The Southwestern Independent Living Center, located at 843 N. Main St., Jamestown, will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the passing of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) from 11 am. to 2 p.m. Monday. The celebration will include free hot dogs and chips, children's bingo game and drawings. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

A city agency with the purpose of providing services that assist individuals with disabilities in reaching maximum independence and an enriched quality of life will be celebrating the passing of a law that helped to improve the lives of millions of people.

The Southwestern Independent Living Center, located at 843 N. Main St., Jamestown, will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the passing of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) from 11 am. to 2 p.m. Monday. The celebration will include free hot dogs and chips, children’s bingo game and drawings.

Marie Carrubba, Southwestern Independent Living Center executive director, said even though the ADA was signed into law by President George H. W. Bush in 1990, it took awhile for changes to be made to assist those with disabilities. However, she said the city of Jamestown has accomplished a lot during the last 30 years.

“We are further ahead than most other communities,” Carrubba said. “There is a lot to celebrate when you see the opportunities available to people with disabilities. I think people don’t realize how much is available in this community for people with disabilities that other communities lack. They don’t have the same level of services as we do.”

From curb cuts at the end of sidewalks to ramps at entrances to elevators inside buildings, Carrubba said Jamestown officials and business owners have done a lot to assist those with disabilities to allow them access that wasn’t available before the passing of the ADA law.

“It just takes one small step or a curb to keep someone from entering a building to having access to almost everything,” she said. “People take things for granted, but once you have a mobility impairment that makes you use a wheelchair you start to realize you’ve taking access for granted. People with disabilities have been fighting these challenges for years.”

Carrubba said when the ADA was passed 30 years ago, people with disabilities celebrated it similar to how people celebrated the passing of the Civil Rights Act in the 1960s.

“People with disabilities want to live in the community and at times it was difficult for them because of a lack of access,” Carrubba said. “It’s really about giving people access to everything.”

Carrubba said social distancing requirements will be followed during the celebration that will be held under a red tent at the Southwestern Independent Living Center’s location in the city. She also said staff members will be monitoring how many people are under the tent to ensure there aren’t too many at one time.

“It’s not going to be a mass gathering,” she said. “We will get people passed through so they can get some food and materials.”

Carrubba said another reason the celebration is taking place is to provide people with information on what Southwestern Independent Living Center does and about other agencies in the city and county that provide support to those with disabilities. Southwestern Independent Living Center is a non-residential, private nonprofit agency established in 1983. The agency provides services throughout Chautauqua County that will assist individuals with disabilities in reaching independence and an improved quality of life. For more information, visit silcchq.org.

“People should come and find out more about the agency and what other services are available in the community,” Carrubba said.