Applications are now available for the City-Parish President’s Awareness Committee for Citizens with Disabilities Annual Awards. These awards recognize individuals and organizations in our community who have improved the lives of those living with disabilities.

As many as eleven awards will be given in Lafayette in several categories.  The list of categories is Distinguished Merit Award, Youth of the Year Award, Outstanding Individual with a Disability Award, Media Award, Volunteer of the Year Award, Outstanding Direct Support Professional Award, Educator of the Year Award, Service Animal of the Year Award, Veteran of the Year Award, Family of the Year Award, and Employer of the Year Award.

“I encourage everyone to think of someone they could nominate for one of these awards.  This ceremony is close to my heart and is one of the most inspirational activities I get to participate in each year. The nomination process only takes a few minutes, and I know we have many people in our community who are deserving of these awards,” said City-Parish President Joey Durel.

Descriptions of the award categories can be found online.  Applications can be downloaded from the committee’s webpage on the Lafayette Consolidated Government website or by contacting Carlee Alm-LaBar, Assistant to City-Parish President Joey Durel.  Applications for the awards are due on September 12.  The awards ceremony will be held on October 30.

All local winners are nominated for a State Gold Award. These awards will be held in Baton Rouge on November 12, 2014.

The City-Parish President’s Awareness Committee for Citizens with Disabilities receives the applications and puts on the awards ceremony.  The duties of the committee (as defined by the resolution that formed it) are:

  • to develop and channel information regarding disabled persons to the citizens of the community through the introduction of special activities;
  • to work with all aspects of community life so that persons with disabilities will realize the rights and responsibilities afforded to all citizens; to receive recommendations, requests, and citizen complaints regarding problems affecting the disabled;
  • to make advisory recommendations to the Lafayette City/Parish President and the Lafayette City/Parish Council regarding problems faced by the disabled which might be addressed by the Lafayette City/Parish Consolidated Government;
  • to serve as an advisory panel to the Lafayette City/Parish President and the Lafayette City/Parish Council on new activities, legislation and procedures affecting the disabled;
  • and to help increase opportunities for employment for persons with disabilities.

 

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