I landicapped Awareness Week
Daily arts, sports and workshops slated
y Doug Vaughan
f The Print
In an effort to see handicapped people as
lurnan beings with the same wants and interests as
Ithers, Debbie Derr, handicapped specialist, has
Irganized the second annual Handicapped
Iwareness Week at Clackamas Commuhity Coi-
|ge, April 25-30.
I “Hopefully if (the Week) will bring an
Iwareness to people on campus of what it would be
re as ä disabled person,” Derr saief- “They have
pecial problems that have to be looked at from dif­
lrent aspects.”
Derr is hoping that the week of events will
polish the idea that handicapped people do not
lave the same interests as the rest of us. In an at-
Irnptto send the word, she has scheduled events
br each day. »■
On Monday, April 25 the Handicapped
|esour6e Center will present an art exhibit featuring
lodger Hodge, a Clackamas Community College-
Irt major who works through the Center. The
isplay Will remain' in the Pauling Center until April
*Q
“People make assumptions that handicapped
leople can’t be artists or enjoy art, ,sb we are
resenting this to show they can,” Derr said. “It is
pry special this year because it is a student from
lie College. Last year we had a deaf and retarded .
han who did carvings that were phenomenal.”
I The following day Derr has scheduled a
Iheelchair basketball game starring the Portland
p heelblazers.. Also participating’in the game will be .
lollege students and faculty.
I “Here again people make the assumption that
1st because a person is in a wheelchair they can’t
e acti®,”’Derr said.
I Wednesday is set aside for people to volunteer
heir time to the summer programs that the Han-,
»capped Resource Center sponsor. Derr will have
I table set up in the Community Center to answer
Iny questions for interested people.
“I am hoping the response will be good. We
Ire always having people request information, and
‘‘People make assumptions that handicap­
ped people can’t be artists or enjoy art, so
we are presenting this to show they can.”
Debbie Derr, Handicapped Specialist
Photo by Rick Obritschkewitsch
this might.be an easy way to help them," Derr said.
. Thursday, Derr, will show-a,video tape dealing
with career'options.for the handicapped. The view-
Hundreds of people attended last
weekend’s Take Charge Day at
Clackamas Community College, in­
cluding representatives from local
businesses, artisans and county human
service agencies.
Photo-by Rick Obritschkqwitsch
ing vvill be for all interested staff and students. Also,
a personal skills assessment workshop and resume
writing workshop will be available to disabled ih-
dividuals.
A f ilm festival is set for. Friday with three films
being shown throughout the day.. “The Kid From
Nowhere,” “Bill,” and “Inside Moves” will be
shown in the Community Center Mall.
■' The final day of events will be a benefit run
■•with all the proceeds going to Special Olympics.
The entry fee is $6 with an April 22 deadline for
preregistration. Late registration fee is $6.50.
T-shirts will be given to every runner and ribbons
will be awarded for top finishers in each category.
“If the week brings awareness to a couple of
people, I will have met my goal,” Derr said.
“Sometimes one thing wilLspark aperson. If a per­
son sees the wheelchair basketball game and it pro­
mpts him to talk to a person in a wheelchair later it
will be serving its purpose. I guess that is just my
Jpie in the sky’ idea.”
Last year, the participation and response from
the College was disappointing to Derr. She is hop­
ing that this ybar will .be a little more organized and
the response will be greater.
‘^1 do not know if I set my expectations too
high, but I-wish there was more involvement from
the faculty,” Derr said, “It was my first time organiz­
ing something like this, maybe I tried to do too
rhuch/’^'
* “There are more and more handicapped
students on campus. They cure just like any minority
group that is not like the rest of us and they have
special needs,” Derr explained. “It is important to
build an awareness that they live the same type of
life as ours.” ? -.
The main problem Derr sees in the lack of
awareness is that it is hard to break the barrier bet­
ween two different things.
“I am. hoping this awareness week will break
the barriers. -The hardest thing to do is break therm­
it is like any other minority group. I demot know
any specific way; it is just something that I can’t
make happen,” Derr concluded.