Governor Jack Markell will be presented with the Outstanding Advocate Award by National Easterseals President/CEO, Jim Williams, at Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore’s 2014 Annual Dinner on Wednesday, October 8th. Additionally, Robert J.A. Fraser, a longtime board member of the local affiliate, will be recognized with the Drex Jones Volunteer Award for his extraordinary service to people with disabilities in the region. The event will take place at the Chase Center on the Riverfront with a cocktail reception beginning at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m.
Easterseals, a leading provider of services for children and adults with disabilities and their families, created its Outstanding Advocate Awards to honor public officials for their work to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. As Chair of the National Governor’s Association (NGA), Governor Markell focused his initiative on increasing employment for people with disabilities on a national level. In 2012, he signed Delaware’s “Employment First” legislation into law requiring state agencies that provide services to persons with disabilities to consider, as their first option, employment in an integrated setting.
Fraser will be receiving the Drex Jones Volunteer Award, presented by Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore to an individual in recognition of sustained efforts that have had a significant impact on the quality of life for people with disabilities. Fraser has been a dedicated and active member of the board for more than 15 years, chairing the board as well as the key committees critical to building a strong foundation for the future of Easterseals in the region.
The dinner will also mark the end of a yearlong celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Easterseals Camp Fairlee, outside of Chestertown, Maryland, which offers children and adults with disabilities the opportunity to experience the year-round fun and adventure of camp in a safe and accessible environment.
