New Council Members Outgoing Members

New Council Members Outgoing Members Rob Buzogany Katherine Carol Kacey Daniel Mary Anne Harvey Lisa Franklin Lisa Kramer Sandy Friedman Corry Robinson Sarah Metsch Karen vonPhul Anuska Ullal Dana Wedlick Shannon Zimmerman Josh Winkler Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council

Dan B. Davidson 18th Annual Banquet

The Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council is a Wednesday, July 22, 2015 federally funded agency under the Developmental Disabilities 5:30–8:00 pm Act. The mission of the Council is to advocate, in collaboration Holiday Inn Denver East with and on behalf of people with developmental disabilities, 3333 Quebec Street for the establishment and implementation of public policy that Denver, Colorado 80207-2322 will further their independence, productivity and integration. 18th Annual Larry Ruiz Excellence in Inclusion Dan B. Davidson Dinner in Community Wednesday Jeremy Meyer, a writer for the Denver Post as well as a parent of a son with a disability, was nominated by Lionel Llewellyn for both his July 22, 2015 excellence in writing as well the substance. Mr. Meyer joined the Post’s editorial board in 2014 and has worked for Colorado newspapers since 2000. He is a graduate of Western Washington University in Bellingham. He has been a rock singer, a slacker record store employee, and a Domino’s pizza delivery person.

Jeremy shows great passion for disability issues as well as tenacity as he attempts to gather the facts. He digs deep into critical issues impacting 5:30 Gather in Arapahoe Ballroom many individuals we are here to serve in various roles, many of which are fiscal. Most recently, Jeremy wrote about the need for fiscal transparency in human services, specifically in the non-profit arena 6:00 Plated Dinner regarding community centered boards. By Jeremy shining a light on the issue, as a good journalist should, we hope that change can occur and people can be more efficiently served in the future. His writing reaches 7:00 Welcome and Announcements 556,000 readers daily and 900,000 on Sunday so there is some hope. Senator Irene Aguilar Although Jeremy writes on topics from fracking, to micro-brews, to RTD issues, and to effects of toxic stress, the Council is most appreciative of 7:10 ‘Who was Dan Davidson?’ his work around disability issues. He can be quoted from one of his pieces, “Service3s should be available to provide enough help to keep 7:20 Dan B. Davidson Awards people independent, working or in their own communities rather than forcing people with disabilities to live in institutions, on the streets or putting them in positions where they could be victimized. Neither does it 8:15 See You Next Year! make sense for a system that pushed family members from the workforce and possibly on to public assistance to care for their children.”

The screening committee valued the fact that Mr. Meyer recognizes that the struggle for each and every individual to live a life without segregation has been on-going for years with little victories here and there. Jeremy Meyer puts a human stamp on our fight with every article he writes.

RRR Ellie Valdez Honeyman Ellie Valdez Honeyman Excellence in Inclusion Excellence in Inclusion in Education in Education

The second award in education goes to the Chatfield High football Jen Bryner, an educator and theater director at Prairie View High School in program that was nominated by Theresa Major. The football team and Henderson, CO., was nominated by Maureen Olsen for her inclusionary coaches fully include Carson Major in meaningful roles with the team. practices in the theater group. Jen has made any accommodations necessary to Carson is 15-years-old, loves sports and chooses not to participate in include students with disabilities in the school plays and theater group. Many modified sports as he wants to be included in the ‘real thing’. The plays have included students in need of accommodations such as Beauty and football organization has gone above and beyond to include Carson and the Beast, Grease, and Robin Hood. Jen’s talent as a director and teacher along he was awarded the most ‘uncommon’ player last year, voted by his with her willingness to find ways to include all students in her productions and players. The motto for the Chatfield High School is ‘be uncommon’. classes should make her an excellent candidate for this award. Watching other This organization, with the outstanding staff (Gary Anderson and Bret students pitch in to include students with disabilities and foster a love for McGatlin), has incorporated Carson, who is non-verbal and uses a wheel theater warms my heart. I hope you will consider her for this honor.” chair, to be actively involved in the football program. He suits up for all The screening committee liked that fact that only students who were interested games, is recognized for his determination, and was put in for some plays in theater were in the play – it was not a special education class or something during the games being posted on Face Book. He will be videoing the just for students with I.E.P.s. Additionally, there was not a program to include Junior Varsity games this year with his IPad using the “hudl app” and students, but the simple willingness to accommodate students who indicated an giving that vital information to coaches for their strategizing. interest in theater. Lastly, the acknowledgement that all students participated The screening committee was pleased to award the Chatfield High School and thought nothing of including others indicates that their lives are changed as football program this award. Initially, the committee was concerned that well and this generation will be ready and willing to include others lifelong. the job may be token, with little meaningful participation. Yet when we These characteristics clearly fit the criteria of the committee and they are finished reading the nomination, we noted that Carson does what pleased to acknowledge the nomination with the award. everyone else does, sometimes with changes, sometimes not. His award was given just as others receive them; he dresses in uniform just as others do, and is gaining in his responsibility with the group as he shares the video-taping that conveys vital information for the coaches during games. Carson is much more than physically present-he is participating just as other students are. This is what the Council loves to see!

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