Connecting Neighbors: Lucy & Jana Galarus

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For Lucy Galarus, cerebral palsy and other disabilities are a way of life, and she does not let them define who she is and what she can accomplish.

As a fourteen-year-old, eighth grade student, Lucy is mature beyond her years.  Born with cerebral palsy she has never taken a back seat when it comes to having the will to accomplish goals. As a straight A student, she accepts life’s challenges and works through them.  Lucy has great aspirations for her future and her tenacious nature won’t allow boundaries to stop her.

Lucy can be described as a “teacher” when it comes to knowing and understanding the laws that protect people with disabilities (ADA), and she does not shy away from explaining them to others. At times she has taken people to task about what is accurate and legal when it comes to the requirements of the law.  She can and will advocate for herself and doesn’t stop when it comes to advocating for others in her situation.

For Lucy, her parents are the “wind beneath her sails,” always encouraging her to try new challenges. They have told her she can do things that others do; however, she just might have to do them differently—and she has proven them right!

Lucy and her mom, Jana, are willing to share Lucy’s story and provide inspiration to others about how to include and connect to people with similar disabilities.  For more information, please contact Lucy’s dad, Doug Galarus, at [email protected].

Connecting Neighbors: Andrea Tatkon-Coker

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Not having a place to worship your faith in a community where you live often results in a form of isolation. When people do not understand the practices of your faith, it can result in misunderstandings and incorrect ideas of what you do believe.  In addition, when your religious holidays are not the same as Christian holidays, it can present issues for your whole family.

Andrea Tatkon-Coker and her husband Jim are Jewish. Andrea believes it’s important to educate people about Judaism, and she does that as often as she finds the opportunity.  In her interview, Andrea offers a short peek into their faith as reformed Jews and how commonalities can be found to connect many faiths together.

Jim and Andrea came to Cache Valley for Jim’s job as a cardiologist. After a short stay, they left their home in the valley for a different assignment. Over the many years in-between, they decided not to sell their home and often used it as a place for area students to live.  They kept their home here because they knew the mountains would someday call them back.  Since Jim became semi-retired, they returned to pick up where they left off as part of the Cache Valley community.

During the interview, Andrea provides insight into the Jewish religion, the circumstances they had to address by living here, a short history on Israel, as well as issues between the Jews and the Palestinians. She also provides an interesting perspective on why Jews and Muslims can live together peacefully, and why they are able to experience true friendships with each other.

To contact Andrea Tatkon-Coker for a speaking engagement, email Carol at [email protected].