Sharon Commission on Disabilities Disability Awareness Day on Oct. 25

The Sharon Commission on Disabilities is hosting Disability Awareness Day from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 25 at the Sharon Community Center, 1 Community Center Drive.

Sharon residents and those from neighboring communities are invited to explore local options for adaptive recreation and information about accessible building techniques.

Fifteen organizations, including Easter Seals, Solutions for Accessibility, Family Autism Center, HESSCO Elder Services, and the Perkins School for the Blind, will have informational displays in addition to the multi-media speaking program.

The day will feature four speakers including Sharon Selectman, JJ McGrath, who has a nephew with a disability.

Professor Lester Cory, co-founder and president of the Society for Human Advancement through Rehabilitation Engineering, will also address the audience. SHARE, who developed the first communication device for a nonverbal 24-year-old woman with cerebral palsy, has been fabricating assistive technology to help people with various types of disabilities communicate more effectively, gain employment, and live more independent lives.

The commission promotes equality and inclusion in all aspects of life such as in education, employment and recreation for people with disabilities. Commissioners work in conjunction with all departments in the Town of Sharon to ensure the town is compliant with the American Disabilities Act and regulations pertaining the civil rights of people living with disabilities.

Last year, for example, the commission and town officials got the MBTA to make the Sharon Train Station accessible for wheelchair and scooter users. Dr. Sidney Rosenthal, Chairperson of the Town of Sharon’s Commission on Disability for 17 years, made it his primary objective to get the train station to comply with the ADA regulations. He died in 2011, three years before his goal became a reality.

For information for information, visit www.sharoncod.org.