Disability awareness month kicks off
Observer News
Issue date: 3/15/05 Section: News
A musician with Down Syndrome and Irish head football coach Charlie Weis might not seem to have much in common, but in the coming weeks the two will highlight Notre Dame's Disability Awareness Month.
Disability Awareness Month is an extended version of the Disability Awareness Weeks that have been held on campus since 1997. Marissa Runkle of the Logan Center has coordinated most of the efforts along with Kathleen Roblez, co-president of Best Buddies and the College Buddy Director.
The first scheduled event is a performance by Sujeet Desai, a 23-year-old man who was born with Down Syndrome. He will play the piano, clarinet and violin in a concert held at 7 p.m. tonight in Washington Hall.
A graduate of the Berkshire Music Academy, Desai has also earned a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and won gold and silver medals swimming in the Special Olympics World Games.
"He has really pushed himself to work so hard. His older brother, who does not have special needs, has served as a real inspiration to him," Runkle said. "Tomorrow [at the concert] there will be a lot of children who have Down Syndrome, and he is one of their idols."
The concert by Desai is touted by the organizers as one of the highlights of Disabilities Awareness Month.
"Sujeet's performance will be really cool because instead of just having a speaker about disabilities, we will actually have someone with disabilities doing a performance themselves," Roblez said.
The upcoming weeks will feature other events centered on the issue of disability awareness. On March 19, the Logan Center will host a Best Buddies Friendship Games carnival from 12 p.m. to 2.
"We will have about 150 people here for a small carnival. Half will be people with disabilities such as Down Syndrome, mental retardation, or autism, while the other half will be Notre Dame and Saint Mary's students who are in Best Buddies," Runkle said. "The event is open to all students though as a service opportunity."
Disability Awareness Month is an extended version of the Disability Awareness Weeks that have been held on campus since 1997. Marissa Runkle of the Logan Center has coordinated most of the efforts along with Kathleen Roblez, co-president of Best Buddies and the College Buddy Director.
The first scheduled event is a performance by Sujeet Desai, a 23-year-old man who was born with Down Syndrome. He will play the piano, clarinet and violin in a concert held at 7 p.m. tonight in Washington Hall.
A graduate of the Berkshire Music Academy, Desai has also earned a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and won gold and silver medals swimming in the Special Olympics World Games.
"He has really pushed himself to work so hard. His older brother, who does not have special needs, has served as a real inspiration to him," Runkle said. "Tomorrow [at the concert] there will be a lot of children who have Down Syndrome, and he is one of their idols."
The concert by Desai is touted by the organizers as one of the highlights of Disabilities Awareness Month.
"Sujeet's performance will be really cool because instead of just having a speaker about disabilities, we will actually have someone with disabilities doing a performance themselves," Roblez said.
The upcoming weeks will feature other events centered on the issue of disability awareness. On March 19, the Logan Center will host a Best Buddies Friendship Games carnival from 12 p.m. to 2.
"We will have about 150 people here for a small carnival. Half will be people with disabilities such as Down Syndrome, mental retardation, or autism, while the other half will be Notre Dame and Saint Mary's students who are in Best Buddies," Runkle said. "The event is open to all students though as a service opportunity."