by Cherie Duvall

The National Organization on Disability urges city officials to enter their communities in its annual Accessible America Competition ? a contest that goes hand in hand with NLC?s Partnership for Working Toward Inclusive Communities program that encourages and celebrates local efforts to promote equal opportunity and fairness.

Held in October, which is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the contest looks to recognize and promote initiatives cities and towns use to facilitate involvement of citizens with disabilities in community life.

The national competition honors best practices in areas such as education, employment and transportation, and activities including social, cultural and sports.

Communities will compete for two cash prizes ? the grand prize and the runner up prize ? that total $35,000.
To enter the competition by the Oct. 31 deadline, cities and towns must submit an official application form, signed by their mayor or chief elected official, to the National Organization on Disability.

NLC President James Hunt, councilmember, Clarksburg, W.Va., believes that competitions such as this are essential in promoting inclusiveness in communities. With a brother who?s paraplegic, Hunt knows firsthand how citizens with disabilities can easily feel excluded.

?Until you go through your community with a person in a wheelchair, you kind of think ? what a fortunate thing it is that you?re living in America ? a place with wheelchair accessible curbs and close parking spaces,? he said. ?But 10 minutes after you live that experience, you find it?s one of the most exclusive communities.?

Details: Visit www.nod.org for guidelines, application information and other details about the competition. To learn more about NLC?s inclusive communities partnership, go to www.nlc.org.