South Florida was the setting for an international festival of sports for people with disabilities in June.
By Andy Kennedy, Access Anything
The second US-located No Barriers Festival was a huge success June 4-7 in Miami, Florida, with over 200 participants, a dozen different sports for participants to test, a dozen company booths in “Innovation Village,” and two mornings full of technology and science updates at the Technology Symposium.
The first No Barriers fest occurred in 2005 in Italy; that was followed in 2007 by one in Lake Tahoe/Targhee, California that nearly doubled in size. No Barriers was initiated by Eric Weihenmayer, the first blind man to summit Mt Everest, Mark Wellman, the first paraplegic to summit El Capitán and Half Dome in California, and Dr. Hugh Herr, double amputee, rockclimber extraordinaire and MIT scientist. Each brings to the event his own experiences and expertise on thriving with a disablity, as well as an enormous network of peers.
Scores of adaptive-adventurers were brought in to offer their expertise in sailing, sponsored by partner Shake A Leg Miami, rock climbing, outrigger canoeing, open water swimming, handcycling, fencing, horseback riding, golfing, fishing, and kayaking to name a few. Dr. Herr’s team of international experts enlivened the two-morning Technology Symposium with amazing presentations on advancements in many areas including spinal cord injury, intelligent-prosthetic development, and sight-improving operations and technology.
Afternoons were spent in play. Sign up sheets for the various activities filled up quickly—almost too quickly, it seemed. The final day of the event was a single-activity excursion where about 30 participants either deep sea fished, rode horseback, visited a local beach and lighthouse, or sailed out on Biscayne Bay. Some participants even got to swim with the dolphins at Miami’s Seaquarium.
No Barriers is completely and utterly hands-on. Everyone gets in the water in some form or fashion, and every disability is represented, including about two dozen of our nation’s recently wounded veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, thanks to collaborative efforts with the Wounded Warriors Project. This event is designed to get people to try new sports, learn about new technology really and think outside the box for their own definition of adventure. Attendees came from all over the country.
“I hope that this Festival inspired all who attended to continue to shatter barriers both in design and development equipment and in [their] own personal roadblocks,” stated Nicole Deters Spader, executive director of No Barriers USA.
Even Molly the Pony was there. You may have seen Molly’s story in your e-mail inbox within the last year. She is a Hurricane Katrina survivor who lost her lower right front leg shortly after the hurricane. But instead of putting Molly down, her new adopted owner, who rescued her after the catastrophe, had a prosthetic made for the 17-year old horse and she has been thriving ever since. Attending as an inspiration to everyone there, Molly spent the days bringing smiles to young and old faces alike.
This kind of inspiration was everywhere and we can’t wait to attend the next event, hopefully back in the mountains of Colorado if we have anything to say about it!
Links
www.nobarriersusa.org
www.shakealegmiami.org
www.woundedwarriorproject.org
Andy Kennedy and her husband Craig of Team Access Anything attended the No Barriers USA as key photographers and online marketers and are thankful for their inclusion in this truly unique and inspiring event.
