Anniston council proclaims March Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month; Arc of Calhoun invited to speak

The Anniston City Council issued a proclamation recognizing March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and invited representatives of the Arc of Calhoun and Cleveland counties to address the council. The proclamation, read aloud by the presiding officer, described intellectual and developmental disabilities as conditions that affect “over 7 and a half million Americans” and set out the Arc’s role in community support and awareness efforts.

The proclamation noted state- and national-level Arc membership and chapters; the transcript contains garbled numeric readings for some counts as read aloud to the council. A representative of the Arc of Calhoun, speaking after the proclamation, described the organization’s local programs at 401 Noble Street, including life-skills, art and exercise classes, and invited council members and residents to visit, saying, “We invite you guys to come on by.” The representative also invited the public to an April 28 track-and-field event at Jacksonville High School featuring student competitors from nearby districts.

Arc representatives thanked the council for its ongoing support and listed partner agencies, including Anniston Parks and Recreation, UCP and Highland Health, and said the Arc works with local schools to provide programming. The council acknowledged the organization’s long history of service in the community and encouraged continued engagement.

The proclamation and brief remarks were ceremonial; no formal action beyond the reading and invitation was recorded. Photographs and brief remarks were offered to follow the meeting.