Being on Ice Inspires Play!

With winter comes ice, something many people avoid for its potential hazards, yet in the right context, ice brings out a sense of fun and playfulness. Where an ice rink is defined, indoors or out, any sort of game or play activity is bound to be going on. Being on ice propels the body into movement to stay warm.  Testing the slickness of ice translates into sliding, spinning, gliding, chasing and smiles. Ice inspires play!

I've loved the playfulness of being on ice all my life. I grew up in a neighborhood where a baseball field was flooded every winter by the local boy scout troop. The kids, teens and adults attracted to this local patch of frozen water became an impromptu winter community where play ruled. For many years an adult I often sought out frozen bodies of water to play games with my dogs. Now, as an adaptive recreation professional I observe and join people's delight on ice every winter in our programs. I love the way disability seems to evaporate when people with and without disabilities use ice sleds to play hockey.

Spontaneity and inventiveness abound in our adaptive skating programs. There seems to be a new game created at almost every program we facilitate. Some of the games we've generated include spinning donuts in power wheelchairs, ice sled races, hockey games with balls and pucks of all sizes and styles, flying kites while skating, lining up in ice sled trains, building foam block towers and walls to crash into, slaloms, and power chair towing of people in ice sleds in a variation of crack-the-whip. With skaters on conventional skates, using skate walkers, ice sleds and/or their own wheelchairs, and others using ice grippers over their shoes, the possibilities are still being discovered!

 If you are feeling hum drum about winter or need a therapeutic dose of fun and games, consider getting out on the ice wherever you are! If you live in Massachusetts we have a few programs coming up in the next ten days, with more scheduled for January through March.

December 2 - Holyoke
December 6 - Worcester
December 11 - Revere

Call 413-545-5758 to register for these programs sponsored by DCR's Universal Access Program! The whole rink is ours to play on for two hours! Come as you are (with warm clothes, gloves and a hat) and embrace winter with a spin on the ice!

Do you play on the ice? Please share your game inventions using the comment link below!

Accessible Public Skating At Massachusetts State Rinks!

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has officially announced the start of public ice skating November 23 at 42 rinks around the Commonwealth. DCR's Universal Access Program maintains adaptive ice skating equipment at 20 of these rinks.

Towns with state rinks that feature adaptive ice skating sleds are Auburn, Boston, Brighton, Brockton, Cambridge, Franklin, Greenfield, Holyoke, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Medford, Newburyport, North Adams, Plymouth, Revere, Somerville, Springfield, Taunton and West Roxbury.

Ice sleds offer a seated option for skaters who cannot use their legs or who have balance issues too difficult for conventional skating. Those who can use their upper bodies evenly can use two shortened hockey sticks with a figure skating pick on the opposite ends of the blades for self propulsion. A stroller bar handle can be inserted into the back of the ice sled to push sled skaters who cannot self propel or steer. Anti-tippers prevent people from tipping over backwards and an adjustable leg tray allows kids and adults to use most sleds. This equipment offers more inclusion of people with disabilities into the rink experience. Whole families can skate together!

Click here for a reference list of where ice sleds are located in the Massachusetts State rink network. Most rinks have two sleds, two sets of sticks, and one stroller handle. Some rinks (Brockton, Holyoke, Revere, Springfield, West Roxbury, Worcester) have more sleds and handles, and some rinks (Cambridge, Hyde Park) only have kid-sized sleds. (Kids fit well into adult-sized sleds but not usually the other way around!) Call the rinks directly (using phone numbers listed on the link above) or DCR's Universal Access Program at 413-545-5758 for more specific information.

For a full list of DCR skating rinks with public skating hours and directions, click here.

Accessible Trails in Massachusetts

Coastal trail at Belle Isle Marsh

Autumn is the most spectacular time to take to the trail and appreciate the glory of being outdoors. There are many great trails experiences in Massachusetts that accommodate wheelchair users and others with mobility impairments. From Cape Cod to the Berkshires, these trails can be enjoyed by everyone.

Trails designed for accessibility feature wider pathways (three to five feet wide), stable and slip resistant surfaces, low grades, minimal cross slopes, ramped bridges and easy-access viewing areas. Some accessible trails also feature seating at intervals, Braille signage, audio tours, and sensory elements to create a broader base of inclusion. It is common for designated accessible trails to be a quarter to a half mile in length, sometimes longer.

Forest Bathing - Prescription for Well-Being

Have you ever taken a bath in the forest?

Chances are, if you like the outdoors, you already have - even if you never got wet at all!

In the midst of leaf peeping season in New England, I chanced upon an article about the practice of forest bathing in Japan. I am often in the woods and it certainly makes me feel better, a sentiment with which all nature lovers would surely agree. Turns out scientific studies in recent years demonstrate that spending time in the forest reduces stress by lowering heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels.

Actively enjoying the visual beauty of the forest, connecting physically with trees, plants and the earth; listening to the sounds of wind, water and birds - all this opens us to bathing in the energy of a place. A healthy forest, as an intact natural system, offers a bounty of good energy, which can elevate our own energies.

Places to Go in Massachusetts State Parks - Thanks to Kathy Lowry

Accessible footbridge at Quabbin Reservation.

Kathy Lowry worked for the DCR Universal Access Program until she retired last month. She has been a quiet behind-the-scenes presence, a landscape architect who worked for many years diligently at making accessibility improvements to  Massachusetts State Parks. Without people like Kathy, the natural world would not be so accessible. Thanks Kathy for all you have done!!

Kathy's departure has put me more in touch with a gap between the tasks Kathy tackled on a daily basis and the long term enjoyment of the results by the public. In an effort to bridge that gap, here is a list of places you can go for accessible outdoor experiences that had the expert input and guidance of the same dedicated individual.

Adaptive Rowing Going Strong!

Blind rower Barbara Black has found her way into a single.

Summer is over and so are our paddling and sailing programs, but adaptive rowing is still going strong!

The boathouse at Jones Ferry in Holyoke will continue to see a lot of action as rowers keep up their practice and training. Fall is the busy time for races. Several rowers traveled to the Bayada Regatta in Philadelphia in August and had a great time as usual. Holyoke Rows had their annual Paper City Regatta on the Connecticut River 2 weeks ago, in which everyone won a medal. Next races up are the Head of the Charles in Boston on October 20 and the Head of the Fish in Saratoga at the end of this month.

Accessible Fall Festivals and Upcoming Events

Autumn has arrived with refreshing cool temperatures and color changes in the landscape! Celebrate the season by attending an outdoor event! Here are several upcoming festivals and events in eastern Massachusetts and beyond that feature good accessibility. If you know of others, please share!

Saturday, September 29

Blue Hill Weather Observatory Open House & Kite Festival 10:00am –4:00pm

Things are looking up atop Great Blue Hill at Blue Hills State Reservation just outside Boston! Enjoy the amazing view, fascinating history and fun activities at the oldest continually operating Weather Observatory in the country. Join us for an open house and fun festival for all ages. Free admission to events; donation for some activities. Rain or shine. For details and parking info, call 617- 696-0562, especially if you need accessible parking as spots are limited at the top. Learn more at www.bluehill.org. People can bring their own kites or they can buy them from the gift shop.

Recreating Oneself Via Recreation - Posie's Story

I met Posie Mansfield at our horseback riding program last month and was amazed by her end-of-the-summer adventures. Within the week she had been kayaking, surfing and horseback riding, and was aglow with stories of her recent outings. Embracing recreation has clearly helped her transform her life in a positive direction after suffering two major losses. I was delighted when she agreed to share her story and I hope she will inspire others to find new ways to enjoy life. Thanks for your Guest Post Posie and for all you do to help others find their way!

In late December of 2010, I developed a serious and near-fatal staph infection in my left knee, the same knee that had a total knee replacement in May of that same year. My doctor tried IV antibiotics, but there came a time when it became a choice between losing my life or losing my leg. There really wasn't much of a choice. My children and I met with my surgeon, and on January 5, 2011, they amputated my left leg above the knee. Just a month earlier, in late November, my husband of 46 years died suddenly and tragically from a massive heart attack. I thought my life was over. Losing him left me with my heart broken and my life forever changed.

Instead of seeing the loss of my leg as another tragedy, I decided to see it as an opportunity, a chance to start a new chapter, to rewrite my future and travel a new journey. Never having chosen this path or surely never expecting it, I had to make a decision to do one of two things. I could either retreat into myself, sit alone for the rest of my life, or pull myself up, head held high looking ahead, not back, and push myself to take on my life's challenges with as much strength, dignity and grace that I could muster. Quitting was never an option.

Since losing my leg, I am now stronger, healthier and more active physically than I ever dreamed I could or would be. I miss my husband every day, but I have channeled that emotion by trying new adventures to honor his memory, taking on challenges like sailing, kayaking, rock wall climbing, skiing, horseback riding, skydiving and surfing. I have discovered a whole new world of adventures available to me through many organizations like Spaulding Rehab, DCR, Waypoint Adventures, New England Disabled Sports and more.

Time to Follow the London Paralympics!

The Summer Olympics have come and gone with their usual high profile coverage in the past month. I find the Olympics always fascinating to follow - and how great it was to see so many ads showing Paralympic athletes along with Olympic athletes!

Now, on the eve of the London Paralympics, it has become evident that these will be the biggest Paralympics ever, with over 4000 athletes competing from 160 countries. Almost 2.5 million tickets have been sold already, a likely indicator of a first time sell-out in Paralympic history. Media coverage will be greater than for previous Paralympics and offered in more countries than ever before.

Beginning on Aug. 29 and continuing through the conclusion of the Games on Sept. 9, U.S. Paralympics will provide 10 daily video highlights packages via its U.S. Paralympics YouTube channel. The videos will chronicle the competition, athlete stories and will also include the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Videos chronicling the lead-up to the Games are also be available now.

In addition to the online content, NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) will air one-hour highlight shows on Sept. 4, 5, 6 and 11 at 7 p.m. EDT. Following the Paralympic Games, on Sept. 16, NBC will broadcast a 90 minute special from 2-3:30 p.m. EDT. All NBC and NBC Sports Network Paralympic highlight shows and specials will re-air on Universal Sports Network and UniversalSports.com.

The IPC, the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement, also recently announced its online coverage plans for the 2012 Paralympic Games, which will include broadcasting 580 hours of live sport from London 2012 on Paralympic.org during the competition.

Some of the athletes I will be following include:

Victoria Arlen of Exeter, NH, a 17 year old swimmer with Transverse Myelitis who broke 2 world records and 10 Pan American and American records at the U.S. Paralympic Trials in Bismarck, ND, this June.

Blake Leeper of Nashville, TN, a 22 year old blade runner who has tied Olympian Oscar Pistorius's world record of 10.91 seconds in the 100m T43 and will be running against him in what may be the most popular event of the 2012 Paralympics.

Anjali Forber-Pratt of Natick, MA, an avid wheelchair racer and eloquent Paralympic ambassador I met last year who has broken all kinds of records and will be competing in her 2nd Paralympics.

Who are your favorite Paralympians???

Adaptive Recreation Highlights in August

DCR Universal Access Program update in Massachusetts State Parks - It has been a very busy summer and gone by all too fast! Some of my favorite moments from this month - 

Hiking at Walden Pond - I was thrilled to see David and others travel 1.7 miles around the pond where Henry David Thoreau staked his claim to literary history. We visited the original site of Henry's hand-hewn cabin with three people in wheelchairs then worked our way along the well-beaten trail - even over some massive stone steps. It was a real sense of accomplishment for all involved. David transferred out of his new power wheelchair - which he controls with his head - to circumnavigate the popular pond with his wife Brenda and Universal Access Program staff Chauncey and Fiona.

Horseback Riding at Bradley Palmer State Park - I fit in a visit to our annual 2 day riding program in which people with all kinds of disabilities take the high view of the trail thanks to Windrush Farms from nearby Boxford. They provide staff, volunteers and four mellow horses, plus a wheelchair ramp that unfolds off of a trailer. One hour rides give some the much needed enjoyment some have waited for all summer, even those who may have ridden all their lives prior to losing a leg, as was the case for Posie (shown on left with cane) and Lee (astride the first horse).

Sailing at Community Boating in Boston - It was a pleasure to meet Margaret, a participant who has been sailing for four years and now spends most days of her summer on the dock and river. When she's not sailing, she uses skills honed in building theater sets to help out with much needed tasks at Boston's oldest public sailing venue, including creating the sign at the entrance. Margaret's arthritis, vision impairment, and lack of private transportation don't stop her from taking the T to pursue her passion.

Though horseback riding is done for the season, hiking and sailing continue into the fall. Don't let summer end without fulfilling your sense of adventure!

Hiking:
September 6 - George's Island, Boston Harbor
September 13 - Chicopee State Park, Chicopee
September 30 - Bradley Palmer State Park, Topsfield
October 3 - Holyoke Range State Park, Amherst
October 18 - Borderland State Park, Sharon
October 20 - Maudslay State Park, Newburyport
Call Stavros Outdoor Access at 413-259-0009 to sign up!

Sailing:
August 27- September 30
Weekdays: 1-5pm
Weekends: 10am-3pm
Call Community Boating at 617-523-1038 to find out more. Sessions through the fall are booked, but visiting to check out the program for next year is a worthwhile chance to enjoy the Esplanade and there may be cancellations!