WHEEL WORLD NEWS
September 2018
13
During an extensive surgery, I contracted MERSA. After two months in the hospital with wound vacs, I was sent home. After four months of in-home wound care, I was finally able to move forward.
During those months I was fortunate enough to meet some others who, like me, had a spinal cord injury. They in turn told me about a newsletter. I began receiving it every month. In one of them they had an opportunity to learn how to scuba dive. I now have three dive certifications. Then I was able to get my driver’s license, ride a hand cycle and kayak. A new sense of self-worth and freedom was once again found in me.
In 2014, I decided to try and help others to achieve the things I did and more. The Next Step Peer Mentoring & More was created. We began with peer mentoring and started adding activities.
In 2015, we began having a once-a-month target practice event meeting at Shooter's World in Phoenix. We would get together to practice, talk, and share.
In 2016, we added a kayaking program. Traveling to Prescott, Payson and the lakes closer to home, we started taking people out to enjoy the freedom of kayaking. With having ten kayaks now, we are able to take groups out kayaking. This also allows us to do "Family Outings" where the family of the people we help can all go out together. We also team up with different organizations so their people can enjoy being out on the water. This year alone we will be working with three different groups.
Now in 2018, we started off the year with another event. Our new Self-Preservation Classes are teaching wheelchair users how to preserve their lives in an aggressive assault situation. These classes are taught from a wheelchair. After learning the maneuver, we get the chance to practice it on an opponent. All of our events are offered free of charge to the participants. We do not have members, we are a family. We rely on those generous enough to help us help others.
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