Latest news with #Disabled
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hundreds gather at Memorial Day services in Grand Forks to remember 'high price of freedom'
May 26—GRAND FORKS — Hundreds gathered for Memorial Day events in Grand Forks on Monday, May 26, to remember those who have given their lives in service to the country. On a sunny day with hardly any breeze — a stark contrast to the rainy weather that played havoc on events in 2024 — the crowds honored the fallen men and women during events that included Honor Guard salutes, speeches, music and readings. "It's not about the veterans who are living, but the ones who have passed," emcee Bobby Beauchamp said after the VFW/Disabled American Veterans event at Memorial Park Cemetery South late Monday morning. "That's what we don't want to forget." The first of the two events was the American Legion Post 6 service at Memorial Park North Cemetery. Col. Timothy Monroe, commander of the 319th Reconnaissance Wing, Grand Forks Air Force Base, addressed a crowd of more than 200 people. He implored attendees to remember the true meaning behind Memorial Day. "It is about courage, it is about sacrifice and it most certainly is about remembering the high price of freedom," Monroe said. Every headstone tells a story, and every name represents a life cut short, he said. It is the duty of those who still live to ensure these stories are not forgotten and the gift of freedom is never lost, he said. Organized by the Grand Forks American Legion Post 6, the morning ceremony featured performances by the Grand Forks City Band, Post 6 Color Guard and Grand Forks Air Force Base Color Guard. Taps and Echo was performed by Joel Ness and Sandra Iverson, while Post 6 Vice-Commander Chris Davis served as emcee. A firing squad salute was carried out by the Grand Forks Air Force Base Honor Guard. There were a number of readings and prayers shared throughout the event and wreaths were presented in honor of all who have died in their respective lines of service. Jenny Jansen, attending the Post 6 ceremony in support of her sister — who is a member of the Air Force — said she was struck by Monroe's speech. "Every word is true," she said. "(The people who fought) need to be honored. Every country should have a day like this, so that people think about what (others) did for them." Jansen recalled how the U.S. has helped protect Europeans in the past, and said she hopes for continued support during the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. "The Ukrainian war is giving us a lot of fear," Jansen said. "Everybody hopes that America and Europe will still be a unit, that they will not go away and that they still care for Europe. This is my prayer — that Americans and Europeans will stick together." Jansen said she felt blessed to be at the ceremony, tearfully recalling her father, who she said served in the Vietnam and Korean wars. Jansen was born in Germany, and still lives there with her husband, but her father was an American and she considers the United States to be her home as well. "It's the land of the free," she said. Later Monday morning, at the VFW/Disabled American Veterans event at Memorial Park Cemetery South, keynote speaker Joel Medd spoke about his experiences with the Honor Flight program, which provides complimentary flights for veterans from the region to see veterans-related sites in Washington, D.C. "When we got home, many of you perhaps were there at the airport to welcome us home. There was a band, flags waving, and many of you were there. As we came down the escalator, many of us had tears in our eyes, including myself," Medd said of the flight's return to Grand Forks. "Many of us Vietnam veterans didn't get a welcome home." That event in Grand Forks, Medd said, thus became that missing welcome home. Beauchamp, a past state commander of the DAV, said he enjoyed handling the emcee duties at the VFW/DAV ceremony, which drew more than 150 attendees. "We couldn't have ordered a better day. The crowd was very uplifting for this solemn occasion," Beauchamp said after the event concluded. "I just really enjoy taking part in this type of occasion. It's what we all live for. For people to show up, that's what it's all about." Last year, the American Legion event was canceled due to rain, while the VFW/DAV event was moved indoors and shortened.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Heartless Long Island driver mows down family of geese — despite pleas from good Samaritan to slow down
A fowl scene unfolded on a Long Island highway when a heartless driver slammed into a family of geese despite pleas from a good Samaritan to slow down — killing the adults and two of their goslings. The massacre on Veterans Highway in Islandia left Coleen DeLorenzo in tears. DeLorenzo, 58, was on her way to work and heading north Thursday morning when she spotted the two adult geese and their six feathery babies crossing the four-lane thoroughfare just before the Long Island Expressway. 'Everybody stopped,' the Patchogue resident told The Post. 'These geese were in a very perilous part of the road. . . . I saw them from a mile away.' She put her hazard lights on and was getting out of the car when she looked over her shoulder and saw a blue van that wasn't slowing down. 'It was a Disabled American Veterans van, and they were flying,' DeLorenzo said. 'I waved my hands, they never even looked up. They hit the entire family of geese. They obliterated them at 50, 60 miles per hour.' 'This van never even tapped the brake.' Devastated, DeLorenzo 'started running around trying to save the goslings. 'I picked up one baby that was hit, I thought maybe we could save it,' she said. 'It died in my hands.' A young couple eventually helped her gather four surviving goslings, while workers doing construction nearby stepped in and used their trucks to block traffic. 'I was sobbing, covered in blood. They came over and blocked the traffic and used tarps to cover the bodies and move them, made sure I was ok.' DeLorenzo and the couple helping her eventually made contact with Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown, which took in the survivors and posted about the incident on social media. Janine Bendicksen, director of wildlife rehabilitation at the center, said the surviving Canada geese are doing fine. 'The thing is, you know when you hit and kill something. You hear it, feel it. And to just keep going?' she said. 'That is the tragedy of it all.' The center, which posted an emotional video of DeLorenzo pleading with people to slow down, takes in nearly 3,000 animals a year, 'everything from eagles, hawks, owls, foxes, you name it,' she said. The incident has left DeLorenzo shaken. 'I'm sick over it. It was such a violent act it will never go out of my head,' she said. 'That any human being could lay their head down and sleep at night after doing what they did — I feel lost.' Disabled American Veterans, the organization whose name was on the van, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Metro
12-05-2025
- General
- Metro
Don't assume life's better for Disabled people just because we're on TV more
'Things are getting better right? I mean for people like you?' 'By people like me,' I reply. 'Do you mean Disabled people?' This is a conversation I feel like I, a physically Disabled woman, am constantly having with my pre-disabled peers. It's almost as though I am asked to reassure them that my life is OK and that they shouldn't feel guilty. I mean it is 2025 after all and 'people like me' are, in many ways, assimilated into mainstream society. Perhaps you've noticed a co-worker has a limb difference, or your favourite television show proudly showcases cast members from the Disability community. Maybe, there are Deaf, Disabled or Neurodivergent classmates at your kid's school. So, things must be better simply because you can see us now more than ever? Yet being more visible after decades of being hidden away by society does not qualify as a better existence or quality of life. I want those people who assume my life is better for being more visible to know that they are seeing the world through an enabled gaze. The truth is that Disabled people face discrimination daily. New research by MoreinCommon has found that 78% of Disabled Britons feel life is harder for Disabled people than non-Disabled people. Over half (51%) think that life in the UK has become harder for us over the past 10 years. I want non-Disabled people to think hard about our struggle, but also to think about us positively. This is why it's so important to celebrate the Disability community in all its multifaceted and vibrant colour, and the Scope Awards aims to do this. The Scope Awards is a celebration of Deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent people and a way to ultimately amplify our voices. This annual ceremony celebrates those within our society: Disabled people and our allies who place value and pride in our community. And there is a lesson in that for everyone who isn't Disabled. You may know us, but until you listen to us, champion us and give us tangible change and opportunity you are simply objectifying us to feel better about yourself. You shouldn't kid yourself about the reality of discrimination. It takes many forms – like in the workplace, with Disabled people twice as likely to be unemployed. Metro is also the official media partner of 2025 Scope Awards that will take place next month. The ceremony will celebrate the work disabled people and organisations are doing to bring about important change. Hosted by the BAFTA-nominated actor Adam Pearson, unsung heroes, amazing achievements and the incredible accolades of the disabled community are all being honoured at the Kia Oval. There are 38 nominees for the nine Scope Awards: Accessible Product, Celebrity Role Model, Community Group, Inclusive Workplace, Journalist, Marketing Campaign, Media Moment, Purple Pioneer and Social Media Influencer. Life also costs significantly more for us. In fact, the average extra cost of being Disabled is estimated at £1,067 according to Scope. Every single month. And from governments to people in the street, disabled people are constantly vilified. All of my Disabled or Neurodivergent friends have faced online trolling aimed solely at attacking their differences. That crosses over into real life too. Just last week I had an altercation with a taxi driver who attempted to pick me up in a cab without a working ramp. When I told him I'd have to cancel, he became verbally aggressive and screamed: 'It's people like you who are so difficult – if I'd known you used a wheelchair I wouldn't have picked you up.' Ignorance like this still prevails and it is largely because people don't allow us to speak our truths. We still very much live in a world whereby able and enabled privilege prevails and ableism is so ingrained within our culture that most if not all Disabled people, myself included, live a lesser life. For me, the new findings about Disabled people's real-life experiences highlight this. The more visible we are, the more the world has to see the inequalities we face. We aren't hidden away in institutions anymore or kept segregated within our communities. Now, we have a voice and we will scream from the rooftops about ableism. However, people outside the Disabled community often don't like to be told where they are failing, and don't want to hear about our pain. Exposing our truth means others should be called to action, and action costs money and takes time and owning up to past wrongs. This is why I feel as though it's tougher now to be Disabled. We are more malleable when we say nothing. But, here's a reality check: those times are long gone and the Scope awards showcases those within our community who won't be silenced. One in six people are Disabled. Think about this in context to your own family, friends, neighbours and colleagues: we will all have to live and work together to make this world more Disability friendly. And if you struggle to empathise naturally with Disabled people, ask yourself this: Would you want to live in a world that tells you repeatedly that you are lesser than others? More Trending Would you want your own children to miss out on accessing higher education, or accomplishing a milestone like moving into their own home or securing their first job? Would you want to live in fear that your independence is going to be ripped away from you every time a brown envelope lands on your doorstep and you may not be able to feed yourself or leave your home? Because all of this is a reality for Deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent people like me. View More » My life isn't a tragedy because I was born with a rare condition, but it's tragic that in 2025 we still do not place value on the lives of Disabled people. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: After 10 years we unmasked our mystery stalker – we couldn't believe who it was MORE: We're living every parent's worst nightmare after bullies left our daughter suicidal MORE: 'When my mum took her own life I discovered her secret battle'
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Disabled vets continue to struggle finding post-military employment
Disabled veterans continue to struggle to find jobs despite national efforts to help bring them back into the civilian workforce, according to a new survey released by Wounded Warrior Project on Thursday. The report, based on responses in summer 2023 from nearly 19,000 veterans connected to the program, gives a snapshot of the continued struggles that veterans with serious injuries face years after their military service, even if their medical needs are being addressed. Nearly 40% of veterans in the WWP survey did not have full-time work, although only about 12% are actively looking for work and would qualify for unemployment. That figure is on par with past surveys by the group, but it sits well above the average for veterans without disabilities (around 3.6% in summer 2023) and the civilian disabled population across America (about 7.4% in summer 2023). 'Despite the unique training and skills WWP warriors receive while in the military, they still experience challenges while seeking other employment opportunities,' the report states. 'Among WWP warriors currently employed, 52.2% reported at least one barrier that makes it difficult to obtain employment or change jobs.' Outgoing WWP leader sees continued strain on vets, but more support The news comes as President Donald Trump's administration looks to cut back the federal workforce, traditionally a friendly environment for job-seeking veterans and disabled veterans looking for work. According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the federal government employed more than 337,000 disabled veterans in fiscal 2021, about two-thirds of whom had a disability rating of 30% or more. Whether the administration's potential cuts will increase unemployment among wounded veterans remains unclear. The WWP report said nearly one in four veterans in their survey listed their main barrier to finding stable work as mental health issues or psychological distress, factors that exist regardless of the job market. About 14% of those surveyed also described difficulty translating military skills to the civilian workforce, which has been a focus of numerous federal employment efforts over the last 20 years. Related to the unemployment issues, about two-thirds of wounded veterans surveyed said they faced financial problems in the previous 12 months. Roughly 60% said they have at least $20,000 in total debt, beyond what they owe on real estate mortgages. Officials from Wounded Warrior Project, which operates a host of outreach and advocacy programs, said they plan on using the survey results to look for ways to better serve members, including possible expansion of financial support efforts. The full report is available on the WWP website.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
VA secretary emphasizes reforms, accountability for federal workforce
In his first public address to a veterans organization, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins vowed to improve the department's benefits delivery and expand medical care while bringing reforms to the workforce to refocus its work on people, rather than bureaucracy. 'I want this to be heard clearly by every organization, but especially by those inside the VA walls and the VA workforce: We will not settle for anything less,' Collins told Disabled American Veterans members at their winter conference in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. 'It is not about the VA as an organization. It is about the veterans that we serve. If we are not serving the veteran, then the VA is not in the position it should be.' The comments came just nine days after department leadership dismissed about 1,000 probationary workers — and amid fears that thousands more could be let go in coming months. President Donald Trump's administration has made cutting back the number of federal workers a top priority, installing a hiring freeze across government agencies and culling numerous positions deemed irrelevant or non-critical. Confusion over VA worker dismissals irks advocates, lawmakers Collins, who was sworn into the top VA post on Feb. 5, acknowledged the dismissals in his speech and conceded 'yes, there may be others.' But he said the department has already seen significant savings from those moves and started to redirect that money back into veterans' care programs. He also pledged to make it easier for veterans to access medical appointments, either within VA or through private-sector clinics. 'The days of making choices limited for veterans on where they can get their care are over,' he said. 'We are not going to stand in the way. We're going to facilitate with proper oversight and the highest quality standards that you get your care as the law prescribes.' Veterans groups — and Democratic critics — have expressed concerns about the extent of efforts to push medical appointments into the private sector. About 40% of veterans' health care appointments now are conducted by physicians outside the VA system, and advocates have warned that shifting even more taxpayer dollars there could undermine the stability of VA hospitals. Collins did not echo those concerns, although he did pledge a balance between the two options. He also promised a continued strong focus on preventing veterans homelessness and suicides, major priorities of the past few administrations that have had mixed success. 'We have spent billions of dollars and added countless programs to the homeless situation and to suicide prevention, and seen nothing,' he said. 'I'm ready to see results. I'm ready to take whatever we have and say, 'What can we do better?'' The secretary is scheduled to speak with several veterans groups in coming days as they prepare for annual hearings to offer their 2025 legislative priorities to Congress. Collins, an Air Force Reserve chaplain, pledged to work closely with the groups on those issues in the months ahead.
