Kyle Korver signs Cindy's ball.

A big Jazz fan who participates in the Bear River Activity and Skills Center day program was treated to a great game on Monday, Feb. 2.  Cindy Ann Jones received some free Utah Jazz tickets and watched from a courtside seat as the team warm up before the game. The players threw the ball around and even signed a basketball for her.

“She’s been through a lot with her medical condition, and I think this will give her a lift,” said Sherrie Jones, Cindy’s mother. Cindy has had 39 major surgeries in her 40-year lifetime. Her condition, spina bifida, is a disorder involving incomplete development of the brain, spinal cord, and/or their protective coverings. It is caused by the failure of the fetus’s spine to close properly during the first month of pregnancy.

Lately, foot problems related to Cindy’s condition have made it necessary for her to use a wheelchair, so the free tickets put her and a family member in the wheelchair-accessible section.

At the warm-up, the players saw that her feet were bandaged in Jazz colors. They loved it. The players went on to win their game against the Charlotte Bobcats.

The Jazz event all started with a learning exercise at BRASC, the adult day program at the Center for Persons with Disabilities on the Utah State University Campus. One of Cindy’s goals is to become more familiar with the Internet. Since she’s a fan of the Utah Jazz in general and Andre Kirilenko in particular, it was natural for her to cruise the team’s website with staff member Amber Marble, looking for a poster of her favorite player.

That night, Marble secretly sent off an email through the website. She was surprised by a call back the following day. The Jazz gave Cindy free tickets so she could watch them play in person.

“From that day on I was higher than a kite,” Cindy said. Not only did she go to the game; she also received a free signed photo of Kirilenko.

Cindy smiles with former Jazz players Pace Mannion and Thurl Bailey.

Skylor Pond contributed to this blog post. He is a recent Utah State University graduate who comes to the CPD through a business partnership with Deseret Industries.

Jeff Sheen is a training and development specialist at the Center for Persons with Disabilities.

To paraphrase a quote from one of my favorite books, the Count of Monte Cristo:

I have been encouraged by recent examples of the Legislature listening and responding to disability advocates, as evidenced by their efforts to preserve some specific disability services and minimize cuts to other programs that support individuals with disabilities. A Legislature that is willing to listen to the voices of the disability community is vital to our advocacy efforts. I salute all of the tireless advocates throughout the state that are working so hard to make the collective voice of the disability community heard. There are still many difficult funding decisions to be made and many opportunities for advocacy during the remainder of this year’s legislative session. We must continue to press forward into the storm, be persistent in our pursuit of change, and be creative in the solutions we offer to the challenges our state and our nation face.

The men and women serving in the Utah Legislature face the daunting challenge of balancing a budget that has suffered unprecedented shortfalls over the last year. With so many worthy initiatives, projects, programs, and services to fund and so little money to fund them, what is to be done?

I think that the current budget situation is an opportunity for our statewide community to take a hard look at what we, as Utahns, value most. I believe that what a society chooses to spend money on, especially when money is tight, is one of most powerful indicators of what that society truly values.

Now, more than ever, in the midst of this budget crisis, we as advocates in the disability community, have an opportunity to educate our legislators and fellow citizens about the critical importance of disability services in supporting the rights of all Utahns to fully participate in our community in a meaningful and dignified way.

The storm is raging, what will you do?

I encourage everyone, especially those who have yet to find their advocacy voice, to get involved and make a difference. If you aren’t sure where to start, consider visiting the following websites for the most current information on Utah disability related legislative issues as well as information on how to contact your legislators and make your voice heard:

The Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities
Utah State Legislature Homepage
League of Women Voters

Utah Health Policy Project