Warwick merchants asked to participate in program for the disabled

WARWICK — Peggy Jeffries, a resident of the Burt Farms Senior Housing Complex, has been wheelchair bound for 50 years.

"I hope that doesn't date me," she laughed.

That disability, however, didn't prevent Jeffries from serving for many of those years as a professional advocate for people with disabilities at an independent living center in Middletown. Jeffries has long observed that many people with similar disabilities have difficulty shopping because many of the local stores have heavy doors or steps or are otherwise hard to enter.

"I don't expect them to construct ramps," she said. "No one wants the shops to spend more money than necessary. But there are simple solutions. And one is helping the disabled know how to contact the storekeeper to ask for help in making a purchase."

Jeffries expressed her concerns to Village of Warwick Building Inspector Dan Kelly, who, in turn, brought it to the attention of Mayor Michael Newhard. And later, they both met with Jeffries.

The result was a voluntary program involving a simple notification on a sign that a business could display on the outside of its storefront. The sign, which costs $12.98 including tax, would display the name of the business, its address and most important, the phone number.

The idea is that disabled people, who cannot enter the shop, can use their cell phones to request assistance.

Jeffries, who was born and raised in Warwick and is a descendant of generations of Warwickians, believes this is a win-win for both the disabled and the merchants.

"Many restaurants, for example, do not offer a delivery service," she said. "But they would have no problem taking a take-out order from someone just outside the door. And the same is true for many other items where that disabled person could call the shopkeeper and describe the type of merchandise they would like to purchase."

Some of the shops, including the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce caboose office, are already displaying the new signs.

"We see this as helping us offer our businesses an opportunity to be even more friendly to everyone in our community," said Michael Johndrow, executive director of the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce.

For additional information call 986-7557.