VALDOSTA — The Mayor’s Council for Persons with Disabilities 15th Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet is set for Sept. 30.

The event will honor businesses and persons in the community that have helped promote awareness for disabled persons within the community.

The Mayor’s Council for Persons with Disabilities began as a federal initiative to bring awareness about issues facing the disabled within communities, Kim Wagner, banquet chairman, said.

National awareness month for persons with disabilities is in October.

Valdosta and Columbus are the only two cities in the state which have a Mayor’s Council, John Armstrong, executive chairperson for the council, said.

“The goal of the council is to promote public awareness and eliminate barriers, not just physical but perceived,” Armstrong said.

Barriers can exist in education, employment and entertainment for persons with disabilities, he said.

The 15th Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet is a way for the Mayor’s Council for Persons with Disabilities to recognize people and businesses within the community that may be overcoming a disability or providing employment or educational opportunities for disabled persons.

Businesses will compete in small, medium and large categories and will face criteria addressing the number of employees with a documented disability, making accommodations for persons with a disability and corporate policies regarding the hiring of disabled persons.

The guest speaker for the banquet will be Valdosta State University President Patrick Schloss.

At the banquet an area student will receive a $500 scholarship.

Wagner said she has already received nominations from the technical school and a high school.

In addition to being nominated, the student is required to write a brief essay detailing how they had to overcome their disability to succeed in the classroom.

Nominations for all categories are due by Sept. 22.

Tickets for the Banquet on Sept. 30 that will be held at the VSU University Center will be $15 at the door.