For the first time in its 10-month history, the Greater Orangeburg Mayor's Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities will join forces with other area agencies that teach job readiness skills to disabled people for a job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, at the center court in the Prince of Orange Mall.

Mayor's committee co-chairwoman and co-founder Dr. Eddie Glenn Bryant says the event involves collaboration with such groups as the South Carolina Employment Security Commission and the Orangeburg County offices of the Department of Social Services, Vocational Rehabilitation and the Disabilities and Special Needs Board, just to name a few.

"The committee, which was started in December 2007 between myself and Shirley Madison, the coordinator of the Orientation and Mobility Program at South Carolina State University, had already considered working on something that would bring more job opportunities to area people with disabilities," Bryant said. "When DSS mentioned it was having a job fair, the committee decided it didn't make sense to duplicate efforts, so we began collaborating with that agency and the Employment Security Commission on the event."

The job fair also provides a way to focus local attention during October, which has been designated by Congress as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The local collaboration follows the U.S. Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy's suggestion that advocacy organizations, federal, state and local government agencies and the private sector lead activities and produce materials to increase the public's awareness of the contributions and skills of American workers with disabilities.

"What many people don't realize is that in an historical context, persons with disabilities make great employees," said Bryant, who herself is disabled with 95 percent blindness. "Persons who are qualified with disabilities have higher attendance rates, stay on the job longer, have higher productivity and their injuries are less. We have a good track record, if individuals are properly trained and exposed to job readiness and training, employment skills and knowledge.

"This job fair will allow us to showcase persons with disabilities to area businesses."

The fair will not only feature representatives from more than two dozen area private companies and government agencies; organizers will also provide booths with information for businesses looking to familiarize themselves with hiring disabled workers.

"While every employer should know about the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, some still do not," Bryant said. "We'll be providing this and other pertinent information to businesses who want to learn. This has had a positive effect because some employers in the Orangeburg area have stepped up to the plate to hire disabled folks."

Orangeburg County Disabilities and Special Needs Board Executive Director Paul Lofts says the fair offers opportunities to agencies like his that provide job training and other support services to disabled people.

"Most of what we will be doing at the job fair is two things: Finding places for our people to work and looking for people to come work for us," Lofts said. "We have a staff of 400 people, who provide everything from transportation for our customers to securing direct support jobs for them."

Orangeburg's Vocational Rehabilitation Executive Director Ivory Canty says the fair is a solid example of the benefits of collaborating with the mayor's committee.

"It's going along pretty good with Dr. Bryant, and she has been instrumental in pulling this together," Canty said. "We're looking forward to making the public more aware of our services and making sure the committee is fully operational in this area."

T&D Staff Writer Phil Sarata can be reached by e-mail at psarata@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5540. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

Rides to job fair offered

Free transportation to the job fair will be provided from the following locations:

* Bamberg County DSS -- 8:15 a.m. departure

* Calhoun County DSS -- 9:15 a.m. departure

* Roosevelt Garden Apartments -- 9:45 a.m. departure

* Glenfield Apartments -- 9:50 a.m. departure

(Return runs from the Prince of Orange Mall back to the above locations will be at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.)

* Food Lion in Santee at 671 Bass Drive -- 9:15 a.m. departure

(Return run from the Prince of Orange Mall to the Food Lion in Santee at 2 p.m.)

Booklet offers insight on disability etiquette

October is Disability Awareness Month, a time to recognize the value of the 54 million Americans with disabilities as neighbors, consumers, employees and members of society. It is also an appropriate time to reflect sensitivity towards individuals with disabilities.

The United Spinal Association, a national nonprofit membership association for people with spinal cord disabilities, has published Disability Etiquette, an illustrated, 36-page booklet full of tips on interacting with people who have disabilities. This booklet is available in Englishand Spanish and can be downloaded for free at http://www.unitedspinal.org/publications.

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