Congressman Tony Coelho Joins Enable America to Celebrate ADA Anniversary

This October Enable America will host an evening with two major advocates for people with disabilities, former Congressman Tony Coelho and Enable America founder Richard Salem.

Tampa, FL, September 24, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Enable America, a non-profit organization devoted to empowering people with disabilities to achieve independence through employment, is inviting the public to join the organization in celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). “An Evening with Tony Coelho and Richard Salem” will be held on the evening of October 5, at the Hyatt Regency in Tampa.

“As a primary sponsor of the ADA, Congressman Coelho can offer unique perspective on what it took to get where we are today, as well as the challenges we continue to face on behalf of people with disabilities,” said Steve LaBour, Executive Director of Enable America. “It’s an honor to have him join us for the event, we look forward to an extraordinary evening.”

Both Congressman Coelho and Enable America’s founder and CEO Richard Salem will share their personal insights on dealing with disabilities, as well as their views on the remaining issues that still face more than 50 million disabled persons.

Coelho grew up in rural California. At age 15 he was injured in a pickup truck accident, which doctors later told him was an event that triggered the onset of epilepsy. Only many years later did a doctor confirm to him that he had the illness. Coelho then lost his driver’s license, health insurance, and because of canon law he was unable to pursue his ambition to become a priest.

He was elected to the U.S House in 1979, and was re-elected four times before stepping down in 1989. He is a former chairman, and current member of the Epilepsy Foundation’s national board of directors.

Richard Salem lost his eyesight as a teenager, but that did not prevent him from becoming the first blind person to attend and graduate from the Duke University School of Law. He is the founding partner of the Tampa-based Salem Law Group, and manages an active business and governmental practice. He has been quoted in Self Magazine as one of Seven Highly Effective People and was named "Best of a Generation" by Esquire Magazine in 1984.

The October 5 event will be held from 7-9 pm at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 211 North Tampa Street, in Tampa. Pre-event cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served at 7pm, with the program beginning at 7:30pm. Admission is $35 per person, with all proceeds going to fund Enable America’s programs to assist people with disabilities, including our nation’s wounded warriors.

“We welcome everyone to this celebration of the ADA’s 20th anniversary, and would encourage those who cannot attend to consider purchasing a ‘sponsorship ticket,’” LaBour said. “Those tickets will permit people with disabilities who otherwise could not attend, to join us.”

Those who want to attend can sign up at the website, EnableAmerica.org, or by calling the organization by phone at 813-222-3230.

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About Enable America: Enable America was established in 2002 by attorney Richard Salem as a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities find employment and live independently. The organization’s Community Connections, Business Connections, and VetConnect programs unite members of the disability community and business community to raise awareness and increase employment opportunities for the 54 million Americans with disabilities, including our nation’s wounded warriors. More information can be found on the organization’s web site, EnableAmerica.org.
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Enable America
Chris Jadick
813-222-3204
http://www.enableamerica.org
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