Paralyzed Veterans of America to Present Bob Vila with Barrier-Free America Award

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Paralyzed Veterans of America to Present Bob Vila with Barrier-Free America Award


WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) will present Bob Vila, host of Bob Vila's Home Again, with its first-ever Barrier-Free America Award for his work to provide awareness for accessible architectural solutions, and in assisting PVA in its quest to create a barrier-free America. The award will be presented on Oct. 11 in Cambridge, Mass.

It is estimated that the demand for accessible design solutions will skyrocket in the next 25 years as the number of Americans over the age of 50 increases by over 47 million to a total of 115 million individuals. Add this to the number of Americans with disabilities and our country faces a significant number of individuals whose lives would be enhanced through accessible design at home, work and commercial venues.

Over the last few years, Bob Vila has partnered with PVA to bring attention to the importance of accessible design for individuals with physical disabilities as well as our senior citizens. This includes devoting time on his television show to the topic and, earlier this year, showcasing architectural solutions developed by PVA's National Architecture Program on his web site www.bobvila.com. Together, PVA and bobvila.com display strategies on how to make your home more functional without compromising aesthetics. This includes answers to common remodeling questions, in-depth guidance on making kitchens and baths work for you, and reports on projects now in progress.

"We are pleased to present Bob Vila PVA's Barrier-Free America Award," stated PVA Executive Director Del McNeal. "With the help of partners like Bob Vila, we move closer to attaining one of PVA's goals - a country that is accessible to all Americans."

"I am greatly honored to receive such recognition from this dedicated organization. I'd also like to reaffirm here my ongoing commitment to be a resource for information on accessible design in order to help the PVA bring down the barriers."

The Paralyzed Veterans of America, a veterans service organization chartered by Congress, has for more than 50 years served the needs of its members, all of whom have catastrophic paralysis caused by spinal cord injury or disease. To learn about PVA, visit its web site at www.pva.org.
Contact: Bob Ensinger of Paralyzed Veterans of America, 202-416-7681 or 703-655-6476 (cell)