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2006 Self -Advocate of the Year Award

This award recognizes an individual who has been instrumental in creating, leading or implementing disability advocacy activities in their community or on the state or federal levels. The award recipient is someone who lends their experience and takes the risks needed to improve the community for people with developmental disabilities and their families. The WCDD is pleased to present this year’s award to:

Julie and Jason Endres

This year, the self-advocacy award is being presented to an amazing couple. Julie and Jason Endres, both wheelchair users, have spent hundreds of hours advocating for others. As co-advocates for the disability community as a whole, they have continued to be active locally as officers in Barrier Busters, Inc., a group of people who organized under the Community Advocacy Grant in 1984. Accessibility issues have been addressed with a community survey and curb cuts have been obtained as a result of the surveys.

Julie Endres has taken on the task of helping a man with cerebral palsy return to the Eau Claire community after years of living in a nursing home. Julie who has cerebral palsy herself, is now “Power of Health” for this individual. She is present at doctors appointments and has helped him obtain a Dyna Vox so that he can better communicate and be more independent.

Jason Endres is currently on the Board of Directors for People First Wisconsin. He helped People First Wisconsin to get started and served as the group’s first Vice-President.

Congratulations Julie and Jason Endres, and thank you for your personal commitment and work to make your community a better place for people with disabilities.