Special Needs Expo will be Oct. 23

Oct. 16—Wendell Foster's third annual Special Needs Expo is set for Oct. 23 after being postponed earlier this year.

Wendell Foster is a local nonprofit agency serving people with disabilities. The Special Needs Expo is an opportunity for community agencies to provide information about resources and services that will assist families in supporting a loved one with a disability.

The organization has hosted its Special Needs Expo for the last two years and originally planned the third annual event for March.

With COVID-19 restrictions and precautions, however, the event was moved to October in hopes that it would be able to take place in-person.

According to a press release from Wendell Foster, the expo is still on and set for next weekend.

"We are excited to be able to hold it in person," said Cindy Huston, director of technology and resource center. "We have a few special things going on."

Huston said the expo's purpose each year is to help provide families and the community with resources to serve those with disabilities.

Huston said there are 45 vendors set to participate in this year's event.

"It is just a way to bring together local ... organizations that serve people with disabilities, together under one roof, so that families and or other providers can just network together and find out ... ways to serve individuals," she said. "It's really a variety of different vendors that have lots of different resources to share."

The Expo will include nonprofit organizations, agencies and businesses providing services targeted toward adult day services, advocacy, assistive technology, behavior supports, durable medical equipment, early childhood, education, employment, future planning, health and rehab, recreation and waivers.

This year, however, Wendell Foster will host a special celebrity guest, Sean McElwee, a cast member of the A&E show "Born This Way."

Huston said the show follows a group of adults with Down Syndrome.

McElwee, an entrepreneur who has created his own T-shirt line, will speak at the event and hold a fashion show.

Models in the fashion show will be able to select one of McElwee's shirts to sport on the red-carpet runway.

The expo is from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Owensboro Convention Center, 501 West 2nd St.

There is no charge or registration required to attend, but masks will be required at the event.

Christie Netherton, cnetherton@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7360

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