Ponca City resident and business receive commendation from Governor Mary Fallin

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Oklahoma City – Carl Pedigo of Ponca City and Supported Community Lifestyles, Inc. where he works both received a commendation from Governor Mary Fallin on October 10 during the Governor’s Disability Employment Awards at the Governor’s Mansion in Oklahoma City.

Carl Pedigo spent years overcoming obstacles. Defying both significant mobility and visual issues, Carl went to school and learned how to use a computer, specifically becoming proficient in Microsoft Programs. With the help of a job coach, in 2010 he began his job as a Data Entry Clerk at Supported Community Lifestyles, an organization whose purpose is to assist persons with disabilities with residential and vocational services.

In addition to the use of visually impaired technology aids, Carl’s immediate supervisor, Anna Harlow, continues to provide the support he needs to perform the essential functions of his job. Carl has set up a schedule with the local transit company to pick him up and return home at the end of each working day.  He is an officer in both the Visual Impaired Club and the Noon Day Lions and is also very active with the Youth Activities Group in his church.

Now that he is employed, he is proud that he can be a tax-paying citizen and can make a contribution to the community with his volunteer work with civic and church organizations. Supported Community Lifestyles, Inc. gave Carl an opportunity to work when many businesses in the community would not because of his significant disabilities. Now thanks to them, Carl has achieved that measure of satisfaction that comes from being valued as a trusted employee.

The Governor’s Disability Employment Awards are co-sponsored by the Office of the Governor; The Developmental Disabilities Services Division of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS); The Department of Rehabilitation Services, and The Oklahoma Association of Persons in Supported Employment.

Rep. Jason Nelson of Oklahoma City offered welcoming remarks at the awards ceremony and announced that October is national Disability Employment  Awareness Month. “It is employees and businesses like these that have put Oklahoma at the forefront in the nation for helping people with disabilities find jobs and become working taxpayers,” said Nelson who serves as chairman of the House Human Services Sub-Committee on Appropriations and Budget.

“In Oklahoma, 60% of individuals with developmental disabilities served by the OKDHS Developmental Disabilities Services Division participate in supported employment services as compared to the national average of 20.1%.”

Rep. Nelson added that it was important to recognize the skills that people with disabilities bring to our workforce. “Their talents and contributions are vital to the strength of our state, our nation's workforce and our future prosperity,” said Nelson.

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Editors Note: Go to http://www.statedata.info/ (Link opens in new window) to see Oklahoma’s ranking as compared to other states in regard to the numbers of persons with developmental disabilities in competitive jobs (supported employment). This website is a project of the Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston, supported in part by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under cooperative agreement with additional support from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education.

Carl Pedigo (left) receives a Governor’s Commendation for his outstanding achievements in employment from Rep. Jason Nelson. The award was presented during the Governor’s Disability Employment Awards of Excellence at the Governor’s Mansion on October 10.