People Inc - IN THE NEWS

September 2006

People Inc.’s Museum of disABILITY will soon have a new home

The Amherst Town Board voted on September 18 to approve a lease agreement to have People Inc. move its Museum of disABILITY History from a temporary site to the Mennonite Meeting House on the corner of North Forest Road and Main Street in Amherst. The Museum of disABILITY History is the first of its kind in the world.

Mayor Brown recognizes People Inc. consumer

A presentation was made September 12 to Terry Thompson, a janitor at Central Park Plaza Day Services who also receives Supported Employment services through People Inc., at Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown’s office on September 12. People Inc.’s Facilities Coordinator Bob Towlson contacted the Mayor’s office to let him know one of Terry’s wishes: “Terry is a very hard working and dedicated employee and an exceptional young man. Terry’s greatest goal in life is to be a Garbage Man - he constructed a cart and painted it blue like the garbage trucks to collect trash here at Central Park Day Services.” Terry was presented with a Sanitation Department Worker shirt and a certificate by Mayor Brown.

Museum of disABILITY History hosts film festival

The Museum of disABILITY History, a project of People Inc., will host the 2 nd Annual disABILITIES Film Festival and Speaker Series every Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the month of October. The series will take place at the Dipson Market Arcade Film and Arts Center, 639 Main Street in Buffalo. Admission is $2 per person and free for students with proper I.D.

The Film Festival targets students, educators, families, human service professionals, self advocates, and movie-goers. The goal is to provide entertainment and information while exploring issues faced by people with disabilities. The programs are intended to educate viewers about disabilities, challenge stereotypes, and celebrate the contributions of people with disabilities to popular culture. There will be a presentation and discussion by a variety of speakers following the showing of each film.

People Inc. is pleased to announce that Mark Zupan, Paralympic Rugby Athlete from the film Murderball, will be a speaker on October 14 when the film is featured. Following the film and discussion, he will sign copies of his book: GIMP: When Life Deals You a Crappy Hand, You Can Fold - or You Can Play. Award winning producer Duane Graves will be the featured speaker on October 28. Graves produced and edited the film Up Syndrome, which won three Best Documentary awards including the 2001 Slamdance Film Festival. For more information visit the disABILITY Film Festival and Speaker Series website.

http://www.disabilityfilmfest.org/

People Inc. President and CEO Appointed to Presidential Commission

President and Chief Executive Officer James M. Boles, Ed.D. was selected by President George W. Bush to sit on the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID). Congress member Thomas Reynolds (R), Clarence, nominated Dr. Boles. One of Dr. Boles focus areas will be the history of disabilities.

The President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID), formerly The President's Committee on Mental Retardation (PCMR), is a federal advisory committee, established to advise the President of the United States and the Secretary of The Department of Health and Human Services on issues concerning citizens with intellectual disabilities, coordinate activities between different federal agencies and assess the impact of their policies upon the lives of citizens with intellectual disabilities and their families.

The 21 member committee also includes American Idol star Clay Aiken of North Carolina.