Show Page 2 May II 1995 Viewpoint Ignorance strikes again by Randy Chandler staff writer No one would choose lo enter life with a handicap or become handi- capped later in tile by an accident or act of nature I rarely complain about m physical disabilities though I will live with a handicap lor (Ik rest of my life I low e er I do speak against those who attempt lo further disable me by not recognizing laws which arc designed to assist people with disabilities Laws arc continually passed and amended to protect our rights but many people continue toquestion these rights or actively seek ways to circumvent them for their own convenience Myself Cheryl Gentry and her son Charley who horn without arms and only one partial leg discussed our handicaps with CEU's education for exceptional children class on April l7Wctalkcdofourcvcryday experiences with the class lo help them understand our daily frustrations A recent incident happened on April 4 w hen personnel at the Castle Rock Cafe in Price attempted lo refuse Cheryl Gentry her three children and myself entry because I was accompanied by " “Opi a licensed-servic- e dog who was wearing a special harness for pulling my wheelchair When the hostess said my dog wasn't allowed I said "I'm sorry but he's a licensed-servic- e dog and is allowed lo go anywhere the public is allowed" The hostess said “I don't care what he is we don't allow dogs" I told her lo get the manager because she wasn't aware of a law passed years ago which allows these dogs along with their owners into public places A few minutes later the restaurant ' s owner came out with the hostess and I handed him Opi's ID card After the owner looked at the I D card he said “We don't allow dogs in the restaurant" I said “call the police because I'm not leaving" The owner went lo the phone and at the same time the hostess showed us to a dirty table in an isolated comer of the restaurant What I have trouble with is that police did come though they never spoke with me This tells me the owner and hostess believed they were right but by seating us before speaking with the police they were admitting being wrong Gentry went to the front counter and asked for their names but both refused We got their names from our waiter After we got the names and the police had been there the owner and hostess came over and apologized to us for an incident they admitted never TO vto tersTww should have happened Incidents like this happen often enough that I have learned patience and how to be firm yet tactful in demanding my rights The Gentrys were extremely upset and amazed that I stayed calm but didn't hack off Another problem I 'm currently working on is with the Carbon County I lousing Authorities' refusal to bring handicapped apartments within I It'D guidelines The problem areas include grab bars mounted incorrectly narrow door frames kitchen counters too high patios too steep and a ramp built too steep Other ramps meet guidelines but are unsafe for me because of the steep grade being loo narrow and being inclined on (wo angles Housing Authority Director Viola Tcsch tells me they don't have money for completing handicap guideline work by upgrading handicap apartments from (he guidelines to current ones However she is spending thousands of dollars on projects that benefit employees These include owning three maintenance vehicles while employing two maintenance people building a carport and maintenance storage room moving inside mailboxes outside (in a senior and handicap complex) and putting wallpaper trim and furnishings in the office area In my opinion they arc using their The p- ties She referred to an incident six years ago when his sister Kacy was in the fourth grade Her classmates made some derogatory remarks about Charley Teachers intervened hut the problem escalated so Cheryl took Charley to meet her daughter's class This turned out to be the beginning of a continuing education process for themselves the teachers students and others Charley's mother also told of her hopes and goals for her son At the age of 2 she decided her son should grow up with as much don't what he is we don't hostess said "I dogs" freedom as possible so ositions licr quest for self- benefit with little regard for residents On Feb 13 1995 we had a meeting between Tcsch the public housing manager the Price city inspector Terri Gibbs (an independent living specialist from Active and myself to to resolve some of the IIA's attempt for Re-Entr- accessibility problems Gibbs told us about the Americans With Disabilities Act guidelines and implementation procedures The city inspector gave the same information from a city viewpoint When Tcsch was asked about HUD guidelines she stated she hadn't looked at them fur some time and didn't know about implementation procedures Excuse me but that was the purpose of the meeting and as a housingdirector she should have known the laws In the military that would be called “dereliction of duty "Tesch did agree to correct the ramp that doesn't meet guidelines but the work was never done After I explained my situation Charleys' mother talked about his abili an electric wheelchair began Funding was hut found through the Active the purchase had to be approved by the state The answer was a definite "no" and the reason was that Charley was small enough to be carried or pushed in a stroller Cheryl was determined lo allow her son to be a toddler Part of being a toddler is exploring and finding adventures of your own She fell the state was going lo deprive him of that part of growing up After much advocate work by Cheryl and AR the state agreed lo buy Charley a manual wheelchair With no arms to propel a manual chair they were again saying Charley could be pushed around “We met with several state representatives and finally after a meeting with Vocational Rehabilitation and three days of extensive assessment in Salt Lake City the slate agreed to release (he funds for anclcctric wheelchair" she said She told of enrolling Charley in Early Intervention until he was Re-Ent- ry lie was then in the Castle Valley for mainstreaming into public schools At CVC he received the necessary academic needs assessment computer skills training and social development to allow his in the mainstreaming at first grade of public school this year school Charley rides a bus and upon arrival at school Rrenda (another sister) opens the school dixtr for him because it is not equipped with an clcctronic-dooropen- Charley said "if Brenda's not on the bus with me I have lo wail for someone to open the door" Once he gets to his room if the door's not open he must wait for assiser tance again In his classroom an aide is (here lo assist with Charley's needs With his mouthslick he can write and color as well as his classmates I lis school work is done on a computer supplied by the school district Cheryl said “Once again this year we introduced him to the classes at school so the kids arc very accepting and helpful Of course there are always those people who have difficulty with acceptance Thai’s where our job comes in educating people to accept others for who they arc not for what they do” Charley says that on the playground "my friends chase girls and bring them to me lo kiss" A new world has been opened to is which Charley allowing him to grow and develop with children (friends) Now four years after getting his electric chair Charley can drive circles around the best of drivers Another frustration occurcd when I traveled with The Eagle newspaper staff to Grand Junction Colo on April 14 to attend a Media Day at Mesa Slate College The previous night we stayed in a local hotel Our advisor checked us in about 7 pm Since we were going sight seeing and to eat I didn't go to my side-by-si- de room Returning at 1 pm I found my “handicapped accessible" room had not been cleaned from the previous night The night manager checked it out and called someone in to dean the room Even with efficient handling I didn't get in my room until after I am There was no charge for the room because of the hotel's error The next morning I rose early so I could have breakfast before the group was ready Not being used to the carpet my foot slipped when transferring from the bed to my wheel chair which landed me on (he litxtr Things happen 1 so you deal with them I couldn't get up and didn't want to call anyone so I look 20 minutes to drag myself and wheelchair into the bathroom so I could use the grab bars Another 30 minutes of jockeying for the right position and presto I'm hack in my chair I made it downstairs on time hut my full breakfast turned out lo he a cup of coffee The Eagle Staff Dani Wcigand Newt Editor Mary Ann Southards Sports Editor Luyoullksigu Editor Danny Kuurianos Music Editor Kelly Carlson A&E Editor Advertising: Mandie Willis Laura Wilsey Photogrophers: Nicole DeFricz Allen kFriezdennie Silturd Staff Writers: Leona Christensen Brooke Griffin Amanda I larding Rachel Josephs Misty Maninez Kimberly Mattingly Thomas Ori Kara Railshack Faylh Marrclli Tiffany Stout Marianne Stryker Randy Chandler Brittini Coe Susan Polstcr Advisor The faflc it ihe hTTumI UakM rwi iwwifjfvf OpmuM npreurd ia The Gaik iSi MS cccwarily irpwiM thaw uf Ihe CoNrgc iif EaMcm Utah tu Half i rtinimu CiSimhm mi Irtteni are ihe opinion id ihe writer lufcaauUun ah ml tuhacriptaw In TV or advettMNi retci an aviiiaMe hjr wni &Ur College uf Eaatern Utah Price Utah S4JIII ur hy calling (MII)M7-2- I Meal ZWi |