The New Ability Awards Gala

Location: The Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier in Chicago

The New Ability Awards Gala was held in the Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier in Chicago. 

This formal awards ceremony brought together the leaders representing small companies, corporate giants, not-for-profit organizations, and governmental agencies with our industry.  Like the Nobel Prize or the Academy Awards, the purpose of the evening was to properly acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of those individuals and organizations that have made the most extraordinary contributions to the 57 million Americans who happen to have a disability.

The evening was magical. Presenting the awards were industry icons such as the Richard Anderson from Shriners Hospital for Children, Chet Cooper from Ability House, Rob Kilbury, Department of Human Services for the State of Illinois, Larry Labiak, Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities, Patricia Scherer, PhD, founder of the International Center on Deafness and the Arts, Valerie Sobel, founder of Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation, James Lee Sorenson, president of Sorenson Media, and John Williams, the man who coined the phase "assistive technology". 

Also presenting awards were television and movie actors like Kathleen Quinlan, Robert David Hall, and Robin Leach.  And other well-known personalities also graced the stage such as Miss America 1995, Heather Whitestone McCallum, Lt. Col Brian Birdwell, the Sole Survivor (directorate area) during 9/11 Pentagon attack, Indy 500 Driver, Sam Schmidt, and NBA Legend Bob Love.

The winners tell the real story.  Seeing the expressions on the faces of the winners and hearing the emotion in their acceptance speeches left the audience inspired and awestruck.  Some winners include Kim Peek, the man who inspired the Academy Award winning movie "Rainman", Adam Kissiah, Jr., the man who invented the cochlear implant, James Levoy Sorenson, a legendary humanitarian, and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts for making theme parks communicate to the blind and the deaf.

These are Le' Crem' de le creme of the industry of helping people with disabilities.  Nonetheless, this is an industry made up of winners.  Each and every person who works in this industry to improve the quality of life for others represents the very best of humanity.  All the presenters, nomineees, sponsors, attendees, and recipients are all winners...and all that had the good fortune to be present at the 2004 New Ability Awards Gala have witnessed a historic breakthrough for this industry.