SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – District 186 is having one of their most important conferences coming up this weekend to aid the families or caregivers of students with physical and learning disabilities. District 186’s Executive Director of Student Support Services, Ward Lamon was a guest on the WTAX Morning Newswatch discussing their Empower All Abilities Conference.

Lamon gives the insight on the 18th year of this conference.

“Basics behind the conferences, it allows the families, caregivers, people that work with, community members that may have exceptionalities to come, learn more about what’s available within our community to assist and support those community members, those family members that have exceptionalities, and how we can better serve them. And what contributions they make to our community.”

Lamon explains, it never hurts to ask for help.

“We all like to think that we know what we’re doing, but it never hurts to ask for help, and we all learn a little bit every time we participate in something like this. And you know, we’ll have breakout sessions, topics such as ADHD, autism, behavioral challenges, and then also community activities and supports that are available to these families and to these individuals, whether it’s music therapy or art therapy or just basic financial education.”

Learning about physical and learning disabilities, it’s a topic that you can most definitely learn something new every day, Lamon explains.

“Every day, we learn something new. What I learned in college 20 years ago, you know, has far, far been either expounded upon, or new improvements in areas have been come away, always learning something new, and every day we have something exciting happen.”