DAG Promotes Disability Awareness at Avila

Avila University has many clubs and organizations which students can join and participate in. One of these organizations is the Disability Advocacy Group or DAG for short. This organization is dedicated to promoting the awareness about disabilities, especially those with which people are unfamiliar. Joe Barton, a current and active member of DAG stated, “DAG’s main goal is to promote awareness of disabilities that people are not aware of. Information about disabilities breeds awareness and awareness breeds tolerance.” Barten is a Special Education major, and feels that it is very important for people to be aware and tolerable of disabilities.  He stresses the importance of realizing that a person with a disability is a person first and has a disability second.

Cassie Gaughan, Special Education Major and member of DAG wants everyone to know that DAG is open to everyone; anyone can join. She says, “I believe we are still a small organization, but with more members we could have a bigger presence on campus,” and she, as well as Barton, welcome anyone who is considering joining DAG. Gaughan feels that DAG is a great way to get people involved in the community, and a great way to spread the awareness of disabilities to everyone.

This organization is based solely at Avila University, and needs all the members it can obtain. Anyone who feels people are unjustly judged by their disabilities, or who wants to spread awareness should join this organization. On January 30, 2010, Barton and Gaughan participated in the “Polar Plunge” to raise money for their cause. Together, they raised over eight hundred dollars for DAG.