Disability Expo Features Two UK Groups

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 20, 2011) − The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (HDI) and the UK Disability Resource Center (DRC) will attend the third annual Celebration of Disability Expo this month.

The expo, which showcases Lexington services for citizens with disabilities and their family members, will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 21, in Heritage Hall at the Lexington Civic Center. The event is free and open to the public.

The HDI and DRC collaborated with the Mayor’s Commission for Citizens with Disabilities to plan this year’s expo.

“At last year’s event, HDI exhibited materials from our projects which ranged from birth through post-secondary resources for parents, consumers and educators, as well as information about HDI’s Supported Employment program,” said Marybeth Vallance, HDI’s pre-service training coordinator.

This year the institute plans to have a similar exhibit. In addition, the HDI has helped promote the event to educational institutions and agencies that work with people with disabilities across Central Kentucky.

For the first time, the Disability Resource Center will be a vendor at the Celebration of Disability Expo. Jacob Karnes, the director of the DRC, says the center’s participation has a direct impact on reaching the university’s mission of community outreach, improving the Commonwealth and increasing diversity at UK.

“We are curious to see how many will stop by for information about higher education opportunities in general, as well as with a specific interest in the University of Kentucky,” Karnes said.

At the expo, the DRC will also convert the program into braille and make copies for participants who may be blind or have low vision.

In addition to the UK resource representatives, more than 60 other vendors will showcase their services, which include employment, recreation, day programs, housing, and safety and support groups.

This year, the expo will also feature a Public Transportation Fair. Representatives from LexTran, Wheels and other agencies and companies will be present to answer questions about the transportation services in Lexington for people with disabilities. Members from Cardinal Hill will be available to evaluate individuals who wish to apply for Wheels services.

Sponsors for the event include Mass Mutual, Superior Van and Mobility, the Kentucky Council on Developmental Disabilities, attorney Karen Perch, the Local Emergency Planning Committee and the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

The Human Development Institute works to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. Its mission is to promote the independence, productivity and inclusion of people with disabilities and their families throughout the life span. The HDI is a unit of the UK Office of the Vice President for Research and a member of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD). For more information, visit the HDI website at www.hdi.uky.edu.

The DRC partners with students, faculty and staff to provide students with disabilities an accessible educational environment and an equal opportunity to fully participate in all aspects of the university community. For more information, visit the Disability Resource Center website.

For more information about the Celebration of Disability Expo, contact Kristy Stambaugh at kstambau@lexingtonky.gov or call 859-258-3806.