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The Florida Grantor, Spring 2000

Footnotes

Foundation Fighting Blindness Hosts Annual Conference

Join The Foundation Fighting Blindness in Orlando for "Visions 2000 Orlando - Breakthroughs and Beyond." The annual conference will take place August 10 through 12, 2000, at the Hilton Walt Disney Resort.

Participants will learn about the latest advances in retinal degenerative disease research including genetics and gene therapy, retinal cell transplants, drug therapies and nutrition.

For registration information, visit the website at www.blindness.org or call 800-683-5555.

WE Magazine Announces Top Ten Companies

WE Magazine recently released its annual Golden Ladder of the Top 10 Companies to work for in the United States for people with disabilities. The companies were picked as a result of their aggressive history in recruiting, training and promoting people with disabilities. In addition, these companies have a significant number of employees with disabilities, although due to privacy considerations, no hard figures were available for totals.

Microsoft, headquartered in Redmond, WA, topped the list due to its newly established Able to Work program. Other businesses that made the grade included Johnson & Johnson, IBM, Caterpiller, Charles Schwab, Crestar Bank, WellsFargo, Ford Motor Company, Booz Allen & Hamilton and Honeywell. For more information about the listing, pick up a copy of the March-April issue of WE Magazine.

Initiative 2000

Initiative 2000, which will highlight the passage of the 10th anniversary of the ADA and more, began its "Torch Across America" relay by lighting the torch at a celebration on February 24 in Houston, Texas. The actual relay will begin on June 11 in Houston and conclude on August 7 in New York City. The relay will help focus on the positive changes brought about by ADA.

Currently, more than 500 activities are being planned across the country. Three websites will be supplying information about the activities. The primary site www.initiative2000.org will continue to act as a one-stop shop for networking. Other torch relay sites include www.spiritofada.org, along with the American Association of People with Disabilities site www.aapd-dc.org.

The torch will pass through Tallahassee, Florida (the only Florida site) on Monday, July 17. Tallahassee torch activities include the Center for Independent Living (CIL) Showcase, which takes place on Sunday, July 16; a 22-mile relay route; a Wall-of-Fame ceremony honoring Floridians with disabilities who have made outstanding contributions; and a celebration event at the Capitol (22nd Floor), featuring live entertainment. A website is currently under construction and will soon be online at www.flspiritofada.org. For information, contact Mark Ravenscraft via email at theraven@rollstuhl.com.

*Article courtesy of NDC Bulletin, a monthly publication of the National Council on Disability.