On the Ice At the United Center

On March 26, 2011, two members of the NWI SCI Group played in an exhibition sled hockey game with the RIC Blackhawks before the Blackhawks faced off against the Ducks. Here are some pictures. Congratulations Gary and Paul!

March Meeting - date change and more...

Hello Everyone,

The date of our next meeting has been changed to:

Saturday, March 5, 2011
1:00 pm at
Gelsosomo's Pizza
2605 LaPorte Ave
Valparaiso IN
477-4255
map | driving directions

*Please RSVP for the meeting. Hope to see you there!

The date of our March meeting has been moved due to the fact that three members of the Northwest Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Group have started playing sled hockey with the RIC Blackhawks and there is a scrimmage scheduled for the RIC Blackhawks to play GLASA’s Falcons sled hockey team on Sunday, March 6^th and March 13^th from 3:15pm – 5:30pm at the Hot Shot rink in Lake Bluff, IL.

Gary and Paul have been going to practices for a while now and I just started. If you are free and interested in supporting the fellow NWI members in their Sled Hockey endeavors, please feel free to ask one of us for more information.

To learn more about RIC Blackhawk Sled Hockey...


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*Hopefully those members who took part in the adaptive ski trips with Adaptive Adventures will be in attendance to regale us with their tails of adventure, as well.
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A message from Kim...

My friend Drew and his band This Last Dance are having a FREE show in Michigan City and he wants us to attend!

March 3rd, 10pm
Ryan's Irish Pub
401 Franklin St
Michigan City, IN

It's a pretty open bar, but if we need to, Drew said that we can sit to the side where they will be. They want to do fundraisers for us so this is a great way to find out what their music sounds like. I think they're awesome! Hope to see you all there!

Adaptive Snow Skiing

Hello Everyone,

On January 18th, 2011 three members of the Northwest Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Group participated in the Adaptive Ski and Ride Program at Wilmot Mountain. The pictures can be found here.

Anyone interested in participating in future skiing outings please read the email below and contact Diana Helt (dhelt@ric.org) and Angela Allen (angela@adaptiveadventures.org ). Let me know if you get scheduled, because the NWI SCI Group would like to pay for your lift ticket to help facilitate your adaptive skiing experience.



My Skiing Experience...

I had never been skiing before this trip, and I was definitely nervous going into it. The organizers and the volunteers really instill confidence though and make you feel as comfortable as possible. We started out getting basic instruction on the equipment and getting fitted into our skis in the warmth of the lodge. Once secure, we headed just outside the door to get back into the skis on the snow. That's where you get more instruction on turning, stopping, and getting on the lift. Turning the mono-ski was surprisingly easy. After getting acquainted with the skis, Joel said our group looked balanced, stable, comfortable, and confident... and if we felt that way we should start skiing. We skipped the "bunny hill" and went straight to the ski lift to hit the slopes. They stop the lift to help you get on the lift chair with your instructor/volunteer and may or may not stop at the top to let you off. You are on the seat, in your ski, and clipped to the lift the whole way up. Once you're on top, it's time to go down the hill. It was an amazing experience! I couldn't even tell that my instructor was right behind me holding on to the straps the whole way down the first couple of times.We probably got to take 4 or 5 runs before it was time to go. I have to say that it was one of the more exciting, exhilarating, and awesomely terrifying experiences I've had in a long time. I will go again!

If anyone else cares to write about their skiing or any other experience I would love to post it on this blogsite.

Joe White

Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011!

Hello Everyone,

2010 seemed like a busy year for some, if not most of us. We have a couple of new college graduates, some of us took adaptive sailing lessons, some of us have a new pool, and still others have started playing sled hockey. If you have learned something new or picked up a new hobby or sport that you'd like to share with everyone, let me know. I'd love to send an email out and post about it on nwiscig.blogspot.com. We had a great turnout for the Spinal Cord Injury Walk this year as well. Just over 120 people were in attendance raising over $6000. We donated $2000 of it to Unite 2 Fight Paralysis, and $2000 to research facility committed to curing paralysis

It seems that we've lost a couple of group members and their families to the beautiful Denver Colorado area. I can't wait to go visit. The up side to wheelchair friends moving across the country is that you know you have a wheelchair accessible place to visit when you get a chance. Or at least one can hold out hope for that being the case.

For those of you who are sticking it out in Northwest Indiana, we are planning to stay just as busy in the upcoming year. We should be able to look forward to local kayak/canoe outings along with the possibility of more adaptive sailing, adaptive scuba diving, adaptive water skiing, and handcycle rides. If you have any other ideas, let me know. We are open to suggestions.

These are the tentative dates for the NWI SCI Group meeting for the rest of the year. We will try to send out a reminder email every couple of weeks. If anyone wishes to receive any other form of reminder let us know how we can accommodate you.

Sunday, February 6,2011

Sunday, March 6, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011

Sunday, May 1, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011

Sunday, July 10, 2011*
Sunday, August 7, 2011

Sunday, September 11, 2011*
Sunday, October 2, 2011

Sunday, November 6, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011

*Denotes 2nd Sunday of the month due to holiday weekend.

Check back to see what's going on and what's gone on...

Joe White

Handcycling, anyone?

Our Mission, as the Northwest Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Group, is to improve the quality of life for those with spinal cord injuries, living in Northwest Indiana; through education, advocacy, peer support, and recreational outings.

As the director of the NWI SCI Group, I would like to help further our cause by offering to go on a handcycle ride with anyone interested in experiencing handcycling.

I have two different styles... a Quickie Mach II and a Top End XLT.

I wold even be willing to loan one of my personal handcycles out for a short time as well. I find that riding gives me a feeling of freedom and independence that I don't experience in many other ways. I know the cycling season is coming to an end shortly, but there's always next summer.

Contact me at nwiscig@gmail.com or call 219-531-0055 for more information.

Let's ride!

Joe

Spinal Cord Injury Walk 2010 Outcome

The Spinal Cord Injury Walk 2010 was on September 26th, 2010. We had just over 100 participants, and raised $5600 this year.

Thank you to all who participated, donated, and volunteered. Thank you to our sponsors, Allen and Associates, Wagenar Steel, and Elegan Sportswear. Chesterton Physical Therapy, Inc. supplied water and Family Catering prepared the hot dogs and Sloppy Joes.

All of the proceeds are to benefit the activities of the Northwest Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Group, Unite 2 Fight Paralysis, and paralysis research. Donations are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Tax ID# 27-1583899

Picture of the event are coming soon.

Shirts from the event are for sale for only $10 each plus $5 shipping per order.
Send sizes and appropriate donation amount to:

NWI SCIG
1052 Joliet Rd
Valparaiso, IN 46385

...or donate online at www.sciwalk.info

Spinal Cord Injury Walk 2010

Butterfield Family Pavilion/Fairgrounds Park

704 McCord Rd, Valparaiso, IN 46385

Please preregister at www.sciwalk.info

Schedule of Events

12pm - Registration/shirt pick up
1pm - 5K/3.1 mile Fitness Walk and Roll
2pm - FOOD, MUSIC, RAFFLES, SILENT AUCTION, and MORE
...

Proceeds to benefit the Northwest Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Group

Our Mission is, to improve the quality of life for those with spinal cord injuries, living in Northwest Indiana; through education, advocacy, peer support, and recreational outings.

Preregister by Monday September 13, 2010 to guarantee your shirt...

August Meeting and more...

August is almost here and we hare having this month's meeting on Sunday, August 1st at my house Cookout Style.

I will supply the hot dogs and hamburgers, please feel free to bring a dish and tasty beverage of your choice. It promises to be a good time (weather permitting).

Please RSVP, so we know how many to expect.

Sunday, August 1st, 2010

Joe's House
1pm-?
1052 Joliet Rd
Valparaiso, IN 46383

Park across the street at McDaniels. Hope to see you there.

A few dates to save...

Spinal Cord Injury Walk - Sunday, September 26, 2010

Working 2 Walk, Science Symposium, Phoenix, AZ - November 11th -13th, 2010
(We are working on a possible fund raiser that would include a Grand Canyon hike immediately following Working 2 Walk this fall, please let me know if you are interested in attending one or both.)


Joe White
Northwest Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Group
219-531-0055
nwiscig.blogspot.com

Working 2 Walk 2010

Plan to join us in Phoenix for the 5th Annual Working 2 Walk Science & Advocacy Symposium, November 11-13, 2010. Featuring the latest research news from our leading scientists, hands-on advocacy workshops, and community networking opportunities, W2W is a unique event that you won't want to miss. After 3 years in Washington, DC, and our first regional event last year in Chicago, this is our first visit to the West Coast. We are excited to meet a new group of advocates and share the Working 2 Walk experience. In the words of a previous attendee, "Thank you so much for the opportunity to attend "Working 2 Walk. I enjoyed seeing the new research, networking with attendees, and speaking one on one with lead scientists. The experience was invaluable." Our venue for 2010is the Phoenix Airport Marriott, and our co-host is The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation. The Foundation and Unite 2 Fight Paralysis share a common mission to find a cure for spinal cord injury, and we are proud to join as partners in presenting Working 2 Walk 2010. This will be an exciting year in the world of paralysis research. Several promising therapies should move to human clinical trials while laboratory breakthroughs continue around the world. We will be sharing the very latest and most accurate reports in Phoenix. For more information and event details as they become available, visit our Working 2 Walk web page. Over the next few weeks we will be upgrading our website to improve the visitor experience. Navigation, communications, event registration, and payment processing will all be enhanced, and we hope you enjoy the changes. The transition should be seamless for viewers, but please forgive any unexpected down time that might occur.

Have you ever wanted to learn to fly?

Able Flight and Purdue University have partnered for a unique flight training program for people with disabilities for this summer. All training, travel, and lodging expenses will be paid under the Able Flight Scholarship program. Students will live in accessible university housing and train in specially adapted aircraft. It will be possible for students to earn an FAA pilots license by the end of the 4-5 week training program.

A number of Able Flight scholarship recipients with spinal cord injuries have completed training and are now licensed pilots. You can see profiles of many of our Scholarship winners here: http://www.ableflight.org/scholarships/65.html.

Applications are available on the Scholarship page on Able Flight's website (http://www.ableflight.org/scholarships.html), and applicants are strongly encouraged to read the "Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQs) page as well.

Current or incoming Purdue students are given first priority for consideration, followed by Indiana high school juniors and seniors (must be at least 17 years old), Purdue graduates, and then other Indiana residents.

Please note that the training will be intensive and challenging, so only highly motivated applicants should apply. Applicants must also have a schedule that would allow them to spend up to 5 weeks in West Lafayette beginning in early June.

We appreciate your help in spreading the word on this opportunity.You should find answers to most questions on our website, but you may also feel free to contact me for additional information.

Best regards,
Charles --
Charles H. Stites
Executive Director

cstites@ableflight.org
www.ableflight.org
919-942-4699

Spinal Cord Injury Walk 2009 Recap

Saturday, October 10th, 2009 was the Spinal Cord Injury Walk 2009. We couldn't have asked for a better October day this year considering the weather recently. In the middle of a two week stretch of rain and temperatures in the high 40s, we had a beautiful sunny day in the low to mid 50s.


There were 150+ people in attendance. After people registered and got their shirts, there was plenty of time to get a bite to eat, , listen to live music, and brownse the many silent auction items that were donated. It may have been a brisk trip around the track, but the hot coffee, hot chocolate, and warm hearts and personalities inside the pavilion was more than enough to make up for it.

We would like to take the opportunity to to thank all of our sponsors, volunteers,and the participants that made the Spinal Cord Injury Walk 2009 such a success for the third year in a row. We look forward to gathering again next year to show our support and raise awareness and funds for spinal cord injury research, advocacy, and the Northwest Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Group.

http://wheelchairbulls. com/schedule. html

A message from our friend, Ben, who plays for the Wheelchair Bulls...

"Our next games that are nearby will be at the holiday sports fest at McCormick Place the 27th & 28th. The Mayor's Office of Special Events presents Mayor Daley's Holiday Sports Festival, so save the date, it's FREE and begins Saturday, December 27 through Monday, December 29 at McCormick Place in Halls A & B (2301 S. Martin Luther King Drive), presented by the City of Chicago, Chicago Park District, and McCormick Place.
10a-4pm"

If you have never seen Wheelchair basketball in person, you should check this out. If you have, then you know what I mean. This is the most opportune place to go, too. There are so many sports at this Holiday Sports festival, it's ridiculous. Last year I saw sled hockey, and a ping pong tournament as well.

Spinal Cord Injury Walk/ Roll/Ride 2008 Registration

Hello all,

The Spinal Cord Injury Walk/Roll/Ride 2008 is scheduled for Sunday, September 21, 2008 and the preregistration deadline is right around the corner. Shirts are guaranteed if you are registered by September 12, 2008

To register, simply email or call with your name, address, phone #, and shirt size. If you are walking with a team, feel free to include your team name and goal amount as well. Then show up at the Old Fair Grounds Park at 12pm on September 21, 2008 ready to receive your shirt and walk, and have fun.

Walker Registration and Sponsor forms, and flyers can be found right here. Just click the alide show.

Last year more than 180 people attended the walk and it was a huge success. This year should be even better. It is a great way to raise awareness for spinal cord injuries, exercise, and spend time with family and friends. There will be live music, a silent auction, door prizes, food, and a 5k-fitness walk.

We are pleased to announce the addition of a poker run this year. For those of you who are not familiar with a poker run, it is usually done on a motorcycle and consists of a route with five stops. A playing card is received at each stop and the highest poker hand wins. The route for this year can be found on the attached flyer. Registration for the poker run is 10:30-12 at the Fair Grounds Park and ends at Martini's. The last bike must be in by 5pm and prizes will be given away at 6pm. There will be live music and food provided at the end.

Pictures of the Spinal Cord Injury Walk 2007 can be found at http://picasaweb.google.com/nwiscig/SpinalCordInjuryWalk9292007.

The proceeds will benefit spinal cord injury research, advocacy groups and the Northwest Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Group. For more information call 219-531-0055 or email nwiscig@gmail.com.

I hope to see everyone on Sunday, September 21, 2008 for an unforgettable day of fun and fund raising!

Sincerely,

Joe White

Northwest Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Group

219-531-0055

nwiscig.blogspot.com

Indiana Dunes State Park and the Chair

Sunday, I went to get my Access pass for the national parks. I figured since I was almost all the way there, I would check out the dunes and see what they had to offer. A season pass for disabled visitors cost $18. That's half the price of regular season pass. We parked right up by the Pavilion/bath house and thought we would get something to eat. They have an elevator to the second floor, you just have to ask the ice cream girl or the life guards. The elevator is just inside the middle doors on the parking lot side of the building. Once on the second floor, You notice you are getting off in the back of the kitchen. Wheelchair accessibility sometimes means you get to roll through the behind the scenes stuff.

On the way to the elevator I noticed a crazy looking power chair in a closet. This peaked my interest, so I asked about it. This is a powerchair with tracks on it like a tank. It is meant for beach use and can be checked out if you have your ID and Can give up your chair for collateral. The life guard brought it around and I went for a stroll down the beach with my daughter for the first time in five years.
It was quite an adventure. I first noticed that something was not exactly right with the steering. It kept taking me much farther to the left than I wanted to go. It seemed that if I backed up a bit and tried again, it was alright. Upon further inspection, I noticed the little wheels kept spinning in the track. The track needed tightened up. We went to the sign where the state park meets Johnson's Beach and I thought I'd see if it goes up hill very well. Unfortunately it didn't go up hill very well. The wheels kept spinning... even if I tried to go up backwards. I figured I would turn around and try to go back to the pavilion when I just stopped going anywhere. I stopped going, because the track had come off of the right side.



I thought, "This is another fine mess I've gotten myself into." I was stuck on the beach in a really big power chair. I sent my daughter to the lifeguard station to get help While I just sat and enjoyed the beach. I also met quite a few people. I guess a power wheelchair that has tank tracks on it stands out in a crowd. I don't mind meeting new people, in fact it gives me a chance to talk about the group, give out a card and raise awareness a little. There were many helpful offers from passers by and the people around, however I thought I would just wait for the park officials to rescue me. I ended up using my cell phone to call the park office and request assistance. My daughter got to ride on the back of the 4-wheeler, which she loved. The DNR officers came shortly after. Together with the life guards they tipped the chair and put the track back on. Say "hi" to Officer Brandt and Officer Bruno.
Officer Brandt assured me that they would order new tracks and get the awesome beach char back in working order as soon as possible. If lifeguards are not on duty you can request the chair at the entrance gait or call the park office at 219-926-1952. All in all, it was a good day. Thanks to everyone who helped make it that way.

Wheelchair accessible beaches in Northwest Indiana

I understand it's almost the end of summer, but there's always next year.

We have discovered a few little known facts about the Indiana National Lake Shore.

From the National Park Service website http://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm ...

"The major sites in the park are accessible with assistance. The West Beach Bathhouse, the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education, and the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center are fully accessible by wheelchair. Accessible parking and restroom services are available throughout the park. A standard wheelchair is available for loan at the Paul H. Douglas Center.

Indiana Dunes has made significant achievements in providing access to beach areas. However, access to the waters of Lake Michigan pose challenging accessibility problems. Presently, these beach areas are accessible: West Beach, Lake View Picnic area, Dunbar Beach, and Porter Beach."

I have since found out that the lift at Lake View Picnic area has been abandoned due to numerous maintenance issues. West Beach has a ramp down to the beach and offers two beach wheelchairs for use on the sand. To request these chairs, call the Dispatch Center at 219-395-8640 or ask the booth attendant at the gate entrance. Driving directions to West Beach can be found here.

Another fun fact...

Access Pass

"America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass– Access Pass - Free (replaced the Golden Assess Pass)
This is a lifetime pass for U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. The pass can only be obtained in person at the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center or other federal recreation sites where it is accepted.

The Golden Access Passports will continue to be honored according to the provisions of the pass. Only paper version of the Golden Access Passports may be exchanged free of charge for new plastic passes.

Additional information on Access Pass"

I have heard that Washington Park in Michigan City, Indiana has a lift, yet I have not had a chance to look into that beach. I will update this page as soon as I find out more.

Have fun at the beach!

Joe

August meeting and more

We will be meeting again on Saturday, August 2nd at...

Gelsosomo's Pizzeria

1pm-?
2605 Laporte Avenue
Valparaiso, IN 46383
map | driving directions

This month we will be eating free pizza supplied by the Northwest Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Group and discussing the details of the Spinal Cord Injury Walk 2008. I have many flyers for everyone to hand out for each event and some Walk brochures so anyone interested can start getting donations. We still need as many business sponsors as we can get along with donated items for silent auction and raffle.

The Screening of Christopher Reeve: Hope In Motion on July 20 attracted 50 people. I consider that a success. We rented a theater with 150 seats, so there was plenty of room for more people. As I sat there looking across the crowd, I thought this is a bigger crowd than I could fit in in my living room. Everyone learned a lot and enjoyed it so much that when Part 2 started unexpectedly they just sat quietly and kept watching until the final credits rolled. It was perfect timing, because the theater had to be cleaned for the next movie.

Remember...

August 3rd at 2 pm
MAPPING STEM CELL RESEARCH : Terra Incognita… Trailer

This film puts a human face on this controversial subject. When neurologist Dr. Jack Kessler's daughter injured her spine in a skiing accident, he turned his energies toward finding a method to repair damaged spinal cords, re-focusing his research on developing a therapy using embryonic stem cells to regenerate the damaged parts of the nervous system. His research has taken him into a politically very sensitive area in which Catholic and fundamentalist Christian views about the beginning of life exert a powerful influence.

I hope to see as many of you as possible next weekend.

Joe

Adaptive Waterski Clinic

There will be an adaptive water ski clinic in Tin Lakes, Wisconsin on July 14th, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. Twin Lakes, WI is about three hours from Valparaiso, IN. To be honest, the drive there, skiing, and the drive back makes for a long day. A long day that is well worth the effort and gas money in my opinion. I've been to at least ten of these clinics in the last three years and have had a great time almost every time.

From Waterskiing Twin Lakes 2007

From Waterskiing Twin Lakes 2007

Day at the Races

May 15th, 2008 was the Day at the Races hosted by the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation. The day started out by making the drive from NW Indiana to Indianapolis, which is only about two and a half hours away. Once we got there we all met in a parking lot outside the Indianapolis Speedway. The foundation handed out all of our credentials, passes, and a bag filled with all kinds of goodies.

We were then escorted to the infield parking lot and taken to the Green/Andretti hospitality tent for a complimentary lunch. San Schmidt spoke during lunch about his injury and the drive to keep going even after such a life changing event. The Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation has set up a collage scholarship program for people with spinal cord injuries.

After hearing from Sam and the sponsors of the event, we got the chance to check out Sam's new van sponsored by VMI, and there was a meet and greet photo session with the Firehawk, James Davison, and Sam Schmidt. We got complimentary backpacks, hats, and t-shirts from UMP Urologicals.

Next we were taken to a wheelchair accessible bleacher area just before turn 2. The view is great from this area. We had the rest of the day to meander around the garage area, watch the time trials from the bleacher area, or from right behind the pits.
On behalf of the Northwest Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Group, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sam Schmidt, the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation, and all off the volunteers and sponsors for the opportunity to attend the Day at the Races in Indianapolis.


Joe

Racing to Recovery

This has been a pretty busy week. Monday, May 12th, was the Racing to Recovery Gala hosted by the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation . It was an interesting experience. I am amazed at what some people can do and put together to raise money and awareness for worthy causes. The evening was filled with awards, and silent and live auctions. I wish I had been more familiar with some of the drivers, because many of them came out to support the Sam and the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation.

Here is a link to the Indy Car Coverage.


Pictures can be found at samschmidt.org

If anyone is interested in attending this event next year, visit samschmidt.org or contact the Northwest Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Group by email next April for more information. It is an evening worth checking out, especially for race fans.

Joe

A Day at the Races 2008

The Sam schmidt Paralysis Foundation has released it's calender of event for this year. The Northwest Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Group is proud to be associated wit this organization. If you haven't ever been to an Indy Car time trial you ar in for a treat. The Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation Provides admitance to the track, lunch and a pit tour on 05/15/2008 for A Day at the Races. If you have been, than you know how much fun it can be.

Also consider the 9th Annual Racing to Recovery Gala Dinner on 05/12/2008.

Please contact me at nwiscig@gmail .com or Ida Cahill at icahill@samschmidt.org for more details.

Joe