BANGOR – United Cerebral Palsy of Maine celebrated a half-century of service to people living with disabilities recently at the Four Points Sheraton, Bangor International Airport.

When UCP of Maine was founded in 1954, children living with disabilities were often warehoused in institutions and barred from public schools. While other children went to summer camp, children living with disabilities were often left behind. UCP of Maine celebrated its leadership role in improving such circumstances with its children’s programs and Camp CaPella in Holden. Numerous programs were created by UCP of Maine to serve people living with disabilities.

The event also featured the presentation of 2004’s People and Promise Award. UCP of Maine offers the People and Promise Award in recognition of an individual who has significantly enhanced the lives of people living with disabilities in Maine. This year’s award went to Cynthia Donaldson.

Donaldson was a founder of Special Children’s Friends, a program based in Hancock County for preschool children with special needs. She served as executive director of Special Children’s Friends since its founding in 1989 until she retired in 2004.

Donaldson has been a longtime advocate to the legislature on behalf of children with special needs. She serves as a founding advisory committee member of the Parents are Teachers, Too home-visitation program and on the board of the Maine Association of Infant Mental Health. She also volunteers as a member of the Zero to Three Coalition of Hancock County.

Among those present at the celebration were current UCP of Maine Executive Director Bobbi Jo Yeager and UCP of Maine board member Ruth Shook, who was the executive director from 1958 to 1992.