Elkhart Community Schools hosts disability fair events

Apr. 14—ELKHART — Saturday's events at Elkhart High School on behalf of persons with disabilities were in nature both athletic and informational.

Elkhart Community Schools, in partnership with Elkhart-based Advocacy Links, LLC, hosted the Disability Resources Fair inside the hallways and the library of the high school. Outside, at the school track, was the Unified Track and Field Invitational. Both events were designed to geared toward promoting awareness and connection for persons with disabilities and their families.

"It's just a great way for sportsmanship and inclusion," said Larry Kissinger of the EHS Athletic Department who served as meet director for the event, in which both special needs and non-special needs students could compete with each other.

Sharon Dutkowski, transition coordinator for EHS, helped coordinated the fair event, along with Joy Greeney of Advocacy Links LLC.

"We have a lot of great vendors, some great resources," Dutkowski said. "I think the people that have come through have got some good resources in the community to help them navigate for their families."

Vendors for the event included InSource, MHS, Life Courses Connect, the Salvation Army of Elkhart, Helping Hands in Healthcare and others, with information tables lining several hallways and with the school library set up for presentations. About 60 people had attended as of shortly after noon.

Greeney iterated the same point, about how the purpose of the fair was to connect people to resources.

"It's open to anyone in the community who has a disability or a family member with one," Greeney said about the fair.

One such presentation, titled "How to advocate for yourself," was given by Lexi Westerfield, Highland, who described herself as legally blind and is a wheelchair user.

"It's going good," Westerfield said. "I look forward to looking around."

Julie Clow, Granger, attended the fair with her daughter, Stephanie.

"There are lots of great services to learn about," Julie Clow said.

ECS School Board member Mike Burnett, said that in his opinion the special needs community is "underserved." He also said that the fair is a good way to get resources together in one place.

"I'm just here as a parent, trying to get some information," he said.

Anne Vondervellen is also a member of the school board.

"I'm here to support our district and our community," she said.

To learn more, visit www.elkhart.k12.in.us.

Steve Wilson is news editor for The Goshen News. You can reach him at steve.wilson@goshennews.com.