Celebrate All Abilities: 3peat

The University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point Disabilities Advisory Council presents another year of “Celebrate All Abilities” to end the month of October.
Since the very first time Celebrate All Abilities was introduced to campus, educating the community has been a main goal. For the last few years, UWSP has been on a mission to celebrate inclusive excellence. To some, it has been unknown; to others, it rings in their ears in the form of event planning. Jim Joque, the director of the Disability and Technology Center, spoke about how Celebrate All Abilities is more than just an event.
“It’s good to see people work together for a good cause, and the good cause is making people aware of disabilities,” Joque said.

Moments later, Joque mentioned he thinks that the students will be greatly impacted by the testimony of the people who live with these disabilities.

Each program has brought a lot of success, but a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make it all happen.

After speaking with Margaret Strong, the Assistant Technology Coordinator, the amount of work became a little bit more visible.

“My part was mainly partnering up with St. Michael’s and making sure that it was all secure,” Strong said.

However, Strong is not alone. Every year a student intern helps with the promotions as the promotions manager. This year it is Amy Kucksdorf. Joque mentioned how fulfilling working with Kucksdorf was.

As the student intern, Kucksdorf handled all the promotions. She put together flyers and came up with other strategies to promote as best as she could.

“It’s just a matter of getting everything coordinated. So we had a student come in as an intern, as a promotions manager, who has the talent and skill to make posters, well as know how to contact other mediums,” Joque said.

Joque later commented that another of the Council’s most rewarding opportunities has been offering this information to the students, the staff, and the community of Stevens Point.

Strong’s and Kucksdork’s efforts are all linked back to the purpose of educating the campus and community. Some of the topics to look forward to this year will be “Recognizing and Helping people with ADHD,” “An American America Resurrection,” and “The Visible and Invisible Wounds of Wounded Warriors.”

This year Celebrate All Abilities takes place in the UWSP Dreyfus University Center in the Laird Room South.

In its third year, the UWSP Disabilities Advisory Council hopes Celebrate All Abilities impacts everyone who comes out to take place in this experience.

 

Emmitt Williams

Reporter