People on Wheels

Joey Alise Murello Crowned People On Wheels’ Ms. Wheelchair Indiana 2010

INDIANA - Noblesville native Joey Alise Murello, was crowned People On Wheels’ Ms. Wheelchair Indiana 2010 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art ceremonies in support of Disability Awareness Month, on Saturday, March 6th. The event is a People On Wheels outreach to promote the disability community and provide a platform for a dialogue from which disabled women can address their fellow Hoosiers. Murello is 26 years old and works full time at International Medical Group in Indianapolis. She suffers from Friedreich's ataxia, an inherited disease that causes progressive damage to the nervous system resulting in degeneration of nerve tissue in the spinal cord. Murello is a graduate of Noblesville High School and attended Anderson University. She spends a great deal of time volunteering and working with children, both as a cheerleading coach for the Upward Basketball season at her church and with the Apprentice Players at the Hamilton County Belfry Theatre. As Ms. Wheelchair Indiana 2010, Joey says she “will promote and focus on the abilities of those with disabilities to help remove the perception that ‘we are different.’” People On Wheels’ Ms. Wheelchair Indiana program focuses on the accomplishments of Indiana residents with disabilities. “Our mission is to educate, advocate and raise awareness of the abilities and needs of the disability community,” said People On Wheels president, Nancy Cotterill. The titleholder will enjoy a year long reign speaking at various engagements throughout the state. Murello will travel to Grand Rapids, Michigan to compete in the Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant 2011, to be held August 9-15, 2010.

Basketballer, 20, proves her father wrong on disability

U.K. - Two decades ago, her father walked out on the family because of her disability; today she is independent and takes care of her grandparents, proving him wrong against all odds. She devotedly performs house chores, prepares meals, does laundry and later catches a bus to town from Kawangware for a wheelchair basketball game. Ms Carol Wanjira, 20, was born with spina bifida, a condition that involves incomplete development of the spinal cord or its coverings. On Monday, she joined hundreds of thousands in celebrating women’s achievements during the International Women’s Day celebrations. This year’s theme, ‘Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities, Progress for All,’ echoes the kind of society she is grateful Kenya is warming up to. The day was first celebrated in 1975 during the International Women’s Year by the United Nations and has since been commemorated annually worldwide to appreciate past struggles and accomplishments and to encourage women to be the best in their fields of endeavour. Read More!

Police dispatcher doesn't let injury slow him down

CALIFORNIA - Chris Watson has accomplished a lot since the September 1998 crash that left him paralyzed and wheel-chair bound for life. He has:
•Completed a two-year stint as a professional remote-control racer.
•Wrapped up a 3.5-year assignment as a late-evening and weekend DJ for local radio station KJUG.
•Volunteered and then got hired as an assistant football coach at Tulare Union.
•Participated in the Big Brothers/Big Sister mentoring program.
•Got a job as a safety dispatcher with the Tulare Police Department, a place he calls home. So, no, the crash nearly 12 years ago at the Tulare County Fairgrounds hasn't really slowed Watson down.
"I got hurt and I went on with my life," he said. "I do all the things I want to do in my life — with better parking."
That attitude rubs off on people around Chris.
"It's hard to be upset if he's not upset," said Watson's father, Gale, a retired Tulare police officer now working for the Tulare County Sheriff's Department. Read More!

The tech guy

ILLINOIS - They were the same questions and answers that come up the first time any two people meet for the first time. "What do you do for fun?" asked 13-year-old Patrick O'Came of Algonquin Brad Sanders of Des Plaines, visiting the seventh-grader in late January at Westfield Community School in Algonquin, answered that his hobby is archery. "I like to watch tornadoes and storms," Patrick said.Neither answer seems all that interesting. Not until you realize both Patrick and Sanders answer by using computers as their voices, typing and clicking and dragging and dropping words across screens mounted on their wheelchairs. And Sanders shoots a specially modified crossbow with his chin. Westfield invited Sanders, the Illinois ambassador for DynaVox Technologies, to meet Patrick because it's "good for Patrick to socialize and see what other technology is available." That's according to Joanne Mattes, assistive technology facilitator for Carpentersville-based Community Unit School District 300. Read More!

Tour Bus Company Settles With Former Triathlete Left Paraplegic After Accident

HAWAII —a tour bus company has agreed to resolve a lawsuit stemming from a bicycle accident that left a former tri-athlete a paraplegic. John Henderson, 35, participated in several Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Kona, Hawaii before a Travel Plaza Transportation LLC tour bus struck him on May 2, 2009. Henderson was allegedly riding his bike on the paved shoulder of a highway when the bus struck him and threw him 90 feet, resulting in 28 injuries including multiple pelvic fractures, eight fractured ribs, multiple vertebrae fractures, a spinal cord injury, a tear in his spleen, and a lacerated liver. Henderson filed his lawsuit on May 13th last year against the bus company and although is attorney said he is unable to discuss the settlement amount, he did say that Henderson’s medical bills exceed $700,000. Furthermore, Henderson’s doctor estimates that his lifetime care will cost several hundred thousand dollars a year. Read More!

When curb cuts are prison bars

PENNSYLVANIA - Hoping for a little more snow, if only to show what Lauren DeBruicker is talking about when she describes this as the winter of her discontent. But she's been put through enough already. Her commute is normally a brisk couple of Center City blocks. She wheels herself out of her condo in the Ellington, west on Chestnut Street, up 16th, along Market to 17th, then into her office at Duane Morris, where she is a partner and commercial litigator. She is no pushover. A former lacrosse player at Stanford, a current Murderball competitor on Magee Rehab's quad rugby team, she'd rather do everything herself, and feels uncomfortable when someone assumes she is not able. She just wants people to be a little considerate. While the record snowfall has been an inconvenience for most us, for her it's been a form of house arrest. Read More!

Teen who has suffered 400 broken bones gets indoor therapy pool thanks to church

MICHIGAN - Tim Bosch eased out of his wheelchair and scooted on his bottom to the edge of the pool. Then he was free, swimming through a 617-cubic-foot cavity in a room attached to his family's Ransom Street home. The 14-year-old boy's body was held in place by the thrust of six water jets pushing against it. His spirit was buoyed by cheers from family and friends as he ventured into his new underwater gym. "You just feel blessed," Tim said after a brief workout in the $40,000 pool purchased and installed with financial and physical help from church and community members. "It's good exercise for me. It works your whole body." Read More!

Medical Marijuana Patient Says Drug Changed Her Life

COLORADO - The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is receiving about 500 new requests everyday for medical marijuana cards and the applications have completely back-logged the system. There is concern about the number of people getting these cards from both the opposition and proponents of Amendment 20. The health department says they estimate that they have received about 60,000 applications as of the end of February. Some lawmakers say the law is being abused and are trying to pass restrictions. Those potential restrictions are causing concern for many patients who say they need the drug. Every day, Pauline Archuleta's health seems to improve. "I have been getting better,” Pauline said. She's been slowly recovering since a brain aneurysm put her in a coma back in 2007. "I couldn't even walk hardly ‘cause I was paralyzed on [one] side," Pauline said. Read More!

Walking in someone else’s shoes

Students with DisABILITIES received a helping hand Tuesday, courtesy of the students, staff and faculty participating in the Campus Accessibility Tour. The tour was put together by the Center for Students with DisABILITIES to demonstrate how disabled students maneuver around campus and point out areas for improvement. “Getting around the campus is not always smooth,” CSD Assistant Director Alan Russell said. “The pebble ground cracks can cause damage to a wheelchair, which can be very expensive. My wheelchair, for example, costs $5,000. “There are also some obstructions like the big flower pots around the campus, so the blind and those in a wheelchair have to ease their way around.” Read More!

Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation awards grant to Ithaca College

NEW YORK - Nearly 60 percent of persons with paraplegia who are wheelchair users will suffer from shoulder pain that severely hampers their ability to carry out daily activities and propel themselves over different terrains. Though persons with paraplegia (people whose lower bodies are paralyzed) routinely use exercise training in rehabilitation settings, no shoulder training guidelines currently exist for wheelchair users. That will soon change, thanks to the $9,700 Quality of Life Grant from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation grant awarded to Deborah Nawoczenski, professor of physical therapy, and Linda Riek, adjunct faculty, at Ithaca College's Rochester Center. A Ph.D. student at the University of Rochester, Riek is coprincipal investigator on the project. Read More!

Sex for paraplegics

FLORIDA - Whenever I see a paraplegic dating, I can’t help but wonder how these people have sex. Unfortunately the particulars of how paraplegics get it on is often a mystery even for many paralysis sufferers. Writer, Tre Trefethen, recently discussed the sensitive topic on the National Sexuality Resource Center’s website in hopes of coaxing other paralegics to trade sex secrets. Read More!

Dream Comes True For Hidden Valley Disabled Skier

MOUSOURI - Mondays are always special for skiers with the Gateway Disabled Ski program, like 39 year old Willie Deuster. This Monday at Hidden Valley Ski Area was even more special. Deuster has cerebral palsy and has been in a wheelchair for most of his life. But Monday night, his dream came true. Willie has skied for the past 15 years, but Monday he skied standing up. "He came to me and said I'm gonna stand I'm gonna ski tonight," says Hidden Valley GM Bill Brandes, "I said you go for it Wildman." For 15 years now Willie "the Wild Man" has skied like he's lived most of his life: sitting down. The past few Mondays he's skied the way even he thought was impossible. Read More!

Dr. Berk Back At Work Following Paralyzing Accident

NEW YORK -- The head of the University of Rochester Medical Center is again in charge. Monday was the first day back at work for Dr. Bradford Berk -- 11 months after suffering a severe spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed. Watching him work wasn't so unlike watching him work before his accident. He maneuvers differently -- the injury requires him to be in a wheelchair -- but that is really the only change. He is still glued to his computer, still enjoys the company of co-workers, and is still ultra focused on his work as CEO. After a cycling accident paralyzed Berk last spring, he knew he would have to work hard to get back. Read More!

Pride on wheels in Kraemer

LOUISIANA - I didn’t know the name of the man in the wheelchair at first. I had just moved to Bayou Boeuf, the little community that is part of a larger place called Kraemer. It lies between Chackbay and Raceland and is reachable by one highway near which bald eagles nest and deer are often a threat to cars. I lived on a camp boat then, since claimed by water and wind, and the man in the wheelchair, so much older than I, must have thought me a bit daffy when he first saw my choice of abode. He didn’t smile back when I smiled at him, at least at first. He would just roll around on Kraemer Bayou Road in that wheelchair, surveying the boats the catfish men keep docked in the water and just about everything else going on around him... The amazing thing about this man had to with the incredible dignity he would display, just sitting there on the bayouside, or maybe wheeling around a little bit. Read More!

Virginia’s first Wheelchair Tennis Training Center opens

VIRGINIA - Virginia’s first Wheelchair Tennis Training Center opened over the weekend at Augusta Health, inviting the public to celebrate by viewing an exhibition match. “My job here is to offer tennis to the entire community, including those in wheelchairs,“ said Chad Reed, Augusta Health’s tennis coordinator and professional. “[This program] grows the sport of tennis.“ The match featured Jillanna “Mel” Curry, 49, who has won both gold and silver medals in United States Tennis Association Wheelchair Tennis Championships. Curry began playing tennis at age 19 and first felt pain in her left calf on the court in 2003. A clot and two blocked arteries forced doctors to amputate her leg above the knee. Read More!

The healing power of rocks and ice

CANADA - On New Year's Eve, moments after the arrival of 2010, Jim Armstrong made a point of washing his hands – twice – literally and figuratively cleansing away the decade that was. Little wonder. The Naughts were not kind to Armstrong. First he lost his mobility. Then he lost his livelihood. And finally, he lost Carleen, his wife of 29 years, to cancer. But as he was being buffeted by these three tragedies, each a life-altering event in itself, Armstrong found solace in an old friend – curling. The sport in which he excelled but long ago was forced to abandon, became an escape, a chance to compete once more. Read More!

Warner Robins High School set to host wheelchair semis

The defending state champions, the Atlanta Wolfpack and the Henry County Hurricanes, lead a field of eight teams to the International City today as Warner Robins hosts the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs state varsity and junior varsity wheelchair basketball semifinals. Houston County Sharks head coach Brenda Arnett said the county and Warner Robins volunteered to host the tournament and were rewarded by a vote from the state organizing committee. “We are so excited to bring this program into the county,” she said. Read More!

Wheelchair can't slow down NFM high school track sensation

FLORIDA - A North Fort Myers High School track athlete is breaking boundaries and inspiring even her toughest competitors. At a young age, Arielle Rausin suffered a spinal cord injury in a car accident that paralyzed her from the waist down. For some people, a devastating injury like that would mean the end of competitive sports. For Arielle, it was only the beginning. In her races, she may be the only one on the track, but she's racing against the toughest of competitors. Herself. Read More!

Sled hockey reform gives U.S. momentum for Paralympics

Competing at the Paralympics for the first time, Joe Howard took the ice in his enormous prosthetic legs and a sled so big, it made the thing Santa Claus rides look like a compact. After a handful of lopsided losses, he dumped the prosthetics in his locker. Then he found a sledgehammer and chopped his 20-pound sled in half, hoping it would make him faster. “We were kind of a ragtag bunch of guys,” Howard said. Gone are the amateur antics that practically derailed the U.S. sled hockey team, the No. 1 seed entering the Paralympics next week in Vancouver and a serious threat to Canada in a much-hyped bid to prove the gold medal it won in 2002 was a starting point, not a fluke. Read More!

Phila. Wheelchair Basketball Team to Compete in Nationals

A group of Philadelphia area kids, once again, gets to play in a national wheelchair basketball tournament. But for the team members, it's about a lot more than basketball. As the 16th ranked junior wheelchair basketball team in the country, Katie's Komets head to Denver for the Nationals of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association. They travel to Baltimore this weekend to get their newest ranking. That's one of the many things 17-year-old Ali from Berks County likes about her team: "Traveling. We get to travel everywhere, all over the country." Katie's Komets was founded in 1996 by the Philadelphia Department of Recreation for kids with physical and mental disabilities but has turned into much more than a team as the kids spent a lot of time together socially. Andrew, 16, loves the game: "It's become life to me, sort of. I play basketball every day, I'm in here every day." Read More!

From tragedy to triumph for New Hartford athlete

NEW YORK - Joseph, who lives in New Hartford, and four other members of the Sitrin Stars wheelchair curling team will compete in the 2010 Paralympic Games from March 12 to 21 in Vancouver, British Columbia. If it weren't for events in 1987 and 2004, Joseph would not be making the trip. In October 1987, Joseph was on Herkimer Road in North Utica collecting leaves for Waste Management. “I was dumping leaves from a garbage can,” Joseph said. “A guy, I didn't see him coming, bam, just nailed me between two trucks.” The automobile accident pinned Joseph against the truck. His legs had to be amputated. Despite this life-altering event, Joseph said, he only took a few minutes to feel sorry for himself. “After I asked the doctor where my legs were, I turned over and cried for five minutes in my pillow,” he said. He then decided to go on with the rest of his life. Read More!

Wheelchair basketball is changing its game

OKLAHOMA - The Adaptive Sports Club has set new goals for its basketball team, OSU SPOKES, this season in the world of wheelchair basketball. An athletics program for students with disabilities, the Adaptive Sports Club was established in 1998, when students and staff signed a petition to start a wheelchair basketball team. SPOKES then joined the Arkansas Valley Conference, competing in the college division. But this season, the team was dropped to second division because four of its nine players attend Northern Oklahoma College. Stacy Pinney, wheelchair basketball coach of six seasons, said her team has a lot of promise and skills. Read More!

Intensity heats up conference Wheelchair Basketball

OKLAHOMA-Two Oklahoma National Wheelchair Basketball Association teams finished among the top three in the Southwest Conference Wheelchair Basketball Championship this past weekend at the University of Central Oklahoma’s Wellness Center. The Oklahoma Blaze’s junior division varsity-level team with 13- to 19 year-olds finished third, while the prep division team made up of 8- to 13-year-olds finished second. Margaret Kierl is the teams’ coach and head of the basketball program for the Greater Oklahoma Disabled Sports Association. She said several of the league’s players have received college athletic scholarships.
"There are two seniors on the Houston team that are going somewhere on college scholarships, and one of my kids is going to Missouri,” she said. "The National Wheelchair Basketball Association is trying to get more colleges involved where these kids can play on scholarship.” Read More!

Paralympic Games see sponsorship, expanded TV coverage as keys to growth

CANADA - There's no question the Vancouver Winter Paralympics are a more intimate affair than the big Olympic show that just folded its tent and left town. There are five events instead of 15, and 1,350 disabled athletes compared with about 2,600 Olympic competitors. The torch run that begins with the Paralympic flame being lit Wednesday in Ottawa hopscotches to Vancouver over 10 days, instead of the Olympics flame's 106-day, 45,000-kilometre odyssey that started in Greece. But the Paralympics are in growth mode and after five decades have evolved from an off-year adjunct to the Olympics into a fully-fledged partner staged in the same host city. The Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee did not set up a separate group to plan the Paralympics, says Sir Philip Craven, International Paralympic Committee president. Read More!

YOUTUBE:

Quad Rugby - Murderball in Louisville--Quad Rugby Nat'l Championship 2009.Click Here!

Buffalo Sabres vs. Niagara Thunderblades Sled Hockey 2-8-09 Click Here!

U.S./Canadian Sled Hockey Brawl Click Here!

Fund Raiser of Ohio Buckey Blitz! Ohio's only Quad Rugby Team. Click Here!

Delray Beach's Jan Proctor Wins First Wheelchair Tennis Title Click Here!

See TV Clip About People On Wheels!
Click here!

Air Carrier Access Act Regulations Updated

In May, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued updated regulations for The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA).
This Act now applies to both U.S. and foreign carriers. There are new requirements for airport and aircraft accessibility and changes in airport services including reservations, facilities, in-flight and aircraft acquisitions. To learn more about the old rules and the changes, visit the ADA publication by clicking here!

Action Alert! Pressure the New Administration for Jobs for People with Disabilities

WASHINGTON D.C. - A group of national consumer-controlled disability organizations sent a letter to key players in the Obama administration to pressure them into living up to their promises to our community. It is time to turn on the HEAT! We want JOBS for people with disabilities in the new administration! We want a domestic policy adviser IN THE WHITE HOUSE who is knowledgeable about and experienced in disability issues! We want our voices heard and our opinions valued as appointments and decisions are made that will affect our lives! Read More!

Botox can end catheter leakage and other issues!

This is one of the biggest breakthroughs in bladder care for SCI and MS patients in a long time. People who use catheters and experience leakage in spite of taking bladder medications need to know about the affects of injected Botox!
Urologists inject Botox in the bladder, relaxing the bladder muscle which relieves leakage and replaces the need for oral medications that lead to dry mouth and other reactions. Those who have used it say the results are unbelievable! Allergan, the developer of Botox, is setting up study sites to prove to the insurance companies how well it works. Any spinal cord injured patient or MS patient who uses a catheter and passes their screening test can get the Botox FREE along with all the tests paid for as well and money for their time. Call this toll free number( 1-888-617-8839) and check out this site: www.dignitytoostudy.com to see if you can take part in the study! Read about two kinds of Botox treatments and how they worked for these cath users. Article 1 and Article 2

DANGER: Serious brain and spinal cord damage is occuring to children in rear-end collisions because of faulty front driver and passenger seats

USA - A rear-end collision can cause a collapse of front seat passengers into the head/neck region of children in car seats, attached behind front seat driver or passengers. This happens in cars manufactured with seatbelts attached to the seats (ABTS of "all belts to seats) instead of the roof or post between front and back windows. Watch this video and make sure your seats are strong and seatbelts are properly attached to the car at the post or ceiling.

Nursing Home's political contributions keep elderly and disabled in nursing homes against their will

According to disability advocate, Steve Gold, the nursing home industry has been buying congressional votes against the Community Choice Act, with their campaign contributions. The Community Choice Act (CCA) would allow the elderly and disabled to stay in their homes and receive Medicaid benefits instead of more expensive mandated nursing home care. These folks often want to stay in their homes. The plan would save taxpayer money, but the CCA is continually blocked by what critics say are the "vote buying practices" of the American Health Care Association--the nursing home's trade association.
Says Gold, "ask for a meeting with officials who have taken these donations. Use the information linked below to initiate a dialogue with your Senators and Representatives. When they say they are in favor of the Community Choice Act, ask them to return the nursing home industry contributions as a sign of good faith. If they say they oppose eliminating the institutional bias, discuss the contributions.
Many newspapers and other media might also be interested." To find out which Congressmen received donations from the nursing home industry and how much they received, Click Here!

NEWS FLASH! New increased VA grants for specially adapted housing

WASHINGTON – A change in the law that allows certain seriously injured veterans and service members to receive multiple grants for constructing or modifying homes has resulted in many new grants, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today. Before the change, eligible veterans and service members could receive special adaptive housing grants of $10,000 or $50,000 from VA only once. Now they may use the benefit up to three times, so long as the total grants stay within specified limits outlined in the law. Read More!

New product line of Wheelchair Seat Covers, now available

From Kramer Enterprises comes hand-crafted seat covers now come in dozens of fabrics and prints including Hannah Montana, High School Musical, SpongeBob Squarepants, florals, denim, college and pro logos and much more. All wheelchair seat covers are hand-crafted one by one and can be machine washed and dried. Might make a great gift! Read More!

An Overview of Pain Management

There are several different pain theories, but all focus on the central nervous system as the main message center. The spinal cord is the relay center where pain signals can be blocked, enhanced, or modified before signals reach the brain. Pain perception is a neurological experience — an interpretation and response to the pain message. Factors that can influence a person's pain reaction include physiological, psychological, biochemical, emotional, social, Read More!

More Research News!

Click Here, or on Research link above!

Blue Food Dye Treats Spinal Cord Injury

Researchers report that the compound Brilliant Blue G (BBG) stops the cascade of molecular events that causes secondary damage to the spinal cord

ALS research yields hope for the future
Gene Mutation identification may lead to treatment

Team Regrows Neurons Controlling Movement in Rats
Goal is to one day develop a therapy to help with spinal cord injuries

Columbia University doctors have bypassed a break in a rat's spinal cord
motor nerve from above break formed branches into spinal cord below injury allowing movement

Conquering chronic pain: Scientists find key

During a nine-day treatment in rats the effect of L-838,417 was completely retained

Polyethylene Glycol therapy found to reduce traumatic brain injury-related behavioral symptoms

when administered within four hours of the injury, according to new study

UMMS researchers isolate first 'neuroprotective' gene in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

it will potentially provide a target for the development of new ALS treatments

Crucial Finding Advances Spinal Cord Injury Research

Scientists guide axons to re-form nerve connections in rats

Scientists coax brain cells in mice to regenerate

a finding that may lead to new treatments for spinal cord and brain injuries

Umbilical cord blood cell transplants may help ALS patients

When adult stem cells are injected into muscle, the cells pumped out GDNF that helps the connecting nerves survive and maintain connection

Allen Institute for Brain Science Unveils World's First Genome-Wide Spinal Cord Atlas

Landmark Atlas Holds Vast Potential to Accelerate Life-Changing Spinal Cord Research

New Research Shows Adult Stem Cells Best Hope for ALS, Lou Gehrig’s Disease

long-Term sensory motor function in preclinical studies

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Protect the Spinal Cord, Heart, Brain and Eyes Long-chain (seafood) omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids continue to prove their value in heart, brain and eye health, according to recent research

Karianna

When I enter an airport I'm in hostile territory. Dread and courage fill me.

Being tetraplegic isn't a lifestyle choice

But, every cloud has a silver lining

Federal Disability $

Processing delays to receive benefits are now reaching 515 days...some die first

Hell On Wheels: 24 Hours Without Legs In Moscow
Yasha Levine says "In the USSR, there are no invalids."

Charles Krauthammer

The campaign: The President and his wheelchair

Laylan Connolly

Paddle toward hope:

Raising awareness about spinal cord injury at the beach

Click Here for Great Stuff!

• Local Wheelchair Sports Organizations
• E-mail addresses for Senators & Representatives
• Adaptive Summer Camps
• Vans
• Adaptive Clothing
• Magazines
• Health Facts
• Accessible Housing Information
• Travel Services

Find many more resource links on our Links page.

Top Sellers

Life on Wheels

Whatever your condition, this book
is about getting the most from your life!

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Positioning in a Wheelchair

Celebrating back to nature
Newly accessible, restored Trexler Nature Preserve opens for enjoyment

PENNSYLVANIA - After his death in 1933, Gen. Harry C. Trexler, Lehigh County's most influential citizen, left more than 1,100 acres in the Schnecksville area to the people of the county.''If a trip through my preserve has opened to you a little wider the great outdoors, and nature has revealed something you may not before have seen or known,'' he wrote, '' I shall feel repaid in my efforts to help conserve in its proper setting some of our wildlife.'' Now, with the formal public opening of the Trexler Nature Preserve, we can start repaying the late general by enjoying the wildlife, plants and scenic beauty of his former land.County and other officials Friday formally dedicated the preserve that underwent a $2.75 million face-lift to make the land more accessible to people in a number of ways -- by foot, wheelchair, bike and horseback. Read More!

Watch this training video on wheelchair use of sidewalks!

D.C. - A series of videos on sidewalk accessibility previously available on DVD can now be viewed through our site. Accessible Sidewalks is a four-part video developed to illustrate issues and considerations in the design of sidewalks. The series covers access for pedestrians with mobility impairments, including those who use wheelchairs, and pedestrians who are blind or have low vision. The videos are open captioned and incorporate running descriptive audio. See More!

Handi-Access Awards for accessible businesses - Great Idea!

GEORGIA - Able disaAbled, a local organization advocating for disabled rights, wants to recognize business owners who ensure their stores are wheelchair accessible. “They did simple things like making sure the aisles are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair and putting shelf items within reach...” Read More!

Easter Seals and the CENTURY 21® System's Easy Access Housing

NATIONAL - Accessible homes aren’t much different from the average homes lining a typical, American neighborhood street. In fact, many accessible homeowners find that certain defining features have a positive impact on their home’s overall value and resale price. Read More! or Go on a virtual tour of an accessible home!

Davie opens entirely handicapped-accessible playground at Bamford Park, FL

FLORIDA - Having a 2-year-old confined to a wheelchair as a result of spinal muscular atrophy severely limited where Jennifer Smith could take her daughter Madison to play. She now has another option: the recently opened, entirely handicapped-accessible playground at Bamford Park in Davie. The playground is complete with rubberized surfaces, ramps, handrails, a tabletop sandbox, a wheelchair swing and interactive activities. There also is a JennSwing, an inclined swing appropriate for children with respiratory problems who can't stay upright. Read More!

Accessible Arts Workshops Offered In Berea, Maysville, Horse Cave

KENTUCKY - The Kentucky Arts Council and the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts have partnered to present a series of accessibility workshops in communities that have received Cultural District Planning Grants from the Kentucky Arts Council with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. The workshops will be led by Martha M. Newman, Director of Access Services at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts and will focus on a wide range of accessibility issues that face communities as they develop arts districts. Read More!

Free Service Available to Find and List Affordable and Accessible Housing

NEW YORK — The New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) today announced a free on-line housing listing and locator service for affordable, special needs, and accessible housing throughout New York State. The new service will assist renters, property providers, housing professionals and social service providers with accessing real-time rental housing information throughout New York State. DHCR created NYHousingSearch.gov in collaboration with the New York State Department of Health (DOH) and the New York Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD). Read More!

New Jersey Transportation for elderly, disabled facing cutbacks
Casino losses put brakes on senior busing

NEW JERSEY - The county-run buses and vans that transport senior citizens and disabled residents are heading toward a red light, unless additional funding is found to keep them rolling at 2007 service levels, warned officials who operate those paratransit systems.
Known locally as Ocean Ride in Ocean County and SCAT in Monmouth County, paratransit systems depend on revenues from Atlantic City casinos, in addition to county funds. Counties lost $4 million in 2008 because of an 11 percent funding decrease from casinos as their revenues declined.
With casino revenues predicted to drop again, officials warned that could affect rides for senior citizens and disabled residents, who depend on them most. Read More!

Miami-Dade, cities offer recreational programs for people with disabilities

FLORIDA - With sweat dripping from his brow, Luis Amaro held tight to the handles of an exercise machine at a North Miami Beach gym, furiously pushing his arms back and forth. But Amaro's legs remained motionless, braced against the support of the EasyStand Evolv machine that allowed him to stand long enough to use the exercise equipment -- helping him build bone density and gain muscle strength. Miami-Dade Park and Recreation Department provides a range of programs through its Leisure Access Services, such as tennis, golf, swimming and basketball -- including an annual basketball tournament for players on wheelchairs. Read More!

Wheelchairs take to this park in Arizona

ARIZONA - Not too many places in our rugged desert area offer unpaved trails that are fit for everyday walkers and wheelchair users alike. One is Feliz Paseos Park west of Tucson. The park, a 50-acre preserve set in gently rolling terrain, includes both paved paths and unpaved gravel trails — but even the unpaved routes are graded to accommodate wheelchairs. daughter, Vanessa, uses a wheelchair and sometimes takes a spin at the park. Get to Feliz Paseos. Drive west on Speedway to Camino de Oeste. Turn right, north, onto Camino de Oeste and continue less than a mile to the park entrance on the right. The park is open from sunrise to sunset daily. Dogs are allowed but must be on leashes. Bikes and horses are prohibited. Admission is free. Read More!

$1M being spent on playgrounds in Lackawanna County

PENNSYLVANIA - Lackawanna County plans to spend $1 million to build playgrounds in Scranton, Dunmore and South Abington Twp. where children with disabilities can play alongside children without physical challenges. County officials touted the plans as historic and a sign the county welcomes diversity. “Children just want to play,” county Commissioner Corey O’Brien said. “We’re excited that children in wheelchairs and not in a wheelchair can be swinging together at eye level.” Read More!

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