Innovation in Life's Recreation (part 2)

Happy March 22!
Sorry about the lateness you'all; I was relaxing on SPRING BREAK!! (well; back to school)

The last groups to present in class were on Hiking and Rock climbing and on Hunting and Fishing.
The hiking and rock climbing group taught us about the different innovative equipment used for people who are unable to use their legs or their eyes. There are special wheelchairs used for rough terrain such as the .

When rock climbing there is something called the ascender that allows a person to climb up a rope without sliding back down.

I was fascinated to learn about the Brain Port (NEI); this devise allows s person who is blind to see by way of their tongue!! How insane is that?! :}

In this way, a person who is blind is able to rock climb by themselves without someone telling them what is in front of them! INNOVATION IS SO COOL!

The next group, discussed hunting and fishing. There are a lot of adaptations for the equipment such as arm stabilizers and holders for wheelchairs.

This is a picture of a strong arm that helps a person cast and hold a fishing pole with ease. There is also

a power fishing caster for people who might not be able to hold, grasp, or move their body to cast the line into the water.

When it comes to hunting, there are similar equipment mechanisms for stabilization but there are also tree stands made for people who have disabilities requiring them to be in wheelchairs.

The groups were very informative about regulations required for hunting and fishing and about the safety precautions needed when rock climbing.

In the last part of class, we watched two amazing and inspiring videos about people overcoming their disabilities and societies view of their disability. The first video was Beyond the Barriers by Eric Perlman and Mark Wellman. This video was about three men who each had a different disability and went rock climbing together. They worked as a team helping each other by being the eyes, feet, and strength of each other. The video also followed a young girl who was a body boarder, and man who found his freedom in scuba diving, and another man who found joy in para sailing. By watching this, I was able to see the courage, inspiration, and perserverance that people who have disabilities have. http://www.nolimitstahoe.com/videos/beyond.htm
The other video was Not on the Sidelines; this video focused on organized sports that people with disabilities can join and be apart of like soccer, hockey, and tennis. The people in the video spoke about how they felt after their accident and what ways they were able to overcome their feelings over their new disability. Everyone in the video had a very positive view on their condition and one of their main topics was that "it isn't the end of the world" and that a person is only restricted by society and his or her own views or mind set. http://www.fanlight.com/catalog/films/280_nos.php

Thanks guys!
~Sarah