One of UK's least publicized groups will get the spotlight this week.
As UK celebrates its 25th year of providing disability services, the roughly 500 disabled students on campus will be highlighted.
October is Disabilities Awareness Month at UK. The celebration starts today with the opening of two art exhibits on campus. Other events include a comedy night and an art demonstration on campus.
"An American Collection" is the centerpiece of the anniversary commemoration. It is an art exhibit that showcases the works of established and emerging artists with disabilities from across the United States.
The travelling exhibits are "a testimony to the tremendous achievements of artists with disabilities," said Eileen Cuskaden, acting chief executive officer of Very Special Arts, a national organization for promoting disabled arts programs.
The exhibit already has reached the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
"This collection will help people realize the incredible diversity of artists everywhere, and the incredible talents of artists with disabilities," said Karen Gustafson, an arts director at that university.
The collection, which opens today, will be shown in the Rasdall Gallery in the Student Center until Oct. 27.
In addition to the national art exhibit, local disabled artists will display "Art with Spirit" works at the Intermezzo Cafe in Patterson Office Tower. The eight works will be displayed through Oct. 13.
Nationally-known comedians Chris Fonseca and Lisa Gay Tremblay will perform Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Student Center Grand Ballroom.
Gary Hargis, a Kentucky-born disabled Vietnam veteran, will show his woodcarving and give a demonstration in the Free Speech Area outside the Student Center Wednesday at noon.
Also planned is a wheelchair basketball exhibition later in the month. An organized wheelchair basketball team will compete against a celebrity team, including former UK Wildcats Kyle Macy, Jeff Brassow and Sean Woods.
WKYT-TV sports anchor Jill Carlson and other media personalities also will participate. The game is scheduled for Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. in the Seaton Center.
In addition, there are seminars and simulations this month to raise awareness about campus life for students with disabilities.
The UK Disability Resource Center is a sponsor of the first annual disability celebration. The DRC is responsible for helping make UK a more accessible campus for the diabled.
Students and the public are invited to share in the celebration. For more information, call Sandy Challman at 257-4357 or Susan Sogg at 257-2754.