Help People with Disabilities help People with Disabilities

Friends!

You know how frustrated I have been with Nova Scotia's indifference to people with disabilities. 

After years of pestering, the Blue Nose Marathon will include an elite wheelchair division in one of their races the weekend of May 21.

Part of the race plan encourages participants to compete for a charity, and the wheelchair team will raise money for Independent Living Nova Scotia, an organization after my own heart that promotes self-reliance.

At the same time, The James McGregor Stewart Society has invited Josh Cassidy, world champion wheelchair marathoner (Boston 2012) and famous young Canadian to watch the race and speak about his experiences as an Olympic athlete.

Taken together, I think the race, the fundraiser and the visit from Josh will help make Nova Scotians aware of the accomplishments of people with disabilities.  

I'd like the wheelchair team to be among the top fundraisers, (charities averaged $6,500 last year) so to help Independent Living reach its modest goal, there is a matching opportunity from an anonymous benefactor for the first $1000 raised by the wheelchair team.  If you are inclined to help the cause, your dollars will go twice as far!  The race is 5km - a little over 2500 wheel revolutions.  Could you do a penny ($25) or a nickel ($125) a revolution to help with a real revolution?

For Canadians, using this webpage makes the accounting simple and instantly generates a tax receipt.  US donors will also get a tax receipt, but using it may be more complicated.  As a bonus from the oil glut, $100 Canadian will only cost $74 US (cross border credit card fees extra).

If you are able to make a donation it will make a huge difference to the profile of wheelchair athletes and to the campaign for full equality of Nova Scotians with disabilities.  Thanks in advance for considering.

Please dig deep, act while the idea is fresh (i.e.Now) and encourage friends to participate by using the social media icons on the donations page.

Gus Reed

ps If you would also like to help sponsor Josh's visit, let me know (not tax deductible, alas)

August 2015

A few items:

Nova Scotians at the Para Pan Ams:

Pamela LeJean and Devin Gotell won gold

The details:

Name	Finish	Medal
Gotell	Swimming
Men's 200m IM SM13(SM12-13)	2	Silver
Men's 100m Backstroke S13(S12-13)	2	Silver
Men's 400m Freestyle S13(S11-13)	1	Gold
Men's 100m Freestyle S13	4
LeJean	Athletics
Women's Shot Put F53/54/55	1	Gold
Women's Javelin Throw F53/54	3	Bronze
Murphy	Swimming
Men's 100m Freestyle S5	5
Mixed 4x50m Freestyle Relay 20ptsCanada	3	Bronze
Men's 50m Butterfly S5(1-5)	4
Men's 200m IM SM6(SM5-6)	7
Men's 50m Freestyle S5	5
Men's 50m Backstroke S5	6
Men's 200m Freestyle S5(S1-5)	4
Brown	Athletics
Men's 100m T53	4
Kent	Table Tennis
Men's Singles Class 8	3	Bronze
Men's Team Class 6-8Canada	2	Silver
Dunn	Table Tennis
Men's Singles Class 3	7
Men's Team Class 3-4Canada	5
Drozdowski	Table Tennis
Men's Singles Class 11	4
Caron	Table Tennis
Men's Singles Class 8	7
Men's Team Class 6-8Canada	2	Silver
MacSween	Goalball
WomenCanada	3	Bronze
Jewells	Wheelchair Basketball
Women'sCanada	2	Silver
	Gold	2
	Silver	5
	Bronze	4
	TOTAL	11*

*by my count.  Corrections to wcreedh@gmail.com

Congratulations again to Sarah Dube:

Miscellany:

If you hadn't seen this article from The Globe and Mail, it's worth a read:
It's well past time for a Canadians with Disabilities Act

Nova Scotia would do well to pay more attention to travel infrastructure for people with disabilities:
Disability Travel Generates $17.3 Billion In Annual Spending.  The Americans with Disabilities Act has broadened leisure opportunities for millions, including a big population in nearby New England. novascotia.com lists 157 of 784 places  to stay as 'wheelchair accessible'.   That's 20% of places, not rooms.

Exercise is good, exercising your vote is even better.

ParaPanAms

The following Nova Scotians are representing Canada and Nova Scotia at the ParaPanAm games this week.

1. Ben Brown, 100m sprint, Weston
2. Steven Dunn, table tennis, Dartmouth
3. Pamela LeJean, shot put, Sydney
4. Jillian MacSween, goalball, Halifax
5. Devin Gotell, swimming, Antigonish
6. Danial Murphy, swimming, Bedford
7. Curtis Caron, table tennis, Dartmouth
8. Mikhail Drozdowski, table tennis, Cole Harbour
9. Ian Kent, table tennis, Eastern Passage
10. Jamey Jewells, wheelchair basketball, Donkin

(errors and omissions to wcreedh@gmail.com)

I hope you saw last night's opening ceremony.  Chantal Petitclerc, the most decorated athlete in Canadian history, and one of the world's most successful Paralympians, lit the cauldron to the roar from the athletes assembled in the infield.

Antigonish's Chelsey Gotell, a three-time Paralympic swimmer and multiple world-record holder helped carry in the Paralympic flag.

What better activity this rainy weekend than to watch the coverage on CBC?

• Saturday, Aug. 8 at 5 p.m. AST and 9 p.m.
• Sunday, Aug. 9 at 6 p.m. 

The full schedule through next Saturday includes tons of opportunities to root for our athletes.

Be sure to watch Josh Cassidy, marathon world record holder.  His CBC profile says he is confined to a wheelchair.  Does 42.2 kilometers in 1 hour, 18 minutes and 25 seconds sound confined?  

Watching the ParaPanAm games is an Inspiration and an education.