Friday, February 13, 2009
Danville woman recognized for volunteer work
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Peggy Jo Parsons of Danville has received the 2009 Robert Ross Muscular Dystrophy Association's Personal Achievement Award from the association's Southwest and Central Virginia chapter.
She is one of nearly 1,000 people in a 28-county district served by the chapter, which is headquartered in Roanoke.
The achievement award, initiated in 1992, recognizes the accomplishments and community service of people with disabilities caused by any of the neuromuscular diseases in MDA's program. The awards were renamed in honor of Robert Ross, the association's longtime chief executive, who died in June 2006. Ross created the award program to educate the public that disability is no obstacle to accomplishments.
Parsons, 54, was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in 1998, when she also began to wear leg braces. Her career was in banking for 25 years before the disease caused her to leave on disability.
Parsons is one of the association's most supportive volunteers, attending and assisting with numerous fundraising events, including the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon, said Kathy Roberson, health care service coordinator for the Southwest and Central Virginia chapter.
"Doing for others helps me keep my mind off my own disability. I will keep control of the CMT and not let it control me," said Parsons, who is a neighborhood watch organizer and also is active in the American Business Women's Association and the Dixie Chicks Red Hat group.
"The accomplishments of individuals like Peggy Parsons underscore that people with disabilities make valuable contributions to their communities," said Charles Adkins, president of MDA's Southwest and Central Virginia chapter. "She really embodies the spirit of the Personal Achievement Award, and we're extremely fortunate to have her representing our community."
Each of the association's 150-plus chapters selects a local achievement award recipient, and each is automatically considered for their state award.
One of the state award winners will receive the association's 2010 National Personal Achievement Award to be announced on the 2009 national broadcast of the telethon.
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The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities is recruiting 25 young people with disabilities to be delegates at its 2009 Youth Leadership Forum at Christopher Newport University in Newport News from July 13 to 17.
The delegates will receive scholarships to cover transportation, room and board, instructional materials, activities, interpreters, personal care assistants and individual medical care.
The forum is open to rising high school juniors and seniors who want to become leaders in their schools and communities.
The deadline for applications is March 3. Applications and instructions can be found at www.vaboard.org/ylf.htm. For more information, call (800) 846-4464 (toll-free, voice/TTY) or e-mail kara.white@vbpd.virginia.gov or teri.barker@vbpd.virginia.gov.
