DRAC Once Again

In my other life I was an advocate among other things. I kind of specialized in public transit. I'm sure sure I've covered that over the years in this blog. In my position as transit coordinator for the local Independent living Center I was a member in good standing with an organization known as Disability Rights Action Committee or DRAC. In the old days DRAC was actually created from the agency that I worked with. DRAC was the direct confrontation arm of the organization from the independent living Center. This was good because I always count the time I spent working with DRAC as worktime and usually got comped for the work or time that I put in. However, over the years members of DRAC felt that the independent living Center was not as committed as it could/should be. And I kind of agreed with DRAC but I also agreed with getting a check. So, over the years DRAC in the independent living center split ways.

I'm sure many of the bureaucracies of this state are perplexed at best as to just why DRAC continues to exist. They have almost no funding and are almost entirely made of volunteers – – and that's good. Organizations such as DRAC are best when made of local volunteers who are committed to their focus. I was contacted last week I think there is actually a blog posting covering the meeting with Dick L., Who is really tried to keep me involved. When he cornered me again last week I caved and told him I would show up to one of the meetings and that was today.

I'm trying to get my kitchen in order. I have pots and pans all over my counters I have very little space. My idea now is to get a number of S Hooks and hang the pots and pans off my rack. Hanging these pots off the rack would greatly assist in keeping the kitchen looking good. I knew if I went to the meeting I would be the neighborhood of Standard Restaurant a great place to pick up all kinds of cooking utensils. I was hoping they would have the S Hooks.

I wasn't sure if they were going to have lunch and if they did I knew would be just cold cut sandwiches so I stopped at a Mexican restaurant near the housing authority where the meeting was to be held. When I got to the house and authority they were just finishing lunch and meeting was ready to begin. The got a few potato chips and sat back. I was glad that the DRAC folk were not as spacey as they once were. They actually got a local social worker type and activist to act as a executive director but he basically let the consumer's run the show. This guy's good perhaps is what the organization has needed.

I sat through the meeting which was kind of weird not be in the hotshot transit coordinator. I don't know if I'm going to continue on with this group, I probably will if they will have me and that's really a factor. I guess now they have to approve any members joining the group. It would not break my heart if they denied me membership. I don't know if I want membership. However I do like Dick and he thinks I need to be there. Maybe next time all week before I have lunch.