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     Students and faculty were recently asked by sophomore Bill Eroh to willingly become handicapped for a Day of Disability Awareness (DODA), which will take place on April 12^th.

     This one-day event was put together to show the FPC community what it is like to be disabled and to gain respect for those who actually have to live with being handicapped.  It also serves to help students on campus understand how inaccessible the campus really is for those who have a handicap such as being blind, deaf, or mute.

     Eroh said, "We are a little worried about the negative response that we might get for pointing out that FPC is not exactly 100% handicap accessible."

     Although there may be some negative feedback, volunteer Nicole Catalano feels the issue is something that needs to be addressed.

     "Instead of just throwing money to departments that do not need more money right away; the school should invest in trying to make the campus more handicap accessible," said Catalano. "Sacrifice luxuries for necessities."

     Volunteers will continue their everyday activities and classes with a note taker for assistance. Eroh himself will be going around as a blind person to each of his classes and even to his crew practice.

      "Day of Disability Awareness is not asking people to stop daily activities, it’s just asking them to do it differently for one day," said Catalano. "You can take the disability off at the end of the day, disabled people can't," she continued.

     Catalano feels that this will be a worthwhile experience that students should participate in.

     “People tell me that they do not have the time to do this," said Catalano.

     But as Eroh points out, "Disabled people do not have time to be disabled either, but unfortunately they have to deal with it."

     People that are interested in participating are encouraged to stop by the glass foyer in the Campus Center and sign up. The table will be set up until Wednesday, March 29^th.

     "This is only going to be useful if the volunteers take it seriously and not just as a joke," said Catalano.