Athletes and Abilities!
Score a Home Run for Kids

By Maureen Traxler

Dr. Henry Viscardi, who with the encouragement of Eleanor Roosevelt founded Abilities, Inc. in 1952, put disabilities in perspective when he said, "There really are no disabled people, only people with varying degrees of ability."The spirit of his statement permeated Abilities! 40th anniversary Sports Night, a gathering of people with varying abilities-the guest athletes whose professional careers demonstrated their speed, agility and accuracy and the children from the Henry Viscardi School whose performance every day is a testament to their humor, perseverance and accomplishment.

The evening's highlight, the annual play produced by skater JoJo Starbuck, included a cast of children "athletes"sharing the stage with the professionals. The pros included; NFL greats Frank Gifford, Ahmad Rashad, Gale Sayers, Wesley Walker, John Dockery and Tucker Frederickson; former MLB stars Bud Harrelson, Mike Schmidt, Tom Seaver and Ed Charles; NHL legends Rod Gilbert, Pat LaFontaine and Bobby Nystrom; basketball marvels Walt Frazier, John Starks and Jack Garfinkel; wrestling champ Mick Foley, and figure skaters Oksana Baiul, and Sarah and Emily Hughes. Abilities! President andCEO Edmund Cortez notes that the sports stars who volunteer their time are "absolutely wonderful and truly dedicated to helping children with disabilities."

Cortez emphasizes that at Viscardi School "physical education and sports are very important."The school has "a wonderful basketball team,"he says, that plays in tournaments. Thanks to a generous benefactor, the school also has a track. "Sports has a tremendous impact on children. It gives them a sense of self worth and accomplishment, and they learn about competition and fair play."

"It was a touching and successful event-and fun!"says actress Susan Lucci, who attended Sports Night with her husband, Helmut Huber, and friends. "I was thrilled to see so many of the athletes I admire participating. There was a remarkable outpouring of generosity from the athletes and all the people in attendance."For Lucci, this was her first Sports Night and she remarks, "I go to many charity events, but I was impressed with Abilities!, the children and the people involved with taking good care of them."

Sports Night-then and now
Begun by Viscardi in collaboration with a friend at Sports Illustrated, Sports Night was innovative at the time, when people with disabilities were mostly confined to the role of spectator. The first Sports Night was "a stag event,"says Susan Gordon Ryan, Abilities! Vice President for Development and one of the first Viscardi School students. The 75 men at the first event mingled with Olympic Swimmer Buster Crabbe, 1941 Triple Crown winning jockey Eddie Arcaro, boxer Jack Dempsey, race car driver Bob Sellers, and African-American runner Jesse Owens, the first American to win four gold medals in Olympic Track and Field.

2002 Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hughes, who was attending her ninth Sports Night this year, remembers the late Henry Viscardi as a man who "brought people with disabilities into mainstream society. Listening to him at Sports Nights was like "listening to a legend."

The 40th anniversary fundraiser brought out 900 guests and 100 volunteers to the Albertson facility to enjoy a unique play, a great dinner, silent auction, and live auction called by former New York Jets defensive lineman Marty Lyons. Far exceeding its goal, the event garnered $2 million to advance the programs and services of the Viscardi School and Abilities, Inc., benefiting children and adults with disabilities. Sports Night was chaired by Michael Pascucci, president, WLNY TV-55, who Ryan described as "every fundraisers dream for a chairman."Pascucci was responsible for bringing out many of the athletes.

Hughes and her sister Emily, who skated in the Torino Winter Olympics, worked on the decorating and food committees. Emily, who participated in the play with the children, says, "Taking part in something they love to do is such a great feeling."Sister Sarah has "seen the event grow exponentially,"she notes, adding that she has become friends with students and emails with them during the year.

The man and his vision
Henry Viscardi Jr. was born in 1912 with short, twisted legs. After eight years in a hospital and repeated operations to straighten his legs, he was fitted with padded boots on his stumps and sent off to attend regular public schools. With arms reaching the ground, he was jeered and taunted by classmates. He seemed destined to face life confined to a wheelchair. But in 1939 at 27 years old he met orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Yanover who found an old German immigrant to craft artificial limbs. When the limbs were strapped on, he took his first steps and glanced in the mirror at a typical man of five-foot-eight-and cried.

Viscardi asked Yanover how he could repay him, and the good doctor said his bill would be repaid if Viscardi made the difference for another individual. Striving to make a difference became his life mission. He volunteered for the Red Cross during World War II and was assigned to work with veterans who were amputees at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C.

A longtime Long Island resident, in 1952 he borrowed $8,000 and started Abilities, Inc. in a vacant garage in West Hempstead. His manufacturing operation was staffed largely by injured veterans, proving that people who were physically handicapped could be productive workers.

Abilities!
Abilities!, formerly known as the National Center for Disability Services, has two affiliates. Abilities, Inc. continues to evaluate, train and serve over 6,000 individuals with disabilities, 16 to 65+ years of age, and places approximately 1,500 people in competitive jobs each year. The Henry Viscardi School provides educational services to preK through grade 12 youngsters who are severely disabled.

Abilities! is "a model program in the United States,"notes Cortez. Among its myriad of services is the National Business and Disability Council, which provides comprehensive services and support to corporate members to enable employers to hire and retain individuals with disabilities, while preparing staff members to work with people with disabilities. The Nathaniel Kornreich Technology Center is a unique assistive technology, demonstration, education, evaluation and training center. Its collection of over 500 assistive technology products help individuals achieve, maintain and increase their independence.

The Viscardi School is one of eleven New York State "4201"schools and one of three on Long Island. "4201"schools are private institutions created under Section 4201 of New York State Education Law and supported financially by state appropriation. The school serves approximately 200+ students each school year.

"The school is an incredible, upbeat, positive place where everybody is made to feel comfortable,"says Sarah Hughes. "The unbelieveable people running the school work tirelessly for the kids' success in the day-to-day program."The Hughes sisters serve on the school's Athletes Advisory Committee and Sarah enjoys watching tapes with the child "athletes"and presenting graduates with their sports awards as part of the Sports Night program.

Ryan, who notes that she's come "full circle"from her days as a student, joined Abilities! two years ago. The school has a loyal corps of "volunteers,"she notes, who assist in the classrooms year 'round. Through the Reach for the Stars luncheon held by the women's group this year, "accessible"vans were purchased for field trips, and a state grant secured through the offices of Senator Michael Balboni helped the school add a specialized wheelchair swing for youngsters who can't transfer out of their wheelchairs. "It gives them the same experiences as other kids,"she says. Abilities! welcomes donors, and follows their wishes if they have a specific goal in mind.

Like its founder, Henry Viscardi, the school is a pioneer in the use of technology as a tool to overcome difficult challenges. Cortez explains, "Technology allows children to do things that they would not otherwise be able to do. Abilities! has invested in research and has created innovative technology programs for children with disabilities to learn basic skills."

The miracles of technology
"Technology is a great equalizer; it levels the playing field,"says Cortez, who, prior to joining Abilities! served as New York State Assistant Commissioner for Special Education and Rehabilitation. He notes that 12 years ago when he joined Abilities!, the School's Board of Directors instituted a financial plan that ensures a yearly balanced budget to pay salaries, utilities and other operating expenses. Therefore, he adds, "All the proceeds [from our fundraisers] are available for innovation-computers and other tools to teach children with disabilities, training for staff, equipment and materials to treat and work with children, and expand our current program."

Some of Viscardi School's children cannot speak easily or use their hands and legs, but Cortez points out that with technology, "they can type a report on a computer, say words through the computer, walk and get about as easily as others."

The school's Technology Center helps parents help their children by giving them the opportunity to see and test different equipment, and determine if the product will be beneficial for their child before they purchase it.

Global approach
Calling Viscardi "one of the best speakers I have ever encountered,"Cortez says, "The message he sent out has gone around the world."The School's board of directors wishes to see the Viscardi School have not only a major impact here, but also an international impact as well, he adds. To this end, the school and the people with whom they collaborate have made a commitment to work to improve life for all children.

Viscardi School has sent staff to Japan, China and Guatemala to assist workers in developing and delivering instruction for children with disabilities. Teachers from Cyprus have come to Long Island for training, and staff members have worked with instructors from Poland and England. In July, 12 teachers from Northern Ireland will come to Albertson to explore the use of technology. The School's staff works with Teachers College of Columbia University to run an international training program.

Measuring success
This year, notes Cortez, Viscardi School graduates 18 young men and women, 15 of whom are going on to higher education in institutions such as Adelphi, Briarcliff and Nassau Community College. "Ours is the only facility of this type in New York State I know of that provides an academic program for children with all kinds of disabilities. After they leave and move on in life, they'll have to pass the grade like everyone else. Our kids can do that. We are opening doors for our children to higher education, being part of the community, getting a good paying job and having a career.