Check Out DisAbility Awareness Day at Westfield Mall Oct. 27

Candidates for Canine Companions for Independence.

From the Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities spokeswoman Mary Felter:

The Anne Arundel County Commission on Disability Issues announces recipients of the 2012 disAbility Awareness Day (DAD) Awards to be presented by County Executive John R. Leopold at the event from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Westfield Annapolis Mall.

At the 5^th annual disAbility Awareness Day the public can talk with the honorees as well as individuals with disabilities, their family members, and exhibitors who provide services to those with disabilities.

The annual DAD Award will go to Catherine Purple Cherry, special needs architect, and the DisAbility Leadership Award to Mary “Mimi” Stoops for her work as the program manager of Anne Arundel Community College’s Disability Support Services.

Additional awards will be presented to employers who have hired those with disabilities or removed barriers to those with disabilities.

Honored businesses include (South County companies highlighted in bold)

• Big Vanilla in Arnold;
  
• Safeway stores in Arnold and Gambrills;
  
• IHOP in Edgewater;
  
• Fifer’s Seafood in Pasadena;
  
• Best Buy and College Hunks Hauling Junk, both of Bowie;
  
• Crownsville Primary Care in Crownsville;
  
• Giant in Severna Park
  
• Home Depot, Annapolis
  
• Jimmy John’s, Annapolis
  
• Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis
  
• Panera Bread, Annapolis
  
• Five Below, Annapolis
  
• Noodles and Company, Annapolis
  
• Bonefish Grill, Annapolis
  
• Anne Arundel County Public School’s Division of Special Education.

Accessibility Awards, given to companies that have worked to remove barriers at their businesses, will be presented to

• Chesapeake Christian Fellowship in Davidsonville
  
• Bank of America
  
• Sentiments Hallmark, Annapolis
  
• Office Depot, Annapolis
  
• Roger W. “Pip” Moyer Community Recreation Center, Annapolis
  
• Whole Foods Market, Annapolis
  
• AIA Maryland, a Society of the American Institute of Architects

Faith-based Awards will go to

• Heritage Community Church Cup of Cold Water Ministry in Severn and
  
• Magothy United Methodist Church of the Deaf in Pasadena.

The Assistance Award will go to Fidos for Freedom of Laurel.

Special Thanks Awards will be presented to Peter Goodman, Patrick Madden, and Christi Wallace, all of Westfield Annapolis Mall.

The County Executive’s Public Service Awards will be presented to

• Pamela A. Jordan and Mary P. Felter of the Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities,
  
• Mary Tillar and Gordon Cager of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education, and
  
• Susanne Boyle of the Anne Arundel County Health Department.

The public is invited to the event where they can visit information tables of exhibitors:

• Abilities Network,
  
• Accessible Resources for Independence,
  
• Anne Arundel Community College,
  
• Anne Arundel Community Development Services Inc.,
  
• AA Co.Commission on Disability Issues,
  
• AA Co.Department of Aging and Disabilities,
  
• AA Co.Department of Health,
  
• AA Co. Mental Health Agency, the
  
• AA Co. Police Department and the
  
• AA Co. Public Library.

Also exhibiting will be

• Arc of Central Chesapeake,
  
• Bay Community Support Services Inc.,
  
• Belo Machre,
  
• Bowen Foundation,
  
• Canine Companions for Independence,
  
• Cisco Center,
  
• City of Annapolis Department of Transportation,
• Division of Rehabilitation Services,
  
• Down Syndrome Connection,
  
• Fidos for Freedom, and
  
• Freestate Medical

Additional exhibitors are

• Gallagher Services,
  
• Griswold Special Care,
  
• Mary T. Maryland,
  
• Maryland Insurance Administration,
  
• Maryland Transit Administration-Mobility,
  
• Maryland Relay,
  
• Melwood,
  
• Myasthenia Gravis Foundation,
  
• Opportunity Builders Inc.,
  
• Partners for Success Resource Center,
  
• People Connect,
  
• RISE for Autism Foundation Inc.,
  
• Service Coordination,
  
• Somerford Place, and the
  
• Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program.

For information, call the ADA office at the Department of Aging and Disabilities at 410-222-4464. TTY users can call via Maryland Relay 7-1-1.