LETTERS: DANCING WHEE3LS CULMINATES BIG WEEK

To the editor:

The Cleveland Ballet Dancing Wheels will be performing in Cape Girardeau from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Show Me Center. It is a great opportunity for persons with and without disabilities to see this captivating performance. This is a professional, integrated dance company which, through innovative choreography, accentuates the abilities rather than limitations of the dancers. This ballet is sure to dispel the myths as to what persons with disabilities can achieve as performing artists. Some local people will be performing as a prelude to the ballet company's performance, so this should further add to the excitement of the event.

Because of the Americans With Disabilities Act, college campuses everywhere are becoming more user friendly. However, it was not due to the ADA, but to the law of the human spirit that made the events of this week come alive. Heartfelt thanks go to Dr. Marc Strauss, Department of Physical Education; Dr. Kerry Wynn, Disabled Student Services; Dr. Karen Myers, director of New Student Services; and Dr. Grant Lund, professor of art, at Southeast Missouri State University, along with Daniel North, executive director of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, among others, for providing Southeast Missouri with a unique and positive weeklong disability awareness symposium.

Every effort has gone into making the weeklong events a positive and worthwhile experience for everyone. From Braille programs, interpreter services and descriptive FM-system narration to special wheelchair accessibility, this is by far the most disability-inclusive undertaking ever by any entity in this area. It is up to both the disability and non-disability community alike to see this is not a once-in-a-lifetime happening. There is a momentum here that should not be trivialized, and I encourage you to invite friends and family to take part in these cultural and educational experiences. By coming out and supporting these efforts, you are opening the door to all kinds of opportunities for future programs.

How do you treat a person with a disability? Like a person. We are all people first, and the only differences lie in the challenges we all must face every waking hour of every day of our lives. These differences can either divide or bring us closer together. This weekend we have an opportunity to see what dreams can be realized when we face these challenges together.

There will be an opening reception from 5 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Show Me Center to meet the internationally renowned dance troupe. It is being sponsored by the SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence and Schnucks Food & Drug. Hope to see you there.

MARYANN "MIKI" GUDERMUTH

SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence

Cape Girardeau