CLARK COUNTY — Bales honorees give their all



The Clark County Chapter of the American Red Cross will be hosting a Gala at Kye’s in Jeffersonville honoring the Bales Humanitarians of the Year on Aug. 12. These are people that have given back to Clark County for most of their lives.

I have had the privilege of working with two of these recipients — Bill and Beck Resch. Before coming to our community of Charlestown, Bill, with Becky’s help, was past chairman of the Jeffersonville Steamboat Days and on the board of the Jaycees and served as vice president.

Moving to Charlestown and starting their own business, they became active in our community. Bill designed the plumbing for the fountain on the square and he and Becky were founders of the On the Square Festival, which preceded the Founders’ Day Celebration.

They then became active in the Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church as volunteers. Bill is an active member of the Lions Club, serves on the Charlestown Oregon Township Fire District Board, the city Planning Commission and Beautification Committee, where Bill chairs the annual Balloon Glow and Race, which brings thousands of people to the Charlestown State Park and has become a staple in our community.

During the ice storm, it was Bill who assisted the city in setting up emergency equipment for the rescue shelter.

When the Vietnam Moving Wall came to Charlestown in October, it was Bill who volunteered to do the wiring and install the lights to illuminate the Wall, all while working in pouring rain. Becky assisted the Red Cross in locating names on the Wall for families of fallen soldiers.

One of the most challenging and successful achievements for them is organizing the Charlestown Senior Citizens group, which has grown to more than 230 members in three years.

Charlestown is very fortunate to have them in our community, and my wife, Jo Ann, and I are glad to have them as friends. So, if you see these two, give them a thumbs up and say thanks for all the contributions they have given.

Other honorees are the Hon. Judge Clementine Barthold, John Hortstern and John Woehrle. The Gala is always a sellout, but there are still tickets left at $75 each for dinner and music. You may also donate to any honoree’s name to the Red Cross or donate to something for the auction.

Call 812-283-8416 for tickets or donations.

— Harold Goodlett, Charlestown



ADA’s 20th anniversary: Time for celebration, empowerment



It’s difficult to articulate the feelings of positive empowerment and life affirmation that Hoosiers with disabilities felt at the very moment President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law — 20 years ago — July 26. For those Hoosiers in attendance, it was an unforgettable moment, and 20 years later, we now know it was life changing, too.

President George H.W. Bush said at the signing, “The Americans with Disabilities Act presents us all with an historic opportunity. It signals the end of the unjustified segregation and exclusion of persons with disabilities from the mainstream of American life,” and added, “Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down.”

For those of us old enough to remember, you may recall that people with disabilities used to be hidden from view. And not by choice.

Without basic support systems that Hoosiers without disabilities depend on every day, like accessible transportation and housing, it was difficult to even consider applying for a job, or renting or owning your own home. And for those resolute and/or wealthy enough to overcome the physical barriers and significant support system challenges, people with disabilities then faced discriminatory policies in the workplace and in housing practices.

The reasons for discrimination were many. For some it was fear or hostility — leading to exclusion. For others — well-intentioned — it was their efforts to protect and shelter that resulted in dependency, isolation into “homes” for people with disabilities and yes, exclusion.

The ADA began to change all that, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) reinforced those changes with tighter interpretations of law. Led by national disability rights advocate Justin Dart and tens of thousands of advocates in cities and towns across America, the law has begun to be enforced and, day by day, albeit slowly, the spirit of the law is being embraced by more Americans.

Today, Hoosiers with disabilities have better transportation alternatives — accessible vans, buses and curb cuts. There are more accessible housing options too — in fact, more and more Hoosiers with disabilities are living independently. Finally, people with disabilities are more fully participating within the communities in which they live, just like Hoosiers without disabilities. And thanks to national health care reform and changes in Medicaid allowing people with disabilities to receive services in their own homes, even more progress appears on the horizon.

Senator Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, chief sponsor of the ADA, said in a recent statement commemorating the signing of the ADA, “It’s one thing for people with disabilities to have rights on paper, and a very different thing to enjoy those things in everyday practice, especially in their communities and their workplace. It’s an ongoing fight, a never-ending struggle, to vindicate those rights.”

Our road to equal opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency is long. Each win is difficult. But like civil rights advocates before us, we remain undeterred, and we march on.

— Suellen Jackson-Boner, Executive Director, Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities