The 2012 Kathleen O. Maul Leadership Award was presented to Rick Forkosh, Executive Director of UCP Heartland, for his leadership and strong commitment to UCP. The award is presented to an exceptional executive director in memory of Maul, a remarkable executive director at UCP of Suffolk who died young and left a legacy of leadership ability and strong commitment to UCP. Forkosh received a painting by artist, Maurice "Mo" Higgs, from Art Enables, a studio and gallery in Washington, D.C. for emerging artists with developmental disabilities.

Forkosh began his career working in the disability field in 1979, managing a group home with eight men. Soon after, he was promoted to assistant director of residential services, until 1983, when he joined UCP’s St. Louis affiliate–now UCP Heartland–as director of adult services. Forkosh was appointed executive director in 1985, and since then, the agency’s $750,000 budget now has around $9.75 million under management. UCP Heartland has won several awards at the local, state and national level for some of its new and innovative programs and supports under Forkosh’s leadership and has been continuously accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for the past 30 years.

“It is clear that Rick has proven leadership ability, but what about Rick the man?” asked UCP President & CEO Stephen Bennett during the Opening Reception at the 2012 Annual Conference. “His peers would call him passionate about the mission, tenacious about civil rights, a formidable executive with a dry sense of humor, and a gentle giant of a man who loves a good debate! I remember one Monday morning years ago, calling Rick to touch base, and when I asked how Rick was doing, he explained he wasn’t so well. It turned out that he had been up driving UCP clients around all Sunday evening after an agency had closed, and he was trying to find them a place to sleep. You don’t hear about type of dedication often, and Rick is a UCP executive who has dedicated his life to helping people with disabilities, no matter the circumstance.”

The 2012 Chair Award was presented to Medtronic and The Medtronic Foundation, and is given to an individual, organization or company whose impact and support for UCP and its mission is deemed exemplary by the national Board of Trustees Chair. The Medtronic Foundation received a painting by artist, Darnell Curtis, also from the studios of Art Enables.

Medtronic and the Medtronic Foundation stand as a model of aligning corporate philanthropy with the needs of the people they serve. Medtronic has a long-standing commitment to innovation, pushing the boundaries of medical technology to transform the lives of people with disabilities and chronic disease. The company’s sponsorship of the Medtronic Foundation and its work has created strong supports for patients and families, including many in the UCP network. Through programs like PatientLink, the Medtronic Foundation builds awareness, educates and advocates on behalf of patients and their families, to improve the lives of people living with chronic disease and disabilities.

“UCP has been proud to partner with Medtronic and the Medtronic Foundation to bring vital resources to people that need them most,” remarked Bruce Merlin Fried, then-Chair of UCP’s national Board of Trustees. “We are grateful for Medtronic’s foundational support of our programs, including My Child Without Limits and now Brave Kids.”

The 2012 Ritter Legacy Award was presented to UCP of Maine for its monthly YouTube UCP NEWS broadcast. The award honors an affiliate that has produced exemplary communications through a variety of media that increase public awareness about people with disabilities, the programs of the affiliate and the national UCP brand through the use of the official UCP logo, colors and messaging.

UCP NEWS was created with a goal to share news and information related to UCP of Maine’s agency and mission, on both local and national levels, expanding the UCP message in ways that would otherwise be impossible. Utilizing the popular YouTube media platform, UCP NEWS has the ability to reach people with disabilities, their families, caregivers, friends, neighbors and even elected officials online. Because of UCP NEWS, UCP of Maine is able to raise awareness and advocate in a more modern way, reaching across many generations.

The 2012 Nina Eaton Program of the Year Award was presented to UCP of San Luis Obispo County for its CIP Tours program, for its extraordinary contribution to the quality of life of people with disabilities, enabling individuals served to become more independent, productive or integrated into the family or community.

CIP Tours is a program that allows adults with disabilities to have inclusive vacation experiences. There are 12 big trips each year to locations such as Disneyland, San Diego, Las Vegas, Jamaica, and Alaska. Many Participants save money in advance and participate in the trip planning; and support staff is trained to promote full independence and inclusion of all participants. CIP Tours provides a true vacation experience for individuals with disabilities.

Nina Eaton was one of UCP’s founding members and passed away in early 2012. Eaton’s granddaughter, Meredith Eaton–a movie and television actress, known for her breakout role in the ABC series Boston Legal and the movie Unconditional Love–attended the Awards for Excellence to present the award in honor of her late grandmother.

Speaking about her grandmother, Eaton remarked, “Nana frequently spoke about her wish for a more accessible world for the disabled community. Imbued with a sense of compassion and determination, she always felt there was still so much more to do… Her imprint on this organization is ever-lasting and the stories that we all have about this gorgeous, white-haired lady with the effervescent smile and humanistic spirit will live on in our hearts forever.”

The 2012 Outstanding Youth Award was presented to Brooke Arnold, nominated by UCP of Baton Rouge, for significantly enhancing the lives of people with disabilities through care giving, volunteerism, advocacy, innovation or fundraising.

Arnold has been an unwavering supporter for families of children with disabilities served by the UCP of Baton Rouge for nine years -- quite a feat considering she is only 19 years old. As an individual with a disability, Arnold uses her experiences overcoming challenges to inspire and encourage those around her. She has formed and participated in support groups for parents and individuals with disabilities and even started her own popular Facebook support group called CP and Me. Arnold has volunteered at UCP of Baton Rouge’s Capably Arts program, co-led a Siblings group, spoken as part of a fundraising appeal at an annual breakfast event, and participated in UCP of Baton Rouge’s 5K Run, Walk & Roll. She even secured a grant from the Clay Aiken Foundation for a wheelchair accessible swing for a local playground. Arnold changes perceptions of people with disabilities by living her life with an unparalleled “can do” positive attitude, increasing cerebral palsy awareness in her community and becoming a role model for others.

The 2012 Universal Accessibility Design Award was presented to Patrick Baechle of Baechle & Associates, for designing the Alleghenies UCP Blair County Community Service Center. The award is presented to an individual, business, government or governmental agency that has provided leadership developing a universally accessible environment by creating new tools modifying the environment, enhancing independent living or achieving a barrier-free environment.

The Center was designed beyond meeting building codes and ADA accessible standards by Baechle & Associates to make a more enjoyable environment for those who strive for dignity and independence while living with a disability.

Enhanced features were incorporated to accommodate those with special needs, particularly those who have difficulty interpreting and reacting to sensory information, reaching and manipulation disabilities and poor coordination abilities. Some of these features include additional room in corridors for large wheelchair turning, exceptionally spacious restrooms with simple push button locks and door openers, a strobe light fire alarm system, impact resistant walls, an accessible kitchenette, a vehicle canopy and a curbless sidewalk at the drop off area.

These and other planned facility improvements show creativity and innovation while exceeding the accessibility standards. Because of the insight put in to the facility’s design, the final product meets the needs of multiple generations and multiple facets of the community, including those with and without disabilities.

The community center provides a fully accessible space for Alleghenies UCP programming, training and public events, including assistive technology demonstrations and training, certified personal care aide training, consumer art workshops, computer classes for individuals with disabilities utilizing available adaptive equipment, consumer cooking classes and many more community supported social clubs, entertainment events, support groups, public gatherings and trainings.

“Thanks to the work of Pat Baechle, the Alleghenies UCP Blair County Community Service Center furthers the UCP mission to support individuals with disabilities, and the center supports community needs by treating all persons with respect and raises public awareness for the need to accessible facilities,” said Bruce Merlin Fried, Chair of UCP’s national Board of Trustees, before presenting Baechle with his award.

The 2012 Ethel Hausman Volunteer of the Year Award honors an exceptional individual who, through volunteering, has made an outstanding contribution to UCP. 2012 had so many exceptional nominations that the Awards Committee chose two recipients.

The first awardee was Tim Noonan, nominated by UCP Central Pennsylvania. Noonan has donated more than 1,600 hours of service over 10 years to the betterment of the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Pennsylvania’s Perry and Cumberland counties. Noonan is the co-founder and co-chair of the Cumberland-Perry Residential Task Force, an initiative seeking residential solutions for people with intellectual disabilities. He worked to expand the scope of the Task Force to include employment and respite services and secured funds so these essential programs are provided to families at minimal cost. As a result of his hard work and determination, more than 120 individuals were placed in one of 15 new group homes, 12 apartments and in family living arrangements. Many other people received the support they needed to live fuller lives in their community, receive job training and placement and support transitioning from school to adult life.

The second recipient was Micki James from UCP of the Inland Empire. James has been a UCP volunteer for more than 60 years. Along with her late husband, Dennis James, she played an integral part in UCP’s history, and her impact has been incredible. Her son, Brad James, accepted the award on her behalf.

The 2012 Life Without Limits Award was presented to Bonnie Peterson, nominated by UCP of Central California, as an individual with disabilities who has demonstrated leadership and achievement of such caliber as to be a significant role model to individuals with and without disabilities.

Peterson was born in 1949, when children with disabilities were not expected to have lives as full productive citizens. However, Peterson gracefully overcame every obstacle that came her way. She built a life that included a marriage of more than 40 years. She and her late husband lived their lives as full citizens, and they educated their community to the reality that people with disabilities are simply people.

Peterson is a mother, a grandmother, a business owner and an active community volunteer, whose compassion and care seemingly knows no limits. She is also a published author. In We Climbed Every Mountain, she shared with the world what it has been like to live her life as a person with a disability. She describes in her book, and exemplifies in her journey through life, that no obstacle is too great no matter what the odds against one may be. She has not just accomplished ordinary things in extraordinary ways, but she has taken hold of the extraordinary and made is part of an ordinary, “just like any other person” kind of life.