Worker, Employer Honored

UNDERDOWN, ELIZABETH RICHARDSON CENTER RECEIVE AWARDS

— Junior Underdown of Springdale is blind, but others say he doesn’t allow his visual impairment to hold him back.

That can-do attitude netted Underdown a state honor.

Underdown received the area’s Consumer of the Year Award, presented on behalf of the Department of Human Services’ Division of Services for the Blind. He is a line supervisor at the Elizabeth Richardson Center, where he has worked for 11 years. The Richardson Center received the area’s Employer of the Year honor at the same presentation ceremony on Wednesday

Both awards were presented during a meeting of the Springdale Lions Club at Western Sizzlin. Sally Walker, Lions Club president, introduced the program.

Patrick Calaway, a vocational rehabilitation counselor for the Division of Services for the Blind, said he didn’t nominate Underdown for the honor because he is a blind person who works. The nomination was because “he goes to work with the attitude he does,” Calaway said.

“Obstacles don’t hold him back,” Calaway said. One could allow visual impairment to be an impediment, but Underdown does not, the counselor said.

Everyone enjoys working with Underdown, Calaway said.

The Elizabeth Richardson Center was nominated for the award as Employer of the Year because of its support for Underdown and others and for all that it does for people with disabilities inthe local community, Calaway said. The center has been providing services for people with disabilities since 1963 and is a large provider of jobs, training, advocacy and family support in Northwest Arkansas. The center provided services to 600 adults and children with disabilities last year.

Calaway provided the plaques to Lions Club member Jeff Slaton for the formal presentations to Underdown and John Buck, executive director of the Elizabeth Richardson Center.

Buck echoed Calaway’s remarks about Underdown.

He has told others, “If I was running a business and I could have 30 people like Junior, I could do anything.”

Buck recalled a time early on when Underdown picked up a pallet, balanced it on his head and walked from one end of the building to the other. It was evidence, Buck said, of the man’s ability to learn where things were and offered insight into what kind of employee he was.

Calaway said Underdown has taken a lot of responsibility for his vocational plan, teaching himself how to type and use an information system software at his job at the Richardson Center.

Underdown thanked the group for the honor.

“I’m pleased to work where I’m at,” he said.

Underdown is one of 13 people in the state to receive an area award. An overallstate winner will be named at the end of the year.

This is the third year that the Division of Services for the Blind has given Consumer of the Year awards to recognize individuals who have managed their rehabilitation plans, gained marketable skills, secured good jobs and become role models for others.

Our Town, Pages 16 on 10/31/2010

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