Paralyzed Veterans Awareness Week
Paralyzed Veterans Awareness Week Highlights the Unique Challenges Facing Veterans.
Paralyzed Veterans Awareness Week marks the founding of Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), which was 64 years ago this week. Did you hear about Paralyzed Veterans Awareness Week on the radio talk shows or from any of the major news organizations? Most likely not. I'm sure there were a few exceptions.
For most Americans though, the week of April 11-17 went by without having thought about these very special soldiers. We tend to know when it's Veterans Day (in November) because it gets more attention -- and for other reasons. It's a national holiday so government workers get the day off. The schools, banks and stock exchanges are also closed. While days off are nice (for some), I'm not sure how giving government workers the day off helps a disabled veteran get a job.
During this week, Americans are encouraged by the PVA to take time out of their busy schedules to honor and empower America's paralyzed veterans. I Googled "Paralyzed Veterans Awareness Week" for news stories on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, FOX, the New York Times and Washington Post. There was hardly a mention from any of them. MobilityWorks is writing to our Congressional leaders and to major news organizations to bring this week to the forefront. The work of Paralyzed Veterans of America is to empower seriously wounded heroes and their families with everything they need to thrive. They deserve to receive what they need the most: care, benefits and jobs.
"Please take a minute during Awareness Week to think about the enormous challenges paralyzed veterans and their families face every day and then do something good to help empower their lives," said Gene A. Crayton, national president of Paralyzed Veterans.
This week also launched Mission: ABLE, a new campaign by the PVA to enlist all Americans: companies, citizens and communities to help our heroes who have been paralyzed to live full lives.
Visit www.mission-able.com for more details. Please support the PVA and Mission: ABLE. They can't do it without your generous support.
Paralyzed Veterans of America Organization Highlights:
• Fight for quality VA health care and ample military benefits.
• Promote and provide wheelchair sports and recreational activities.
• Lead the charge to make America more accessible.
• Empower paralyzed veterans with the tools they need to secure good careers
• Invest in research to find new treatments and a cure for paralysis.
• Provide services to all veterans and their families free of charge.