastman), who championed amendments to the Nurse Practice Act. The legislation allows thousands of Georgians who currently cannot afford home care by a licensed nurse to be cared for at home. Pruett shared that this bill meant more to him than any he had worked on in his four years as a Representative. With conviction he added, “People should be responsible for their own decisions without the government getting involved, regardless of the consequences. I want to make my own decisions, and I would think that most people feel the same.” Rep. Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta), a former nurse and caretaker to her mother, was also recognized for her work on the Nurse Practice Act. Expressing frustration with the process of getting the bill passed, Cooper commented that the families and individuals who came to testify before the committee were key to its success, providing committee members with an intimate look into the experiences of the affected individuals. Cooper concluded her acceptance of the award with sincere thanks, remarking that children, people with disabilities and the elderly “hold a special place in [her] heart.” She also expressed her hope that reelection would allow her to continue her work to help all people with special needs to be more independent.

Sen. Don Thomas (R-Dalton) was given the final recognition for advocacy of the Nurse Practice Act. Thomas was unable to attend the Appreciation Ceremony but his efforts were acknowledged nonetheless. Kim Chester of Cartersville, GA was given the prestigious C. Anthony Cunningham Council Member of the Year award. Presented by Tom Seegmueller and Jill Alexander, Chester was honored for her work with the Georgia Job/Family Collaborative, which has been working on discretionary sick leave legislation for several years. In April, Kim traveled with the Georgia 9to5 Delegation to speak at the National Making it Work Conference in Washington, DC. She and her family visited our Senate delegation, and she and daughter Haley got to speak before Hilda Solis, U.S. Secretary of Labor. She was appointed to GCDD in 2007 by Governor Sonny Perdue. [caption id="attachment_589" align="aligncenter" width="408" caption="From left: Cindia Cameron (Organizing Director, 9to5 National Association of Working Women and Chair of the GA Job/Family Collaborative); Valerie Meadows Suber (GCDD Public Information Director), Kim Chester (GCDD 2010 Council Member of the Year), and Claudia Lewis (Atlanta 9to5 Board Chair)"][/caption] Chester has also been recognized for her outstanding work as an educator dedicated to developing teaching methods, such as co-teaching and differentiating instruction, in order to accommodate the diverse needs of individuals with developmental disabilities. In 2009, she co-authored a best-selling educational text for school improvement. The text was a joint publication by Corwin Press and the Council for Exceptional Children. She serves as a parent mentor in Bartow County Schools, assisting families of children with disabilities. The Appreciation Program also featured a sneak preview of the documentary entitled, Not Home, by Narcel Reedus, which examines the fate of children who are displaced from their homes because families lack the support needed to care for them. This topic is the subject of the Children’s Freedom Initiative, which aims to bring children living in nursing homes back to reside with their families so that they may live as many other children do, with the love and support of their families. I was compelled by the decision parents make when they send their child away feeling they have no other choice. I wanted to somehow understand and share that painful decision.Reedus expressed heartfelt thanks for all of GCDD’s assistance in making the documentary. With regard to his inspiration, he said, “I was inspired to make Not Home, a documentary about kids living in nursing facilities, after speaking with Gillian Grable who works for the Georgia Advocacy Office and is part of the Children’s Freedom Initiative. I was compelled by the decision parents make when they send their child away feeling they have no other choice. I wanted to somehow understand and share thatpainful decision.” Eric Jacobson concluded the evening’s festivities with well wishes for the legislators in the imminent political season, saying, “Please continue to think outside the box. We appreciate all of your hard work and wish you all the best of luck.” By Claire Barth