In addition to National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, October is also National Disability Employment Awareness Month. How appropriate that they occur in the same month!

In the last few years, we have seen many adults with Down syndrome in the workplace. Billy is one of them; he has worked at Food City in Kingsport for over 10 years. He was originally hired by Ed Moore, who has been a manager at the grocery chain for over fifty years. His philosophy is one that might be adopted by all employers.

Click on the image to see the Grown Man Now Interview Series; “Current Employment” is the name of this interview with Mr. Moore.

Interview with Mr. Ed Moore, Food City Manager

We also see adults with other disabilities in a number of work situations. Employers have found that many people formerly considered unemployable can be valuable members of the work force if they are trained properly and given the opportunity. Our president emphasizes their value to our nation in declaring October  National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Utilizing the talents of all Americans is essential for our Nation to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world. During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we recognize the skills that people with disabilities bring to our workforce, and we rededicate ourselves to improving employment opportunities in both the public and private sectors for those living with disabilities…

— Barack Obama, President of the United States of America

Are you aware of the many adults with disabilities at work in your community?

Since October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, it seems a good time to look at what it means to have Down syndrome. First of all, what does the name mean? Langdon Down was a physician who first identified characteristics of people previously called Mongoloid, due to the slanted eyes seen in natives of Mongolia. Down is capitalized because it is a proper noun; syndrome is not because it is a list of identifying characteristics seen in a particular population.

Because of the similarity of physical characteristics, it is frequently assumed that children and adults with Down syndrome are always alike in other ways. The truth is that they may be quite different in personality, temperament and intelligence. The video displayed is a good way to look at these individual differences.

Ten Things People with Down Syndrome Would Like You to Know

My son Billy, for example, was raised in a family with three other children, a father of German descent, raised in the mid-west, and a mother of English-Scotch-Irish descent, raised in the south. He has characteristics of both parents and a personality of his own. If you have questions about Down syndrome or Billy, I will be happy to answer them. If you have specific questions about the causes and demographics of Down syndrome, you can Google Down syndrome and find numerous sources.

I welcome your questions and comments.

I got a problem. Every mornin me an my mom watch Regis an Kelly an have our coffee. I like it when Regis an Kelly tease each other and make jokes. I like the guest stars an movie clips. Me and my mom laugh a lot an drink our coffee. It’s fun.

Two weeks ago I bring Mom her coffee with cream in it. I turn on channel 11. No Regis an Kelly. You not believe what is on – DR. PHIL! I can’t stand Dr. Phil!

My mom call channel 11 and they say Regis gonna be retarred and they not new the show. Mom watch the news but the news is no fun! We go to the internet and see Regis and Kelly on a video but not the whole show.

We look everywhere for a good show with our coffee. Just dumb stuff.

I need help!  What you watch with your coffee?

If you follow our blogs, you know that my son Billy has overcome a number of  hurdles and has succeeded in many areas of his life. He graduated from high school, has been successful in several jobs,  is considered a valuable member of our community, and is certainly a cherished and important part of our family and circle of  friends.  He is a competent and happy man. However, there are times that  Billy expresses dissatisfaction with his disabilities in certain areas. He cited one of these areas this morning. As we were leaving church, he said to me, “I can’t read the words.”

Reading a magazine.

After we got into the car, I asked him to tell me about this problem. For years we have marveled at the way he follows the hymns half a beat behind, presenting the effect of singing with the congregation. He is so talented in doing this that it appears he is following with the congregation. One Christmas a friend, who holds a position in our church, asked me if I thought Billy would be willing to read a piece in a program. I told her that he reads very little and she was totally surprised.

We have worked on reading for most of Billy’s life, in school and at home. He brings in the paper each morning and reads the weather report and some of the headlines. He reads his TV guide and parts of People magazine, where he is prompted by illustrations and familiar terms. The hymnal, however, is not illustrated and has few words relevant to Billy’s life. He jumps in when phrases are repeated in the chorus, as in the

hymn Till We Meet Again, which we sang this morning. I did not realize how frustrated he was with the other parts that he could not read.

We talked about this again after we got home and Billy said, ” I am so dumb.” I always tell him that he is smart in so many ways and that “dumb” is a hurtful word and one to be avoided. It breaks my heart to hear him say that about himself.

Although there are over 900 songs in the Methodist Hymnal, we will find a way to work on reading them. Perhaps we can isolate words that are most frequently used and establish a hymn sight word list. It will be a challenge for both of us.

Once again I am amazed at Billy’s courage. He loves to go to church. He frequently nods during the sermon and I realize he doesn’t comprehend the message. If I poke him he tells me, “The Bible says don’t poke in church,” and we both giggle. This is another measure of his courage. Even when he doesn’t understand, he hangs in and gives it his all.

There must be a better term than “dumb.”

This my sister, Mary, safe and sound.

Hi! Happy Friday.

Today, I go to work. But before I go to work, I like to tell you bout last night. My sister did come over for dinner. My mom is cooking. DE-licious eggplant casserole, and me and my sister SO hungry. It is so good, my mom is a wonderful cook.
I pass the pepper to my sister. Have to look, is it S or P on top. I tell my sister, “Mary, Jos is gone on business trip, I like it you eat with us every night. My mom is cook for you, and you work so hard, and you not have to cook.” My sister likes that.
Then I think about it a lot. Mom and Mary talking about a lot of things, I not like to rupt. Then, alla get quiet, I tell my sister, “Mary, Jos is gone on business trip, right? Well! I got a great idea. How bout, on you anniversary, and you so lonely, I take you and my mom, going OUT to dinner, and then, we see a good, good movie! You like that?”
My sister say, “Aw, Billy, that’s a nice idea! What movie you like to see, my anniversary?”
I tell my sister, “Green Lantern.”
My sister and my mom laughing so hard. But I like Green Lantern.
My mom say, “That Green Lantern is CUTE.”
I did see that on Regis and Kelley.
Then I did clear the table. My mom and my sister got to put that new sprinkler outside, water the flowers outside. Because we got not rain, just dry inna bone. That sprinkle go round and round and my sister get all wet. But my mom is laughing so hard. And it’s funny.
And then, my sister ready to go home. I tell my sister, “Mary, Jos is gone on business, right? Well, I got a good idea. How bout I walk you home, you not be lonely. You like that? OK, I go to put on my tennis shoes. You wait for me.”
My sister walk with me to her house. Sometimes, inna corner, my sister go up the hill and I go back to my house, see my mom. But not now, because I need to take care of my sister. So I go all the way. My sister likes that.
My sister say, “Bye, Billy, I like it you walk me home.” She wave. But I not go yet. I got to wait. Mary open that door, and she wave at me again. Mary tell me, “Billy, you take good care of me. Thank you.”
I tell my sister, “I do Mary, cuz I love you. Mary, you gotta problem? ANYTHING. You call me. I take kevvadit. I not like you be lonely. You call me. I call you I get home, you not worry. OK? I hope you gotta good night sleep. Bye!”
But I not go yet. I wait, my sister lock that door. Cuz I love her. And now my sister safe and sound. I like that. I am good to my sister. Cuz I love her.