It’s The Law—Law 186

Back in 1999, the state of Sonora introduced a 25-page law designed specifically to protect the rights and preserve the facilitation of access for persons with disabilities. It’s called Ley 186 and it covers virtually every situation that persons with disabilities might encounter, especially in public areas and venues. Ley 186 encompasses the broadest definitions of the term ‘disability’ ranging from restrictions in vision, hearing, walking, confinement to wheel chairs, loss of limbs, learning disabilities, lack of ability to interact socially (autism, speech impediments, brain disease) and every other incident of disability whether permanent or temporary that may be suffered by the young and old living in Puerto Peñasco.
In essence, Ley 186 has served as a guide for the conscientious business man, manager and property owner  to consider the disabled as they build or operate physical establishments. It has also brought an embedded awareness of the special needs of the disabled to the general public. This in itself has allowed for great strides in assistance by individuals and organizations dedicated to helping the disabled community.

Mark Olszewski and Frank Bercovich had the idea of a Civil Association (CA) structured around this law since 2012. They knew it would expand their potential to help even more disabled children and adults, which they have been dedicated to  doing for so many years. At that time they were in the process of forming the wheel chair basketball team, Los Rolling Rockies and knew a CA could help, but alas, found their collective plates were full with helping so many other individual disability cases. Read more at https://www.sonoranresorts.mx/?p=13771.

During the next three years these two friends helped dozens of people in need by procuring wheel chairs, strollers, crutches, medical supplies, diapers and other needs while taking the Rolling Rockies around the state of Sonora to an eventual state championship and continuing to grow the nonprofit Adopt-A-Classroom that Mark and his wife, Barb Olszewski founded nearly 20 years ago. Learn more about that charity at http://www.rockypointclassroom.com or in one of our past blogs at https://www.sonoranresorts.mx/?p=6773.

In other words, neither Mark nor Frank (nor Barb) have let the lack of a Civil Association impede their dedication to help as many disabled youngsters as possible. Adults, too. But last December the time became right to form the nonprofit Ley 186 Civil Association and they assembled a group of professional leaders who worked hard and fast to make the idea a reality.   The initial press conference was held just a few weeks ago and the organizing group held its first fundraising event just last week, a fun ‘50’s Sock Hop hosted by Latitude 31 to help raise the funding needed to complete all the paperwork required to form the long awaited nonprofit civil association. This year’s Sock Hop was very successful and will be an annual event. A raffle was held that helped meet the goals of the organizers, Barb Olszewski and Sandy Spain. The grand prize for the raffle was won by Cheryl of Playa de Oro and was worth nearly a thousand dollars and included a spoil yourself weekend for two at a Sonoran Resorts luxury beach front condominium with meals at Giuseppe’s, Sr. Amigo’s and Latitude 31 plus massages and pedicures at La Spa de Puerto Peñasco at the Sonoran Spa and a sunset boat tour on the famous Pirate Ship.

“Ley 186 assures us that the legal infrastructure is in place to help enforce requirements for complying with the guidelines set forth to make life just a little easier for those who constantly face obstacles impeding their safe negotiation of curbs, ramps, doorways, space in restrooms, sitting areas and many other places that the non-disabled take for granted”, Frank informed us. For more information on this great effort call Mark locally on his cell phone at 638-109-1171 or call Frank at 638-112-9964.

One final note: No proverbial moss grows beneath the feet of Mark Olszewski either. Remember last year when we told you about Little David, the then 18 month old child with Down’s Syndrome plus a heart condition that requires constant medication? Read that blog by clicking on https://www.sonoranresorts.mx/?p=13771. You will be touched deeply by this story, and you’ll be glad to know that part of the funds raised at the Sock Hop was to go towards paying the annual insurance for little David. As it turns out, Mark organized a whale watching trip that was held the Saturday before the Sock Hop that successfully raised all the money necessary to pay the annual premium for Little David’s insurance. That’s two years in a row that Mark has figured out a way to take that burden off of Little David’s hard working parents.

Just imagine what Mark and Frank will be able to for the disabled community in Puerto Peñasco with the nonprofit Ley 186 Civil Association behind them!

This blog is powered by www.sonoranresorts.mx, Jim Ringquist, Director of Sales and Marketing.