Overtimes
News for the People in Montgomery County Government March/April 2001
the
Linda Panagoulis suffered a devastat-
ing loss last year when her five-year-old
son, Austin, died as a result of Prader-Willi
Syndrome.
Panagoulis, a recreation specialist in
the County Recreation Department’s
sports division, was forced to learn first-
hand about this rare, debilitating disease
which is characterized by obesity, de-
creased muscle tone and mental capacity.
Prader-Willi Syndrome is typically de-
tected at birth and appears sporadically
in families. It is extremely uncommon
and the exact cause is not understood.
As a result of her own experiences in
dealing with her son’s illness and her
knowledge of the limitations placed on
children with special needs, Panagoulis
was able to turn her grief into something
positive. She established a non-profit,
charitable organization in Austin’s
memory to assist children with special
needs and their families.
Bring Your
Daughters (and
Sons) to Work
This year’s “Take Our Daughters to
Work Day” program will be held on
Thursday, April 26. Registration begins
at 8:15 a.m. in the EOB cafeteria, fol-
lowed by a continental breakfast and
opening ceremonies.
This year’s program is geared for chil-
dren between the ages of 9 and 15. They
will be bussed to the county’s Public
Safety Training Academy, where they will
share hands-on experience with fire-res-
cue personnel. Participants will have the
opportunity to test their physical abili-
ties on the same equipment used to test
candidates for fire-rescue jobs. They’ll
also try out the equipment used to
train search-and-rescue workers, and
see the “jaws of life” which are used to
extract people trapped in wrecked cars.
Students should come dressed for
physical activity.
The deadline for registration is April
20. For more information, call 301-279-
8301, or visit www.co.mo.md.us/cfw
and click on Take Our Daughters to
Work Day.
Employee Becomes Advocate
Following Personal Loss
The goals of the new organizati