A number of area advocates of people with disabilities are promoting March as Disability Awareness Month in Orangeburg County.

Led by the Greater Orangeburg Mayor's Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities, several events during March are designed to educate the public that people with disabilities want the same opportunities as everyone else.

Dr. Eddie Glenn Bryant, Mayor's Committee co-chair and co-founder, says her group will be teaming up with the Orangeburg County Disabilities and Special Needs Board and a local civic group to highlight the needs of disabled people.

"Disability Awareness Month is all-inclusive, ranging from intellectual developmental to general physical disabilities," Bryant said. "We want to continue to make public accurate information that will dispel common misconceptions, myths and erroneous information about disabled people.

"The disabled are not a burden or drain on society, if we are given what we need, from technology to assistance with independent living to enhance our quality of life," she said. "Many people don't realize that persons with disabilities, with training and other resources, are more employable and very productive."

The month will begin with what organizers hope will become an annual event. On March 4, a delegation of parents, disability agency advocates, educators and members of the general public will travel from the Orangeburg DSNB office to Columbia for a meeting with the local state legislative delegation.

"We want to make our legislators aware of the issues that are of concern to us," Bryant said. "People who wish to travel with us in a 15-passenger van or follow us to Columbia must be at the Disability Board's parking lot by 7:45 a.m. so we can leave by 8. If they can't come but have an issue they wish us to address with the lawmakers, they can contact me or the Disability Board."

On Saturday, March 21, the annual Orangeburg DSNB Walk-A-Thon will take place at 9 a.m. at Centennial Park inside Edisto Memorial Gardens. All proceeds from the walk will go directly to the Orangeburg Area Resource Center Foundation.

Orangeburg DSNB Executive Director Ron Lofts says the walk will conclude at the DSNB building. Last year, approximately $5,000 was raised during the Walk-A-Thon, now entering its seventh year.

"The money we raise goes directly to disabled individuals with needs," Lofts said. "None of the money raised is used for any administrative costs. For example, we had a disabled man who was burned out of his home last year. Through the foundation, we were able to purchase clothes and other personal items for him. Medicaid pays for his living expenses -- he now lives in one of our residences -- but the foundation exists to help our clients with items that Medicaid won't cover.

"The Mayor's Committee is supporting the Walk-A-Thon because it also works to provide for necessary items for the disabled who are employed."

To sign up for the walk, call Roxie Milhouse at 803-536-1170.

Disability Awareness Month will conclude with an inaugural awards breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 25, at St. Andrews United Methodist Church on Columbia Road. The event will be hosted by the Orangeburg Breakfast Rotary Club.

At the breakfast, the Mayor's Committee will present awards in the categories of Disabled Student of the Year, Disabled Employee of the Year, and three Employer of the Year awards for small, medium and large businesses that employ people with disabilities. The winners in the first two categories will be nominated for the state award from the Governor's Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities.

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