CHRISTIANSBURG – The Christiansburg Parks and Recreation Department and Director of Parks and Recreation Brad Epperley have been awarded three major awards recognizing efforts toward a more inclusive town.
Epperley accepted the statewide Catalyst of Change Award from the Arc of Virginia last week. The award recognizes individuals, businesses, and other organizations that have made extraordinary contributions toward greater social inclusion and the advancement of the human and civil rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“The contributions of Catalyst Award honorees are of national significance because they advance public understanding and acceptance of people with intellectual and development disabilities in a variety of arenas,” said The Arc of Virginia representative Peter V. Berns.
The second award came from the Virginia Recreation and Park Society (VRPS) for Best New Facility (Playgrounds, Parks, Greenways, Blueways and/or Trails) for population under 25,000, awarded for the development of the Christiansburg Huckleberry Park. Christiansburg was selected by a jury of peers amongst 140 applications vying for 16 different awards. The statewide program honors organizations throughout Virginia who have demonstrated excellence in any of several areas during the previous year.
The third award is the 2024 Renee’ S. Brown award presented by the Arc of the New River Valley. This regional award shines light on people or organizations who embody the Arc’s vision: “People with disabilities leading full, rich lives as active contributing members of their communities.” The acceptance of this award shows the dedication and emphasis that the Town of Christiansburg has placed on the development of inclusive play facilities at the Christiansburg Huckleberry Park while providing an opportunity for children and adults to play in an environment that is accessible, inclusive, and fun for individuals with all abilities.
“These awards are a true tribute to the dedication that our town, our parks and recreation department and staff have made toward providing state of the art recreation facilities that provide inclusiveness, making sure everyone can enjoy the excitement of recreation,” said Epperly. “Everyone deserves the opportunity to play. Everyone deserves the opportunity to be included. Everyone deserves the opportunity to feel happiness, freedom, and fun. My hope is that we will continue to build and develop new facilities, parks and programs that provide inclusive environments and opportunities for individuals of all abilities. On a personal note, I am committed to ensuring generations to come will only know of inclusive environments. It is our job and duty to make our world a better place to live, work and play. Christiansburg is committed to doing this in the most inclusive ways.”
Town of Christiansburg