Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility Presents Annual Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oct. 29, 2013

For more information, please contact:

Craig Brenner, Special Project Coordinator, Community and Family Resources Department,

City of Bloomington, 349.3471

Katie Herron, Chair, Council for Community Accessibility, kgherron08@gmail.com

Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility Presents Annual Awards

Bloomington, Ind. -- The City of Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility (CCA) recognized organizations and individuals committed to making Bloomington more accessible to people with disabilities at the CCA Annual Awards Ceremony, held Monday at Bell Trace Senior Living, 800 Bell Trace Circle.

Mayor Mark Kruzan congratulated all the nominees and award recipients and thanked them for their contributions. Kruzan presented the Mayor's Award to CCA Chair Katie Herron.

"I am pleased to present the Mayor's Award to Katie Herron," Kruzan said. "As Chairperson of the Council for Community Accessibility, Katie has inspired those around her to be more effective in making Bloomington a more accessible community for people with disabilities. In her role as mother, citizen and chair, she serves as public speaker, advocate, educator and behind-the-scenes mediator, doing it all with warmth and humor. No one is more deserving of the Mayor's Award than Katie Herron."

The following award winners were recognized for outstanding service:

Self-Advocacy Award: Jessica Troxel, Ivy Tech Community College student and mother, for facing her challenges - including loss of an arm in an automobile accident - with bravery and integrity.

Professional and Community Service Award: Indiana Legal Services, Inc., for helping provide free legal assistance to low-income citizens and people with disabilities.

Business Service Award: Indiana University Campus Division, for currently employing six individuals with disabilities who help maintain the IU campus.

Housing Service Award: Cindy Fleetwood, Housing Manager at LIFEDesigns, Inc., for her commitment and involvement in developing new, affordable and accessible housing projects.

Kristin Willison Volunteer Service Award: Rachel Roby, for assisting clients at Indiana Legal Services and at the Community Justice and Mediation Center in Bloomington.

Mayor's Award: Katie Herron, Chair of the Council for Community Accessibility, for leading the CCA by example, serving as public speaker and advocate, educator, and behind-the-scenes mediator, doing it all with warmth and humor.

The ceremony included an inspirational keynote presentation by Josh Bleill, Indianapolis Colts Community Spokesperson. Bleill, an Iraqi war veteran who lost both legs as the result of an explosion beneath his Humvee, is the author of "One Step at a Time: A Young Marine's Story of Courage, Hope and a New Life in the NFL".

The Awards Ceremony was presented by the City of Bloomington's Community and Family Resources Department. The City of Bloomington would like to thank the following sponsors: Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Stone Belt, Ivy Tech Community College, LIFEDesigns, Inc., Kiwanis Club of Bloomington, e2Taxi, Indiana University Credit Union, Southern Indiana Center for Independent Living, United Way of Monroe County, City of Bloomington Human Rights Commission, Kiwanis Club of South Central Indiana, Carle and Linda Crawford and the Community and Family Resources Department.

For more information, please contact Craig Brenner, Special Projects Coordinator, Community and Family Resources Department, at 349.3471.

###