Monday, May 12, 2008
Let Abilities Work buys Archery Equipment from folded Oxford Club
New Glasgow - On Sunday, Phillip Fisher drove to Oxford, Nova Scotia with Ralph and Anne Ferguson where they came away with almost enough second hand equipment to start up a club in Pictou County.
"We still need to get some target backings but if need be, we can make those out of pressed cardboard", said Fisher.
The Let Abilities Work buyers purchased eight recurve bows which are suitable for beginning archers as well as numerous arrows and miscellaneous equipment.
Also included in the purchase was a professional indoor net which catches arrows that miss their targets. This allows the sport to be held in indoor venues. Fisher is very hopeful that with this net available, the Michelin Club will agree to allow the activity in their facilities.
Almost as exciting as getting this equipment, is Jamie Hicks, the chap we purchased it from. Both Jamie and his wife, Kelly Hicks are certified Canadian archery coaches and while the club Jamie was coaching has been disbanded, his interest and committment to the sport remains firm. He has offered to give our group any help he can including to come to our area and help us put on events. As said, it is exciting to have a professional resource like this available to us as we start up!
Stay tuned for more news on this activity and plan to get involved.
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Friday, May 2, 2008
Disability community plans sport & recreation activities in Pictou County
New Glasgow - Let Abilities Work Partnersip Society held a public meeting in the New Glasgow Library community room from 7-9 pm on April 30. This meeting was planned as an information sharing and "getting to know you" session. The 27 people who attended including a few able bodied persons as well as others with a wide variety of disabilities.
Chairman Gerald Lees opened the meeting, welcomed all those in attendance and turned the running of the evening over to Executive Director Ralph Ferguson.
The agenda called for four presentations so following a round of introductions of those in the room, Ferguson introduced the presenters one by one who spoke to the group as follows: -
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Chairman Gerald Lees opened the meeting, welcomed all those in attendance and turned the running of the evening over to Executive Director Ralph Ferguson.
The agenda called for four presentations so following a round of introductions of those in the room, Ferguson introduced the presenters one by one who spoke to the group as follows: -
- Lea Nicholas and Ian Smith of SMAC (Start Making Abilities Count) provided a very well received presentation encouraging everyone to look beyond the disabilities and to start focusing on the abilities which everyone has in order to make these how we count or measure people rather than by their disabilities.
- Laughie Rutt for many years was the Executive Director of Canadian Paraplegic Association in Nova Scotia and now is the Diversity Consultant with the Halifax Regional Municipality. He is also an avid wheelchair curler and a member of the Nova Scotia team. He drove in from Halifax to speak to our meeting and with the aid of a power point presentation to introduce us to wheelchair curling and encourage us to field a team in New Glasgow.
- Kendrick Fraser spoke to the meeting. He has been unable to sail his boat since his accident in which he broke his back and became a paraplegic. However, on our west coast folks like Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan (also a paraplegic) have figured out how to sail from a wheelchair, started a Sale Able program which has spread now to the Dartmouth Yacht Club in Nova Scotia. Kendrick is looking for some able bodied and folks with disabilities to help him get a disability sailing program started here in Pictou County.
- Philip Fisher spoke to the meeting. He was once a member of an active archery club in the Trenton area. Philip is married to Kathy Rose who runs the local MS Society. He and others still have their equipment but for some reason the interest in the club died down. Let Abilities Work Partnership sees archery as a recreational activity with potential for persons both with and without disabilities so we would like to help spark a revival of the sport in the area. Phillip is willing to head up that initiative so was looking for a show of interest.
There was interest shown in all these activities as well as in dances, kitchen parties, bowling and other things we might plan. It was pointed out to the group that the Partnership has received some funding and wants to spend it wisely and with their input.
We have to check to see if the local curling club has accessible washrooms and if there is a way or if a way could be made to allow wheelchairs access to the ice surface. Apparently curling ice is pebbly allowing wheelchairs to function well on it.
Please stay tuned and get involved. There will be more to follow on all of these and other topics.
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