"Razorback Paddle Day"

[hfunkhouser]

I am working with Rance Bighorse to provide people with disabilities with
an opportunity to try out paddle sports, primarily those with physical disabilities. If you know someone who is interested in participating as a paddler or a volunteer, please contact Rance or I so we can make this a success.
hfunkhouser(at)gmail(dot)com

The following is the info I have at this time:


Just making contact to find out how many people you might be bringing to the Nov 21 Razorback Paddle Day? TPIN will be having lunch catered in , we have reserved a banquet room in addition to the pool.

We have the pool at the Jones Family Center from ( 9 am - 12 pm) and the Banquet room from 12 - 2pm. I would like to get some ideas for the future. My local TPIN population is rather small so traveling to NW AR is no problem especially to have the opportunity to spend my resources where they will do the most good and benefit the most people.

I would like to get an estimate of volunteers and participants that each of your organizations planning on being there, Thanks Guys , We are really getting excited and the day is coming quick...Rance

[hfunkhouser]

Also:
It will be a basic kayak instructional day..We will need help getting the people in & out of the boats and if you feel like it you can paddle with one of the PC folks out in the water...
I will have two 2 man kayaks
3 singles
and one inflatable kayak i kinda want to use the inflatable boat for quads ,...it is hard to tip over...

[Gordon Kumpuris]

Wish we could get gage the interest of a program for physically challenged individuals in central Arkansas. Anyone know of anyone doing anything?? Perhaps with the V.A.??

[hfunkhouser]

bump

[dinan]

bump

[Eric Esche]

BUMP!

[hfunkhouser]

UPDATE

I have left Rance a message re: equipment needs. It looks like we'll have plenty of folks but I think that your knowledge and support is just as important. Will follow up when Rance gets back to me about the equipment.
Thanks,
Howard

Hey Guys,
I cannot express how much I appreciate your help with Saturday..I will be leaving to head that way tomorrow. I will be staying at the Hampton Inn in SPringdale.
My Cell = 91 8 773 746 7
Linda's cell= 91 8 351 883 5 , please feel free t o try either one if you need to get a hold of me .
The numbers right now :
28 volunteers & participants
we will have at least 3 quads participating :: 10 para's..I have a couple of strong backs to help with transfers.
Its really shaping up to be a fun day....
9 am - 12 pm =pool times
12pm - 2pm = lunch at the Jones Ctr room#226...lunch is no cost!!
Talk Soon , rance

[Eric Esche]

I'm in. Let me know what gear to bring.

Eric Esche

[Eric Esche]

I've done this in the past, although it was a long time ago. They can use all the volunteers they can get.

Please come and help out. Consider it practice for our roll sessions.

Eric

[boofmaster]

My apologies for not putting a "sticky" on this thread; I hadn't read it before today, and from the title I didn't realize it was a call for volunteers / public service kind of thing.

A PM to "global moderators" is one way to let us know something needs a sticky if we miss one that is deserving. THIS ONE WAS MOST DEFINATELY DESERVING; I just missed it.

Give us a report on how things go today, and thanks for doing something to help others!

[Eric Esche]

Great day. Everyone had fun, and then they fed us well. Would do it again. They were all nice people who were really trying and wanted to do it. We had more boats than we could use, but that was good as they wanted to try everything.

Y'all know how bad I am on names, but Mike Potts, David Dinan, Sparky, and a few others like Funkhouser were there and answered the call. They brought several helpers of their own. Sorry if I left anyone out. Definately could use a few more next time and some stronger backs than mine, but no one who wanted to paddle was left out and several tried more than 2 types of different types of watercraft, from IK's(inflatables) to play boats to rec boats to sea kayaks. And some of them who had problems on the sit on tops did great in play boats, opposite for others, but all seemed to find one that worked for them. The Native boat was a hit as well. Most were wheel chair bound. One of the six that I worked with was a former navy Seal instructor who wound up paddleing kayak one handed as he had had a stroke that paralized him on one side. I knew that could be done as I torn tendons in my left hand once on a rock in the river, but he figured it out on his own after one of their leaders had made a hand strap for his weak arm with a piece of inner tube. Several turned over, but no one paniced and they were quite relaxed as we swam them back over to the hydrallic chair lift for another try. All seemed comfortable in the water. We seal launched several of them down the steps and got them back out to their wheelchairs by dragging the boat back up the steps.

I loaned them my camera so none of the photos were taken by me. I will try to down load it to a site this week and them copy them on some discs back to them. I'll post a link if anyone wants to see the pictures.

Eric Esche

[Eric Esche]

ps - while they were only shooting for a one on one ratio of volunteer to participant as far as the volunteers, two on one is a much better ratio. Some folks just need more help than others. I know it took three of us to transfer some from chair to boat and back again, but we went slow and did everything safely, and to their satisfaction.

If they do it again, please come. You will find it worth your time.

Mike brought his son, and one of the folks had his son, about the same age of Mike's son there. Good family atmosphere, and a good experience for kids as well, even if they were not aware of it. And they all loved seeing Mike's son paddleing the Jackson Sidekick. Heard one of them say if it is that easy, then I have to keep trying. And the grin on Mike's son as he paddled was contagious. Good day.

Eric

[dinan]

It was great day and very well worth our time. Most of the guys were very interested in paddleing. Each person had a unique challenge but as Eric said between everyone there we figured out a way to get anyone that wanted into a boat. The best use of a bean bag I’ve ever seen was for a guy who had limited arm functionality and no balance. He leaned on the bean bag to stabilize himself in a inflatable kayak and even paddled around with his son in the boat. One of the guys felt good enough in kayak to start working on his roll. I invited him back to one of roll sessions so he could keep working on it.

I’m sure their will be other chances to help in the future they were talking about doing a paddleing trip in the spring.


Here is a link to the organization's website that planned the event http://www.turningpointnation.org/

[Mike_P]

Ethan & I had a great time. Here's a collection of videos & pix we took. Thanks to my wife for helping me figure out how to edit & post. First time we've tried this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8WRu6yZWT4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[hfunkhouser]

Just wanted to thank you guys for showing up and helping out so much. The pics are great, and the knowledgeable instruction really made a difference.
Hfunkhouser