OE to Host Count Me In! Event on October 3

oe logoOpportunity Enterprises will host a Count Me In! voter registration and waiver wait list registration event on Wednesday, October 3, 2012, from 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm at its main facility, 2801 Evans Avenue, Valparaiso. This event is free and open to the public and no pre-registration is required. Attendees need to bring their social security number to register to vote or sign up for the Medicaid Waiver. Light refreshments will be served.

The purpose of this event is to assist adults with intellectual disabilities with becoming registered voters for the upcoming election, and to provide education on the candidates and issues at hand. Sample ballots will be available for individuals to review.

Individuals will also be able to sign up for the Medicaid Waiver if they have not already done so, and assistance with the application process will be provided. Additionally, members of Self Advocates, a statewide group of individuals with disabilities who are committed to empowering themselves and others to be self-sufficient and independent to the greatest extent possible, will be available to encourage others to write letters to their legislators to thank them for promoting the mission of Self-Advocates, and encourage them to continue to do so in the future.

Potential voters are reminded that the deadline to register to vote in this year’s election is October 9. To register to vote, an individual must be a US citizen at least 18 years of age, and legally emancipated. Voters who have already registered to vote but have recently moved must re-register.

The Count Me In! Voter Registration & Waiver Wait List Campaign is designed to empower and connect Self-Advocates, their families, and those who support them, by providing information about the election process, and ensuring they are equipped to make their voice heard on November 6. The Arc of Indiana, Self-Advocates of Indiana, the Indiana Association for Rehabilitation Facilities (INARF), and Direct Support Professionals of Indiana (DSPIN) have joined together to launch this campaign, which has as its goal to host voter registration and Medicaid Waiver sign up events in all 92 counties in the state of Indiana in conjunction with National Voter Registration Day on September 25.

OE is pleased to host this event in partnership with the statewide Count Me In! campaign. We hope it will give new voters a better understanding of the impact of this year’s election on issues they care about,” says OE Senior Director of Social Services Valerie Thill. “Democracy is something we can’t take for granted, and every potential voter should know that their vote matters.

To find out more about the event, contact Thill at (219) 464-9621, ext. 331, or valerie.thill@oppent.org.

About OE
Since 1967, OE has been a non-profit organization which creates sustainable life choices and opportunities for individuals with unique challenges and abilities. Today, OE serves 1,100 adults and children with disabilities in Porter County and throughout Northwest Indiana. For more information, visit www.oppent.org.