January 10, 2000

ON RECOGNIZING PERSONAL EXCELLENCE

Now's your chance to help provide recognition to an outstanding person in your community who's affected by one of the neuromuscular diseases in MDA's program.

In 1992, MDA created its Personal Achievement Awards program to highlight the accomplishments of adults throughout the United States who are affected by the muscular dystrophies and related disorders. Right now, MDA is seeking nominees for the 2000 awards in communities nationwide. Those who receive the award on the local level become eligible for consideration on the state level, and state winners enter consideration on the national level.

To be eligible, nominees need first of all to be registered with MDA as having one of the diseases in MDA's program. Appropriate candidates need to have shown excellence in areas such as community leadership, civic affairs, career accomplishment and personal goal attainment.

Recent recipients include individuals who've helped to improve services or accessibility for people with disabilities in their communities; those who've persisted against obstacles to attain educational or vocational goals; and other exceptional individuals including artists, authors and teachers.

Individuals or organizations may submit nominations. Nomination forms are available from local MDA offices and must be completed and submitted by Jan. 31, 2000. (To find your local MDA office, look up MDA in your phone directory or access the MDA local offices feature.)

Local and state award recipients receive certificates and may be invited to appear on locally broadcast segments of the Telethon. The national recipient is announced on the national Telethon broadcast.

Marybeth Waltman, 39, of Rocky Hill, Conn., was introduced on our 1999 national Telethon broadcast as MDA's National Personal Achievement Award recipient for the year 2000.

Waltman, who's been affected by spinal muscular atrophy since age 3 and uses a power wheelchair, is a claims representative for the Social Security Administration in Hartford where she helps the elderly and people with disabilities understand the programs and processes of the agency. She's also a longtime volunteer leader of organizations and programs that assist people with disabilities.

As one of Waltman's tasks in her national role, she'll be speaking on behalf of MDA at the Tall Cedars of Lebanon of North America Annual Mid-Winter Conference in Atlantic City, N.J., on Jan. 10. Waltman also serves on MDA's National Task Force on Public Awareness, a group that advises MDA and speaks out on issues of concern to people with disabilities.

High achievers who have received the award on the national level in the past several years include Elizabeth Reinert, an educator who takes extra measures to help children with special needs while fighting her own battle with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease; Chris Rosa, an educator, scholar, advocate and national policy maker on disability issues who has Becker muscular dystrophy and serves in a number of key voluntary leadership positions for MDA; and Anthony Vitale, a computer engineer and linguist affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

As impressive as these individuals are, I know there are many other remarkable people who are worthy of recognition. If you know a person who matches the criteria outlined above, please let MDA know before the Jan. 31 deadline.

MDA takes great pride in being able to trumpet the strengths and accomplishments of outstanding individuals with disabilities through our unique MDA Personal Achievement Awards program.

With every best wish . . .

The Ross Report Archive