Three awards were given out to Chatham-Kent leaders who advocate for accessibility at a recent ceremony in Chatham.
The Chatham-Kent Accessibility Advisory Committee, whose mandate is to accessibility to property and services for people of all abilities, was at The Dutch Market new location on William Street South in Chatham to present the awards.
Chairperson Ralph Roels announced the awards, which included the Dr. Veronica Vaughan Accessible Business of the Year award to Charlie Huls, owner of the Dutch Market.
“Past experience at our old location showed us we needed more room for people to be more mobile and get around easier, and it was just the idea of making shopping here a good experience, especially as we have an aging population,” Huls said.
The next Accessibility Advocate award, named after committee member and double amputee, Sheila Lindsay-Powers, was given to Ryan VanPraet, program manager of the very successful Trust Your Buddy Accessible Recreation Program for blind and visually impaired people. VanPraet himself is visually impaired.
VanPraet’s program gets participants involved in a wide array of recreational activities, including paddle boarding. He said it was a great honour for him personally to receive the award, but also a nod to his group “who have done a great job as a team”.
“I grew up in Chatham and I was raised to believe I can do whatever I want,” VanPraet said, which is something society doesn’t always believe of people of all abilities.
The program started with a grant from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, and VanPraet said with the success of the program, they are looking at expanding it out into southwestern Ontario with the help of further funding.
The final award of the day was given posthumously to Sid Ebare, whose wife Nancy accepted on his behalf. An emotional Roels explained the award would now be known as the Sid Ebare Perseverance Award, to recognize him for his steady persistence in living beyond his limitations.
Chatham-Kent Coun. Karen Herman told a story about Sid, saying when the beach boardwalk first opened in Erieau, it allowed people with mobility challenges to get on the beach and closer to the water. She said the first people she saw on the boardwalk deck were Sid and his wife, Sara.
“The deck is there for people who may not have seen the beach, maybe ever, and there was Sid and Sara,” she said of the couple. “They were first ones out there.”
Ebare’s wife said he would have really enjoyed the award.
“He really lived to help other people. He had me but if you were by yourself, he wanted to make sure people had enough room to get through,” Sara said. “He was a role model; we encouraged people to just get out. It doesn’t matter, just live your life.”
