Wednesday marks Spread the Word: Inclusion day.
It’s a global campaign to stamp out the use of the R-word when describing someone who lives with an intellectual or physical disability.
In North Bay, the Community Living organization held an afternoon luncheon at its neighbouring Home Style Caféand asked the community to support them by taking the pledge to spread inclusion.
Seven-year-old Iyad Adjoudj was born with Down syndrome. His mother, Tammy, is thankful his school and other support systems are in place for him. She said North Bay has been very inclusive to her son.
"He is in a mainstream classroom at school," she said. "He goes to Sunset Park Public School and they’re amazing there for inclusion."
Spread The Word is a global campaign to encourage people to pledge to promote respect for people living with intellectual and physical disabilities. This year’s theme is inclusion.
"We, for years, tried to get people to recognize that words really do matter and what may not mean anything in your day-to-day impact in your life may have an impact on someone else’s life," said Community Living North Bay executive director Sherry Carnevale.
Locally, the campaign has been taking place for 12 years collecting pledges. There’s also a goal of abolishing the R-word from the vocabulary.
Special Olympian Bev Phippen lives with an intellectual disability. She was once called the R-word and it hurt her feelings. She wants to replace it with another word.
"That R-word should be called respect. Treat us with respect," Phippen said.
Community Living North Bay is hoping to get 5,000 pledges from the city and its surrounding area. The non-profit organization assists 700 families with loved ones who have a disability. Their programs range all the way from childhood to helping people find employment.
"We have people that we support into the transition into long-term care. It’s a long journey for people who come into Community Living. We help them with jobs, recreation, therapy," said Carnevale.
Adding respect should be given each day so people with disabilities feel included.
To sign the pledge click here.
At the time of publishing, the pledge count was 847,565.
