Russ has personally reviewed over 80 restaurants in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area including Virginia and Maryland.

For the past 5 years, Russ has worked for the Center for Independent Living in Loudon County where he now manages 35 clients. A recognized advocate for persons with mental and physical disabilities, Russ was featured on the 1997 Dateline Investigative Report with Jane Pauley and Stone Philips, called "No Way Out", and the accessible home he built for himself was featured in The Washington Times, May 2000.

"On February 4, 2000 I had made plans to go out to dinner with some friends after work. Volunteering to find a restaurant for us to meet at, I went to Digital City, Washington on America Online where there is a guide to restaurants in the Washington, D.C area. As I looked through the restaurant listings, I noticed that there was no mention of accessibility. Since I use a wheelchair as a result of a 1986 car accident, I need to know if a restaurant is accessible or not.

Wouldn't it be nice, I thought, if all the accessibility information I needed was right there along with the hours of operation on a restaurant listing? Wouldn't it be nice if I didn't have to call a restaurant ahead of time to see if their entrance was stair-free? Our nation, in general, has a long way to go when it comes to accessibility.

As people with disabilities, we need to band together and share the information we've gathered on which places are accessible and which are not. The Internet is a wonderful tool to share information and we need to use it. So let's get together and make a difference!" Remember, you don't need special credentials to review a restaurant. All it takes is your concern, your passion and your opinion."

If you have questions for Russ or would like to join his team and become a local community leader, email him at Russ@wiredonwheels.org.