Field Associate Named for Disabilities Advocacy
Sue Cassel of Auburn, Indiana has been appointed as a volunteer Field Associate with Anabaptist Disabilities Network (ADNet), based in Goshen, Indiana. Field Associates, new to ADNet this year, are long-term volunteers working in the context of their home communities and congregations on projects related to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in churches.
Cassel's appointment grows out of her experience as a parent of a child with disabilities who has received parenting support and encouragement from ADNet's national network. In her desire to return that support and encouragement to others, she has written "A Journey of Hope," a short, reader-friendly book for parents of children with disabilities, which will be published this fall. She will also continue her disability advocacy work in her home congregation, North Leo Mennonite Church, as well as building an inter-denominational network of churches working for inclusion in the Fort Wayne, Indiana area. She is also beginning research for a second book.
Sue and her husband, Scott, are the parents of two daughters, Abbey and Allison. Sue is a graduate of Manchester College, North Manchester, Indiana, with a BS in psychology. She is a Registered Nurse and has worked in various medical and mental health settings. She has also worked in the field of health education, promoting stress management and wellness through writing and speaking.
Commenting on her appointment as an ADNet Field Associate, Sue says, "Becoming even a small part of ADNet actually means a lot to me personally. I remember those first, frightening days when our daughter was being diagnosed… Having regular contact with another parent and learning more about ADNet's resources made a big difference for our family. If I can help bring that kind of support to other families, I am very happy to do it."
ADNet also announced the appointment of a second Field Associate, Kathy Dickson of Bluffton, Ohio, and a Student Associate for the 2010-11 academic year, Kaely Barwick, a senior social work major at Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana.
Barwick's work with ADNet will focus on the needs of young children with disabilities and their families. She is originally from Newton, Kansas.
Dickson, a 2009-10 Student Associate will continue her seminary studies at Methodist Theological School of Ohio, integrating disabilities studies into her course work and giving attention to personal and theological reflections on issues related to disabilities.
Organized in 2003, Anabaptist Disabilities Network (ADNet) is a national inter-Mennonite advocacy ministry dedicated to supporting families and equipping the church to include persons with all types of disabilities. A member organization of Mennonite Health Services Alliance, ADNet provides resources via print, videos, and two extensive websites from offices in Goshen, Indiana.
ADNet's Associates Program began in 2006 with the appointment of Christine Guth who now functions as a volunteer half-time Program Associate out of ADNet's Goshen office. In 2008, a one-year Student Program was added to complement the longer-term Associate program. The Student Associate Program provides college and seminary students with the opportunity to pursue projects around a disabilities theme and develop resources for the benefit of their local community and ADNet's national network.
