http://digital.nationalpost.com/epaper/viewer.aspx 17 Jul 2010 National Post BY DANA LACEY Financial Post Invisible ability When I was younger, I used to fear growing up They are often part of an invisible group but chances are you know a kid with a disability. One in five Canadian families is raising a child with significant emotional, behavioural or developmental disability. And sometimes, more challenging than their disability is the limits put on them by society. Growing up is tough enough without people telling you what you can - or cannot - do. Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto hopes to challenge the myths of disability with a new online video contest. Budding filmmakers can flex their skills for Filmpossible, a contest that encourages people of all ages and abilities to pick up a camcorder - even their cellphones - to create short films that bring visibility to disability and show the possibilities for children living with disabilities. "Filmpossible is a unique opportunity for filmmakers to dispel myths, perhaps by showcasing achievements or showing changes we can make," said Christa Haanstra, senior director, communications and public affairs. "By entering this contest, you can help Holland Bloorview change the way the world views childhood disability." The deadline for uploading videos to filmpossible.ca is Aug. 31. Entrants can increase their chances of becoming a finalist by entering early and encouraging their friends and family to vote for them online. Three of the six finalists will be chosen by online public voting, while another three will be selected by a panel of celebrity judges. After that, the public can vote for their favourite video. The first-place winner will receive $5,000, second place is worth $500 and third is valued at $300. Three honourable mentions will each get a flip video camcorder donated by Cisco Canada, an international company that deals in consumer electronics and communications. Cisco also will donate $1 for every online vote until October, up to $5,000. "Holland Bloorview is the leading pediatric rehabilitation centre in Canada and a true trailblazer, leveraging innovation to deliver worldclass support and services to its patients and constituents," says Nitin Kawale, president, Cisco Canada. "Holland Bloorview's commitment to harnessing technology to create opportunities for children with disabilities is inspirational and aligned with Cisco's goals to drive technology to transform lives and communities." The celebrity judges include MuchMusic personality Trevor Boris, writer and journalist Ian Brown (who wrote the bestselling book The Boy in the Moon about his disabled son), Allen Braude of The Toronto International Film Festival, singer/songwriter Justin Hines (who has Larsen's Syndrome), actress/comedian Nikki Payne, whose lisp and cleft lip align her with Holland Bloorview's issues, Tania B. Reilly of the Canadian Film Centre Worldwide Short Film Festival and Karen Shopsowitz, an independent filmmaker whose documentary One Summer at Camp Winston explores a camp for children with complex neurological disorders. "When I was younger, I used to fear growing up. I thought my adulthood would be spent struggling to do daily tasks of living and never experiencing things that ablebodied people my age would," said Gabriella Carafa, 22, of Toronto, a youth ambassador for Filmpossible. She uses a wheelchair because of a neuro-muscular disorder that affects her mobility. "Holland Bloorview helped me to see the possibilities for people with disabilities. With this contest, we will be able to reach more people to show them what can be achieved," she said. __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5288 (20100718) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com ----------------------- To change your mail settings or leave the C-PALSY list, go here: http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?SUBED1=c-palsy