THE MS. WHEELCHAIR TEXAS PROGRAM OFFERS WOMEN, WHO ARE
LIMITED IN THEIR MOBILITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE RECOGNITION FOR PERSONAL
AND PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND TO SERVE AS SPOKESPERSON FOR THE
THOUSANDS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE STATE AND NATION. THIS
PROGRAM EMPHASIZES CAPABILITY, PRODUCTIVITY, AND CREATIVITY OF INDIVIDUALS
WITH DISABILITIES AND IS A MEANS IN WHICH TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC CONCERNING
THE DESIRABILITY OF ELIMINATING ARCHITECTURAL BARRIERS.
MS. WHEELCHAIR TEXAS 2004
ANGELA WRIGGLESWORTH
AGE:
26
HOME TOWN: HOUSTON, TEXAS
DISABILITY: I WAS DIAGNOSED AT
SIXTEEN MONTHS WITH SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY, A NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASE THAT
WEAKENS ALL THE MUSCLES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SPINAL CORD.
PHILOSOPHY ABOUT INDIVIDUALS WITH
DISABILITIES: I HAVE THE HIGHEST RESPECT FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS
WITH DISABILITIES AND AM INSPIRED BY THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT
THINGS IN SPITE OF THE OBSTACLES THEY MAY FACE. I GAINED A FURTHER
APPRECIATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF DISABILITIES
AFTER WORKING AT "CAMP FOR ALL" LOCATED IN BURTON, TEXAS. (A
BARRIER FREE CAMP FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES.) MY FIRST
WEEKEND I WAS THERE, WE HOSTED A GROUP OF CAMPERS WHO HAD BEEN BURNED.
I REMEMBER BEFORE THEY ARRIVED, MANY OF THE GIRLS THAT I WORKED WITH, MYSELF
INCLUDED, WERE IN THE BATHROOM GETTING READY FOR THE DAY. WE, LIKE
TYPICAL FEMALES, WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT HOW HORRIBLE OUR SKIN AND HAIR
LOOKED BECAUSE OF BEING OUT IN THE TEXAS HEAT. AND THEN THE CAMPERS
ARRIVED AND THEY WERE CHILDREN WHO HAD NO SKIN AND THEY HAD NO HAIR.
IT IMPACTED ME IN A WAY THAT IS TRULY INDESCRIBABLE. SINCE THAT DAY, I
HAVE CONTINUED TO BE TOUCHED BY THE TRUE EXAMPLES OF ADVERSITY AND HEROISM
SET BY CHILDREN AND ADULTS WHO ACCOMPLISH MORE IN FIVE MINUTES THAT MOST
PEOPLE DO IN A LIFETIME. I HAVE SEEN A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS COMPLETELY
BLIND AND DEAF CLIMB A THIRTY-FIVE FOOT TOWER AND A GIRL, WHO RECENTLY HAD
HER LEG AMPUTATED BECAUSE OF A CANCEROUS GROWTH, RIDE A HORSE LIKE A
CHAMPION. THERE IS NOTHING MORE POWERFUL AND LIFE CHANGING THAN
WITNESSING THE STRENGTH OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT AND WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS
WITH DISABILITIES GIVES ME THAT OPPORTUNITY ALL THE TIME.
JR. MISS WHEELCHAIR TEXAS 2004
BRITTNIE SIMMONS
AGE:
13
HOME TOWN: SAN ANTONIO,
TEXAS
DISABILITY: I WAS BORN
WITH SPINA BIFIDA
PHILOSOPHY ABOUT PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES: WE'RE ALL BEAUTIFUL. WE'RE ALL SPECIAL IN
OUR OWN WAY. WHY DO PEOPLE CATEGORIZE BY ANYTHING ELSE?
Sponsor, Ty Beck from Jordan Ford dances with Brittnie at
the Coronation held at Leon Springs Dancehall in Boerne, Texas.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MS. WHEELCHAIR
TEXAS
COMPETITION AND GALA 2004
FEBRUARY 18 - 21, 2004
MEET AND GREET RECEPTION
FEBRUARY 18TH
TAPATIO SPRINGS RESORT, BOERNE, TX
WARM SPRINGS SPORTS CONDUCTS AN
ADAPTED GOLF CLINIC
FEBRUARY 19TH
TAPATIO SPRINGS RESORT
AFTER GOLF, LUNCH IS HELD A SEA ISLAND SHRIMP HOUSE WITH
GUEST SPEAKERS SUSAN YERKES, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS
AND MARC CROSS, JORDAN FORD
FEBRUARY 20TH
(LEFT) CONTESTANTS HAVE LUNCH IN THE BLUE HERON RESTAURANT AT
TAPATIO SPRINGS WITH GUEST SPEAKER, BARRY MUTH (TEAM EVEREST MEMBER)
(CENTER) BARBARA BLAIR, STATE COORDINATOR, SWEARS IN THE
CONTESTANTS TO THE MS. WHEELCHAIR TEXAS COMMITTEE.
(RIGHT) SPONSOR, TY BECK FROM JORDAN FORD HELPS PRESENT THE
CROWNS AND SASHES TO THE MS. AND JR. MISS WHEELCHAIR TEXAS 2004
HISTORY
IN 1972, A COLUMBUS, OHIO, PHYSICIAN, DR. PHILLIP K.
WOOD, WHO DEVOTED HIS CAREER TO THE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF
FUNCTIONALLY IMPAIRED INDIVIDUALS, WAS AWARE OF THE TALENT, CAPABILITIES,
DETERMINATION, AND COURAGE OF THE DISABLED. THIS PHYSICIAN ESTABLISHED
MS. WHEELCHAIR AMERICA AS A FORUM FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS AS
WELL AS THE NEEDS OF MOBILITY IMPAIRED WOMEN. THE NON-PROFIT PROGRAM
IS STAFFED AND COORDINATED BY VOLUNTEERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY DEDICATED TO
INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS SO THAT ALL ITS CITIZENS WILL BE ABLE TO LEAN
PRODUCTIVE AND MEANINGFUL LIVES.
UNLIKE THE MISS AMERICA PAGEANT, THE MS. WHEELCHAIR AMERICA
AND THE MS. WHEELCHAIR TEXAS PROGRAMS ARE IN NO WAY BEAUTY CONTESTS.
THEY ARE INSTEAD COMPETITIONS TO SELECT THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED AND ARTICULATE
SPOKESPERSON FOR THE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES. THE
SELECTED REPRESENTATIVE MUST BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE MOTH THE NEEDS AND THE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF HER CONSTITUENCY TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THE BUSINESS
COMMUNITY AND THE LEGISLATURE.
AS MS. WHEELCHAIR TEXAS OR MS. WHEELCHAIR AMERICA, HER
DUTIES ARE NUMEROUS. EACH YEAR SHE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL,
VISITING ADVOCACY GROUPS, MAKING PUBLIC APPEARANCES AND CONDUCTING RADIO,
TV, AND PRINT INTERVIEWS IN THE FULFILLMENT OF HER RESPONSIBILITIES.
THESE INCLUDE PROMOTING AWARENESS OF THE NEED TO ELIMINATE ARCHITECTURAL AND
ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS, INFORMING THE ABLE-BODIED PUBLIC OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS
OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ACROSS THE NATION AND PROMOTING MS. WHEELCHAIR
AMERICA BY ASSISTING IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAMS IN ALL STATES.
PREVIOUS TITLE HOLDERS
2003
JENNIFER BLAIR, JR. MISS, ANDREA BRUNO, FORMER MISS SAN
ANTONIO, AND CATHY MORAVEC, MS. WHEELCHAIR TEXAS 2003
QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE MS.
WHEELCHAIR TEXAS PROGRAM
COMMITTEE APPLICANTS MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING
QUALIFICATIONS:
MUST BE A WOMAN
MUST USE A WHEELCHAIR AS YOUR PRIMARY MEANS OF MOBILITY
MUST BE A U.S. CITIZEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 21 AND 60
FOR THE MS. CATEGORY AND 13 TO 20 FOR THE JUNIOR MISS CATEGORY
MUST BE A RESIDENT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR A MINIMUM
OF SIX MONTHS
MUST BE AVAILABLE TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS OF A
STATE TITLEHOLDER. THESE INCLUDE FREQUENT TRAVEL AND NUMEROUS
PUBLIC APPEARANCES.
MUST POSSES GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS OR BE PROFICIENT
WITH A COMMUNICATION DEVICE
MUST BE WILLING TO ASSIST IN FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES
MUST MAKE HERSELF AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE POLITICAL
COMMUNITY BOTH STATE AND LOCAL, ESPECIALLY MAYORS AND THE GOVERNOR
MUST BE AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS FOR
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
MUST BE WILLING TO ACTIVELY SOLICIT SPEAKING
ENGAGEMENTS AND PUBLIC APPEARANCES IF YOU BECOME THE TITLEHOLDER
MUST BE WILLING TO ASSIST IN THE RECRUITMENT OF FUTURE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
AGE:
26
AGE:
13
