Annual People with Disabilities Awareness Day to take place at Oklahoma History Center

The Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) will host its 31st annual People with Disabilities Awareness Day on March 11 at the Oklahoma History Center, bringing together people with disabilities from across the state.

More than 70 exhibitors will participate in the event. In a first-time collaboration, students from the Oklahoma School for the Blind will sing, while students from the Oklahoma School for the Deaf will perform sign language in sync with the audio.

Volunteers and constituents will also visit state legislators to raise awareness about DRS and its advocacy efforts for people with disabilities.

News 9 spoke with Mark Beutler, DRS director of communications, and David Joy, a DRS client, to learn more about the organization's impact.

“When you have snow and ice storms, you know what ODOT does,” Beutler said. “But DRS, I look at it as one of the best-kept secrets in Oklahoma because we're out there advocating for people like David to become productive members of society.”

Joy shared his personal journey, crediting DRS for helping him regain independence after losing his vision.

“I suffered a major heart attack and had to have a quintuple bypass. Waking up from the coma, I was absolutely blind and didn’t know where to go from there,” Joy said. “I’m about ready to start working next month, which is awesome. I learned how to use computer skills blind.”

The free event is open to the public and will take place from noon to 4:30 p.m. on March 11. Guests are encouraged to attend, bring a friend, and network with disability-focused exhibitors.

More information is available on DRS's website.