Upcoming Events
Special Message
Panhandle ILC is your "Key to Independence" a symbol of the assistance and encouragement we offer to people with disabilities. More than 40 years ago in California, a group of people living in nursing homes simply because they were disabled, refused to give up their rights. Working together, they formed the first Independent Living Center, left the nursing homes, and began advocating for themselves.
This spirit continues in Centers all across America and in Amarillo where we help fill in the gaps left by other agencies. We encourage people to become their own advocates, take risks, accept responsibility, and gain control over their own lives. It's about participating as full and equal members of the community.
The philosophy behind Independent Living is that: "Everyone, regardless of disability, should have equal access to the rights and responsibilities that each citizen has to be as active and productive a member of society as he chooses to be."
Amarillo “Heroes” Offer Health and Safety Tips
A few tips about personal safety were offered by Amarillo Police Sergeant Brent Barbee who talked about “Stranger Dangers.” His program exposed the difference between friends and bad guys, and how someone asking for help from a passing car just might be dangerous. Those computer strangers you meet online are also risky: “If it feels unsafe, it is unsafe!”
An exciting excursion to Northwest Texas Hospital included a tour of emergency facilities and the trauma room where students learned about life-saving equipment. Especially fun was the chance to see a Life Star helicopter. While learning about its mission and capabilities, the youth took turns sitting inside a chopper worth about five million dollars. The pilot did keep the keys.
Students learned common household hazards during the Amarillo Fire Department’s demonstration. Using the fire safety trailer, firemen taught the group to leave a burning structure by the closest exit and to never go back in. Students also saw a ladder truck demonstration and how safety equipment protects firefighters battling big blazes on the hottest of days.
