Access to Recreation Consultant Wins MPAS Award!

Posted on March 16, 2010

Gigi Mericka was awarded third place in the Personal Disability Advocacy Essay Contest.  Her essay describes the three-year legal process that she, and her attorney, John Adair fought and won to ensure the rights of individuals with developmental disabilities.  The selection committee at Michigan Protection & Advocacy Services spent hours reading submissions and choosing the very best entries from the many worthy stories that were submitted.  Winners were invited to Lansing to meet with their legislators and MPAS Board members to receive their recognition. 

As a consultant to the Community Foundation’s Access to Recreation Program, Gigi continues to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities.  She has helped raise nearly $90,000 (which will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation) to establish the Access to Recreation Endowment Fund.  This fund will support projects throughout St. Clair County that create or improve accessible recreation… so that people of all abilities can enjoy the parks, beaches, and natural beauty of our community.  More information can be found at www.accesstorec.org.

John Adair has been a donor and volunteer at the Community Foundation for many years.  He currently serves on the Professional Advisory Committee and has been a great supporter of the Access to Recreation initiative.