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| Montpelier Boy Honored At ADA CelebrationThe Vermont Center for Independent Living honored a 10-year-old Montpelier boy July 26 during its annual celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Ash Brittenham received the 2nd Annual Deborah Lisi-Baker Leader of Tomorrow Award. The VCIL Board of Directors created the award last year in honor of the disability rights organization’s executive director and emerging leaders in the independent living movement. Ash, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), is only in the fourth grade but is already an accomplished author. He has written and illustrated a book called "The Adventures of SuperMax" which tells the story of his German shepherd. The dog, wanting to be a superhero, develops the ability to fly. The book earned Ash a Reading Rainbow Award from Vermont Public Television, and that got the attention of a group called Parent Project MD. The group was so impressed with Ash and with his book that they paid to have it published by Doubleday Books. "The Adventures of SuperMax" is available through Parent Project MD's Web site and the proceeds are being used to benefit muscular dystrophy research. Kim Brittenham, Ash's mom, said her son has been excited about doing readings at local libraries, as well as a book signing at a local shop, this summer. "He feels like he's doing something to help. He knows it takes money to pay the doctors and the researchers," Kim Brittenham said. "He knows that the more people hear about [muscular dystrophy] and talk about it, the more people might do something." In a letter to Ash asking him to accept the award, Lisi-Baker wrote, "This year, the person I most want to recognize is you. Your writing and illustrations, your speeches, and the way you live your life is helping to transform how people think about disability. You are giving people a chance to laugh and smile but also the opportunity to realize how important it is to take action for equal rights." The ADA Celebration was held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 26 on the Statehouse lawn in Montpelier. The event, which was deemed a huge success, included a presentation by Kelly Lucci of U.S. Sen. Bernard Sanders' office. She gave Lisi-Baker an American flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of the ADA Celebration. Other highlights included speeches by John Tracy of Sen. Patrick Leahy's office and by Patricia Coates of Congressman Peter Welch's office. Gov. Jim Douglas also made an appearance at the ADA Celebration. |