I GET NO RESPECT!

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Rodney Dangerfield always said it and I always prove it.

I am the chairman of the Membership Committee for AHRC Suffolk. It is our job as a committee to get new members; it translates into more voice at the state level when it comes to voting and affecting decision-making at the state level with other chapters. The most seats a chapter can have on the Board of Governors of which I am a member, is six. There is also the Delegate Assembly which has many seats according to membership, and this can be an unlimited number.

When I took over as chair, we had 4 state board seats and now we have 6 in Albany, and the delegates that go to the convention in October was when I took over 42, it is now 112. These are good numbers and so we get to my story.

I was recently asked to come down to our school for an open night for parents, to meet the child’s teachers and assistants, I was suppose to help out the staff get new members. As I sat at the main entrance as the parents arrived, I handed them a brochure and letter I had written and asked them to join. Suddenly the coordinator of the event calls me aside and asks if I would say something about membership to an audience of about 200 parents and siblings. Although I was totally unprepared with any remarks, I said yes, after all this is a passion of mine, the agency.

As I stood at the side of the podium the program director of the school introduced me as a member of the Board of Directors who had served the board for a ‘long, long time.’ It was my lead to loosen up both the audience and me.

“Good evening, as Vickie stated: I’ve been on the board for a very long time, and that makes me old, and if I’m old I’m entitled to say anything I want!”

Suddenly there is a shout out of the audience: “Yeah!” A child's voice had caused some laughter!

This does not deter me from continuing, and ramble forward with my appeal, telling the audience how important it is for them to join and give us a stronger voice as advocates. As I wind it up, I look over toward the side where I was standing and start to thank the people there, but come across one person who I know and respect, but can’t bring her name to mind, and it finally comes to me and feeling a little sheepish say: “Well, I did say I was old!” Once again, a voice shouts out: “Yeah” This is bringing down the house. It turns out the heckler was a very young lady of school age with developmental disabilities shouting out her enthusiasm.

I am the only man in the whole of the world to be heckled by a person with developmental disabilities! I probably deserve it.