MWVA

This year's event was hosted at the Woodrow Wilson
Rehabilitation Center, March 20, 2009 in Fishersville, VA. It
was a full weekend of activity and competition followed up by
an inspiring evening of excitement as 5 contestants from
across the Commonwealth came to vie for the title of Ms.
Wheelchair Virginia. Joan Manley, of Lexington was crowned
Ms. Wheelchair Virginia 2009-2010. Misty Dart of Richmond
was 1st runner up and received the H. Wayne Sale
Scholarship award and Trinica Lee of Orange was awarded
Ms. Congeniality. Visit our photo gallery to see our
contestants and for pictures of our weekend.

Joan Manley became a Spinal Cord Injury Quadriplegic due
to an automobile accident. She works with numerous
organizations, boards, and is a part-time Advocacy Specialist
with VAIL Center for Independent Living. She speaks
regularly for local groups about living with a disability while
promoting accessibility for all in her community. Manley
enjoys independent living, adaptive recreation, home
gardening, and traveling. Her platform of advocacy is
individuals with disabilities should have adequate CHOICE
and should be aware of their CHOICES and take
responsibility for them. Ms. Manley's motto of inspiration is:
It's your choice to make, the time is now?.

To have Ms. Wheelchair Virginia at your next engagement,
become a contestant, to be a sponsor, or more information
please contact us. To keep up with Joan's engagements and
photos visit her facebook page by clicking here.You can also
get to it by going to http://www.facebook.com and typing in
Ms. Wheelchair Virginia in Search. Ms. Manley will be
representing Virginia at the 2010 Ms. Wheelchair America
Program on August 24-29, 2009 in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Ms. Wheelchair Virginia program is a 501(c)(3) organization
that focuses on the accomplishments of Virginians with
disabilities. The Ms. Wheelchair Virginia program has been
awarded a grant from AmeriCorps, for more information visit
www.americorps.gov. Our mission is to educate, advocate and
raise awareness of the abilities and needs of the disability
community in order to influence attitudinal, architectural,
and social change for all Virginians. Furthermore, our
program?s mission is to inspire and motivate Virginians as
role models of courage and hope. A female wheelchair user is
annually selected as our titleholder to carry out our mission
while representing Virginians with disabilities as well as all
Virginians. The titleholder has a year long reign speaking at
various engagements throughout the state.