United Spinal & MTA Host Spinal Cord Disability Awareness Day
On May 30, 2006 in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal in New York City, United Spinal and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) hosted Spinal Cord Disability Awareness Day. The free, all-day event provided an opportunity to team up with knowledgeable partners in the field of spinal cord injuries and disorders and provide valuable resources for people living with spinal cord injury or disorders, their families, caretakers, and health care professionals. The event featured hands-on exhibits, health screening, veteran and civilian “benefit check-ups,” free give-a-ways, and more. Wheelchair users were offered free Ballroom dance lessons by Wheelchair Dance Sport USA and wheelchair tune-ups by Wheelchair Medic. The crowds were also treated to performances by 4 Wheel City (a rap group of wheelchair users) and performances by Kitty Lunn and Alice Sheppard of the Infinity Dance Theater. Also on hand was one of the stars of the Academy Award Nominated Documentary MURDERBALL, Keith Cavill, who introduced the 12 noon showing of the movie.
 Gerard M. Kelly (left) and Clair Russel Hesselton (right) present Disability Awareness Award to Christopher P. Boylan (center), Deputy Executive Director for Corporate and Community Affairs (MTA) |
The day was kicked-off with a press conference where the MTA unveiled their new Map for Customers with Disabilities, followed by a $250,000 check presentation to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund by United Spinal and the Wounded Warrior Project. The funds will support The Center for the Intrepid, also known as The National Armed Forces Physical Rehabilitation Center, a state-of-the-art rehabilitation and advanced training skills facility at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. The Center will serve military personnel who have been catastrophically disabled in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and other veterans who have sustained disabling injuries in the line of duty.
“Programs like the Wounded Warrior Project and the United Spinal Association have been instrumental in my recovery and the recovery of so many returning disabled soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Wounded Warrior Project spokesperson Garth Stewart (Army Specialist, retired) who continues to stand a full 6 feet 4 inches tall with the help of a prosthesis on his lower left leg. Stewart, who was injured in Baghdad in 2003, added,
 Bill White (second from left) accepts $250,000 check for The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund from Garth Stewart (center) and United Spinal representatives |
“Without the generous contributions made from the United Spinal Association, the Wounded Warrior Project wouldn’t be what it is today. We are so proud to come together and present this donation to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and help them to continue providing necessary assistance to our nation’s military heroes who have been critically injured in the performance of duty and who truly need help today.” Stewart, along with Gerard M. Kelly, Executive Director for the United Spinal Association, presented the $250,000 check to Bill White, president of The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.
Among the organizations that joined United Spinal on Spinal Cord Disability Awareness Day were The Burke Rehabilitation Hospital; Helen Hayes Hospital; National MS Society–NYC Chapter; Mount Sinai Hospital; Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation. The MTA also had representatives on hand to assist seniors and persons with disabilities in applying for Reduced-Fare MetroCards and services from Access-A-Ride. The MTA also distributed its new Map for Customers with Disabilities and the MTA Guide to Accessible Transit.
Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, United Spinal Association is a national membership organization for people with spinal cord disabilities. United Spinal has enabled members, as well as other persons with disabilities, to lead full and productive lives. Membership in the Association is free and open to all people with spinal cord disabilities. For more information, please call 800-404-2898.