The Elizabeth Richardson Center 50th Anniversary

The Elizabeth Richardson Center (ERC) will celebrate its 50th anniversary by welcoming Geri Jewell, disabilities advocate, author and actress to the Fayetteville High School Performing Arts Center on October 10, 2013, at 7:00 pm.

An award winning author, performer and motivational speaker, Geri Jewell received worldwide recognition being the first person with a disability to be cast in a prime-time series, NBC’s The Facts of Life. A role model for millions of people with disabilities and LGBT youth, she has had many television appearances, and earned Emmy consideration as "Jewel" in HBO’s Deadwood.  When Geri is not working in television, she is a highly sought after motivational speaker and trainer in the areas of diversity, disability and LGBT issues. Her training has taken her to such companies as Hewlett Packard, Johnson Wax, AT&T, Mass Mutual and Raytheon along with such government agencies as The CIA, The U.S. Treasury Department, Defense Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. Army. Geri’s critically-acclaimed autobiography, I’m Walking as Straight as I Can, is an honest and bold account of her life.  She is famous for her uncanny ability to captivate the hearts of her audiences by using humor to facilitate attitudinal change. Geri brings to her presentations her personal experiences in life, which in turn allow people to gain insight into the prospect of seeing disability in a totally different light.

“This is such an amazing milestone for our organization and we wanted to celebrate in a big way,” said Kate Lunsford, ERC Marketing Director.  “Geri Jewell is an inspiration to all people, of all abilities.”

Tickets are available at www.ercinc.org, by calling 872-1800 or they can be purchased at the door on the night of the event.  Cost is $20 for the general public and $10 for students.

The Elizabeth Richardson Center is a non-profit organization that has been serving the needs of individuals with disabilities since 1963.  With ten locations in Northwest Arkansas, ERC serves over 600 children and adults each year.  Five Child Development Centers provide therapy services to children from six weeks to five years of age in a preschool setting with a state-approved curriculum. For adults with disabilities, ERC offers vocational training, job placement, life skills training, independent living options and community involvement.  For more information about ERC, contact Kate Lunsford, Marketing Director, at (479) 872-1800 or [email protected].