The Board of Clallam County Commissioners on Oct. 3 proclaimed the month of October 2017 as Disability Employment Awareness Month in Clallam County and publicly recognized employers in the county who employ people with developmental disabilities.
Held each October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a national campaign that raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. The theme for 2017 is “Inclusion Drives Innovation.”
The month-long recognition has roots back to 1945 when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
A proclamation recognizing the local businesses adds that county commissioners “encourage all citizens to join in efforts to increase employment and involvement of persons with developmental disabilities throughout Clallam County, and to participate in the efforts to allow the full participation of people with developmental disabilities in the economic, social and work life of the community … making Clallam County inclusive for all.”
Local employers recognized were: A-1 Performance Inc.; Amazing Changes Hair Studio; Banana Belt Kelly; Clallam Transit; DBA Lefties Baseball; DSHS-Child Protective Services; Feiro Marine Life Center; Forks Coffee Shop; Goodwill–Sequim; The Home Depot; JACE Real Estate-Port Angeles; JACE Real Estate–Sequim; Jack In The Box-Port Angeles; Juan de Fuca Cottages; McDonald’s-Port Angeles; Olympic Medical Center; Omega Business Center; Pacific Office Equipment; Quality Inn & Suites; Red Lion Hotel-Port Angeles; Safeway–Sequim; Safeway-Port Angeles (US Highway 101); Safeway-Port Angeles (Lincoln Street); Shred Head Shredding; Smuggler’s Landing; Sodexo; St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church; The Cedars at Dungeness; Three Rivers Resort; TLC Pet Pros; Walmart-Port Angeles; Washburn’s General Store; YMCA of Port Angeles and YMCA of Sequim.
