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11AUTUMNWINTER2015ARCLIGHT11AwardsHonorsLigiaRyanHonoredWithMartinLutherKingJr.AwardLigiaRyanaDirectSupportProfessionalatARCofRocklandwashonoredJanuary16atARCHeadquartersinCongerswiththeagencysannualDr.MartinLutherKingJr.Award.InacceptingthecovetedawardMs.RyansaidIlovemyjobbecauseIlovethepeopleatARC.Ialwayslookforwardtocomingtoworktoseethemandhelpwithanythingtheyneedwithalloftheiractivities.TheresnootherplaceIwanttoworkbecausethisismyotherfamilyrighthere.PresentingtheawardtoMs.RyanJulietAsamoahARCofRocklandDirectorofSeniorServicesremarkedLigiaisoneofthemostdedicateddependablepassionateandresourcefulassistantswithwhomIhaveeverworked.RegardlessoftheweatherLigiaarrivesveryearlyinthemorningtogetreadyfortheday.Shehashadperfectattendancesinceshewashired21yearsago.LigiabelieveswholeheartedlythatpeopleshouldberecognizedfortheirabilitiesMs.Asamoahcontinued.Herlifesgoalistoadvancetherightsofpeoplewithdevelopmentaldisabilities.Shemakesalastingimpressiononthepeoplewesupportandmembersofthebroadercommunity.Sheisarespectedleaderamongherpeersbecausesheiscommittedtotheideaofequalrightsforallpeople.Dr.Kingwroteaboutbrotherhoodbeingarealityandbeingourbrotherskeeper.Ligiademonstrateshowwecangetclosertothatgoalbyextendingourselvestomembersofthecommunity.BornintheDominicanRepublicMs.Ryanisoneof13children.Theirparentsrecentlycelebratedtheir70thweddinganniversary.Ms.Ryansaidthatgrowingupinalargeclose-knitfamilyhelpedhertonaturallypitchinandhelpbesensitivetotheneedsofothersandtreateveryonewithrespect.SheandherhusbandJimareresidentsofNewRochelleNYwhereMs.RyanhasbeenvolunteeringwithTroopSixBoyScoutsfor18years.Sheassistswithspecialeventsandtransportsscoutstotheirmeetingsasneeded.ShehelpsintheCCDreligiouseducationclassesforhighschoolstu-dentsatSt.GabrielCatholicChurch.Ms.Ryanensuresthatseniorcitizensinherneighborhoodaresafeduringstormsandsheoftencooksandbakesforthem.Dr.StevenJ.RubinskyARCofRocklandDeputyExecutiveDirectorprovidedtheopeningremarksandintroducedRocklandCountyExecutiveEdDay.TheHon.EdDaystatedWeareallfollowinginMartinLutherKingJr.sfootstepsatARCofRockland.Equalityandhumanrightsarebeingpursuedhereeveryday.Youareheroesovercomingchallengeseverydaytogivegreateropportunitiestopeoplewithdevelopmentalandintellectualdisabilities.RamNagubandiRocklandCountyCommissioneronHumanRightsaddedMartinLutherKingJr.leftaneverlastinglegacythatincludeshisIHaveaDreamspeech.ItispowerfulguidingusinouractionseverydayjustasweareguidedbytheDeclarationofIndependenceandtheGettysburgAddress.ARCofRocklandsDr.MartinLutherKingJr.AwardispresentedannuallytothepersonorpersonswhothroughactionsanddeedsemulateDr.King.