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*... ~.~ . .- _________ WWBYFREEPRESS, WEDNESDAY, MARUH 7v 1990,PAGE 25 imagine is a national campaign of The Canadian Centre for Philanthropy to increase Canadians' awareness and contribution to aR charitable and volunteer organizations.- We .supporft tleir goals and are contributing space for the Imagine ads on this'and other pages. i To bring the campaign dloser to home, the Whiutby Free Press is ruinning a series of profiles of the needa and activities of local organizations. Cail us if your organization coiild use a boost. Throughout history people have acbieved greatness and made significgnt contributions to the course Qf history, despite having learning disabilities. Albert Einstein had difficulty with math anid numbers. Hans Christian Andersen, author of such cblîdren'. classies as The Emperor's New Clothes nThe Ugly Duclng.and The -inder- box,-itte u tories because he coud fot write. Leonardo Da Vinci,, Thomas Edison and Sir Winston Churchili ail had sonie kind of learning( disability. Each of these peoBlmanaged to attain the high?est achievements ,i his field by foeusing on abili- ties rather than disabilities. Learning disabilities need not impair one from achieving success. The period from Feb. 26 te, March 9 were public' aware- nesis weeks for ULerning Disabi- lities ini 1990,1 but every day there is a growing awareness that there is helI for pole with Iearning disabili is hat aware- ness has also helped erase the stigma once associated with the terni. Today, one i 10 Canadians suffers from a learigdisabilitY. Those with- a disbilty'caribe mildly or severely affected. This compiex goup of disorders resuits i inaccurate information being received through the senss, not unlike a bad tele- phone connection or à fuzzy pho- futé-%disabilities cari make it. more difficuit te fnd and keep a job, or gain promotion te, a level that realizes one's true capabili- ties. The Oshawa Chapter of the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario acts as a su port group. Meetings are helcithe fourh 'ursday of each month at 7:30 mp i te pro amnrooni of the Whitby Public IIA]ay Other initiatives include a lending library which is available at meetings," association repre- sentation at the Durham Board of education special education advisory committee, and, in the summer, 'Camp Can Do,' a spe- ci camp for children with learn- ing disabilities. Guided by the phi1osophjy that the Iearning disabled cari earn, activities iitiated by the asso- ciation help develop coping skills. The Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario is active at both provincial and local levels. A major objective is to create public awareness and acceptance of persons with lemmn- ing disabilities. Their annual public awareness ASSOCIATON 0F? ONTAMO Purffle - to assist and support people with learming 1 disabilities P==n inMarch focuses on a patclr aspect of leaning dis- ahilities. Ini April, their annual conference encourages research into ail aspects of learning dis- abilities. 'Communique' is a. quarterly association publication that i- forni members and contributors about the association and alerts them te current and future acti- vities. Leg>isiative assistance helpa te create an understanding of learning disabilities in the judi- cial systeni. The Young Offen- ders Act encourages the court te take learning disabilities into account in determining rehabili- tation. There are more than 3,000 volunteers across -the province who offer support and counseling te the learming disabled and their families free of charge. Local chapters work directly with more than 82 school bord te detect and treat learning, dis- abilities in their earliest possible Ie y chapters, including the Toronto chapter, have resource centres with librairies, films for rent and publications for sale. Ini 1989, celebrating 25,years of service i Ontario, the Learri- ing Disabilities Associ "o of Ontario received a grant from the Trillium Foundation, amounting te $290,000, te con- tinue its work. The next meeting of the Dur-' ham chapter will be March 22. The fuesseaer, will be Jacicie McB ain, an occupational therap- ist at Oshawa General Hospital. Shç will be speaking about cur- sive writing For futer information cal Georgie Watson at 623-4934, or Làaurie Beaton at 723-9048. e, fota barrier by Trudie Zavadoviecs. 4k 44 Albert Einst"ein, who was ýconsidered to be a gen jus, had a leamning disability throughout his chldhood. -Illustration by Steve Ridgley- *a