Press Releases: 2002 Releases

The New York Yankees, EP and UCP Honor American Heroes at the First Disability Awareness Night at Yankee Stadium

(Yankee Stadium) Bronx, NY, June 26, 2002 – On July 3, 2002, the New York Yankees, Exceptional Parent (EP) and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) will host the first Disability Awareness Night at Yankee Stadium. On the eve of our nation’s Independence Day, this event pays special tribute to the 54 million Americans with disabilities and their families and the upcoming 12th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Honorees at the pre-game ceremonies will be General James L. Jones, 32nd Commandant of the United States Marine Corps and his wife Diane and daughter Jennifer; Bill Porter, a man with cerebral palsy whose life will be portrayed in a TNT Original made for TV movie entitled Door to Door; and Shelly Brady, author and long time friend and assistant of Bill Porter.

General Jones and his wife will receive recognition for their tireless efforts on behalf of the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) of the United States Marine Corps. Their family graces the cover story of EP Magazine’s July 2002 issue. The EFMP helps support the men and women of the Corps who serve our country and who also may be faced with the joys and challenges of being exceptional parents.

Bill Porter is the inspiration behind the upcoming TNT Original film DOOR TO DOOR, based on the true story of his life as a door-to-door salesman. The film airs on TNT on July 14 at 8:00 PM ET. Shelly Brady’s working relationship with Bill was the motivation for her newly released book, Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter.

As the premiere disability charity in America and founded in New York City in 1949, UCP has been committed to advancing the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities for more than 50 years. Through a nationwide network of 110 affiliates in 39 states, UCP serves more than one million Americans with disabilities and their families to lead independent lives. For more information about UCP and how you can make a difference, please visit the UCP Web site or call 1-800-USA-5UCP.

Based in River Edge, NJ, 31-year-old Exceptional Parent is a fully integrated communications company providing information for families and professionals involved in the care and development of people with disabilities and special healthcare needs. EP uses a multi-media approach to disseminate information via: its publication, Exceptional Parent; Web site (www.eparent.com); custom communications projects; the EP Library of disability books; seminars developed through the EP Foundation for Education, a 501(C)3 company. Exceptional Parent Magazine has received many prestigious awards, including the 2000 and 2001 Folio: Gold Awards for editorial excellence.

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