Amputees Across America

2007 AMPUTEES ACROSS AMERICA

JUST ORDINARY PEOPLE DOING
EXTRA-ORDINARY THINGS!

AN AMERICAN JOURNEY OF AMPUTEES, CROSSING THE UNITED STATES ON BICYCLES, WITH SKYDIVES ENROUTE TO COMMEMORATE THOSE UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS WE MEET ALONG THE WAY.

DEPARTED AT 10:00 AM ON MAY 28, 2007
FROM HEALTHSOUTH TUSTIN REHAB HOSPITAL

TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA

ARRIVE HEALTHSOUTH REHAB HOSPITAL
VERO BEACH, FLORIDA
ON JULY 25, 2007

OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS

Alabama Artificial Limb and Orthopedic Service, Inc
Montgomery, Alabama

$500- $1,000 Booster Club

CENTER FOR PROSTHETIC AND ORTHOTICS DESIGN
ALBUQUERQUE, NM

DR. DENISE CHAVEZ, MD
APOGEE HOSPITALIST
FARMINGTON, NM

CLAYTON ENTERPRISES
FARMINGTON, NM

HANGER PROSTHETICS
ALBUQUERQUE AND SANTA FE, NM

A-PLUS WELL SERVICE, INC
FARMINGTON, NM

MARTIN AND BEVERLY PIERCE
FARMINGTON, NM

Sports can Offer a Welcome Outlet for a Person with Disability

When the Act about the Americans with Disabilities has opened there are a lot of organizations all around the country that are offering some access to sports. These are available either for individuals that are wheelchair –bound, and amputees with those prosthetic devices. These people do experience a great joy as they are participating cross-country skiing, different kinds of water sports such as scuba and sailing, and even those extremes like skydiving and mountain climbing.

Its importance can never be overestimated. Initially, those who were formerly able-bodied individuals who do find themselves disabled, sports do serve as a great motivation in the process of rehabilitation that can help in reducing confusion and so as depression. While those who were born with a certain disability already, such thing can connect them to the ‘able ‘ world, especially when they use webmail.shaw.ca to register for competitions.

There is a phenomenal success being experienced in the competitive sports for disabled. The Paralympic games that was being founded in Italy in 1960, was actually inspired by the competition being organized for World War II veterans, in 1948 in England.

The winter or summer sports will let those athletes be able to compete in different sports, which includes 21 various competitive sports, like archery, equestrian, cycling, judo and power lifting. For athletes that are wheelchair-bounds, the sports would be basketball, dancing, rugby, tennis and fencing. The list of winter sports is lesser, yet no less challenging, these athletes can compete in either Nordic skiing, Alpines, wheelchair curling and ice sledge hockey.

Those children that are having some physical disabilities have some special challenges too. They are faced with some limitations and also meeting the demands to become competent and have the emotional and mental balance. The NSCD or National Sports Center for the Disabled, is offering different sports opportunities for children to take part. They can register with a webhost email or any free email address.

The Paralympics and the NSCD are among of the two organizations that will involve the disables into sports. Through these, both children and adult are able to benefit greatly as they participate in the different adaptive sports activities, where the advantages can extend to all areas of their lives.

The Main Challenges Faced When Organizing the 2007 Edition of Amputees Across America

The 2007 edition of Amputees Across America was a resounding success. I say that this particular edition of Amputees Across America was a resounding success because, in the final analysis, we were able to meet the objectives we had initially set out to achieve. And in my opinion, one can claim success when they manage to achieve the objectives they had initially set out to achieve in any undertaking. But even as we bask in the success of the 2007 edition of Amputees Across America, I am also inclined to take some time to reflect on the challenges that I (as one of the key organizers of the event) encountered while organizing it.

Now one of the main challenges that I faced when organizing the 2007 edition of Amputees Across America was simply that of getting the amputees to take part in the event. This was always bound to be a huge challenge, and for obvious reasons: among them, the fact that the amputees had other day-to-day engagements, the fact that the amputees had concerns about their safety in the course of the whole thing, and the fact that the amputees’ caretakers too had various concerns to be addressed.

Another challenge that I faced when organizing the 2007 edition of Amputees Across America was that of getting the necessary authorizations from the relevant government agencies. In the course of this undertaking, I came to appreciate just how stifling government bureaucracy can be to deal with (even when the bureaucrats mean well and are actually trying to help you).

There was another challenge that I faced when organizing the 2007 edition of Amputees Across America: and that was the challenge of getting sponsors for the event, and getting the sponsors to actually honor their pledges. In the course of this undertaking, I came to understand why companies like Kroger have to put up sweepstakes to encourage people to take part in their surveys – as, for instance, is the case with the survey run at the Kroger feedback website. That is to say, in other words, that I came to understand just how hard it can be to get people to be motivated for anything, however noble. But I am not whining: because when all was said and done, the actual event was a roaring success, and for that, I am eternally grateful to all people who lend their hands, in one way or another.