Posts tagged inclusive play
Will + Peter [Adaptive Sports Connection]
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Will and Peter keep busy by participating in many different activities!  A few years ago, they found out about the Adaptive Sports Connection in Powell, OH which provides adaptive technology to help empower anyone with physical and cognitive challenges through sports and therapeutic outdoor recreation!  The mission of the Adaptive Sports Connection is to help people with challenges stay healthy and happy by focusing on their ABILITIES. 

While at Children’s Hospital for one of Will’s appointments, they have met many other families who help encourage and provide resources to each other.  One of the resources that Will and Peter learned about was the Adaptive Sports Connection program.  Will and Peter try to regularly go to the kayaking, water skiing and downhill skiing programs.  Will’s favorite is the skiing--- he loves speed!  Each time Will goes, the instructors and volunteers try new ways of adapting the equipment to make Will’s experience as enjoyable as possible. 

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Once the custom pieces of adaptive equipment are added to the kayak, Peter and the instructors load Will into his tailored kayak, get different pieces of foam to strategically add around his body to ensure he is able to sit upright and get his paddles ready!  Once it’s his turn to load into the water, a float with wheels is loaded under his kayak and he is wheeled down to the water’s edge.  His kayak has a set of outrigger floats on the back to help prevent him from tipping it over.

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Each time Will goes out kayaking, he has his father Peter, as well as a volunteer (Christina) and the instructor (David).  As a group they work diligently to learn how Will kayaks and what can help him have a better experience.  Each time he goes out, he builds his stamina and is able to kayak longer than the last time!  Once he gets tired, he can either paddle himself back in or his volunteer can tether their kayak to his and paddle him back in. 

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If you are interested in participating in one of the great programs offered by the Adaptive Sports Connection, please go onto their website to learn how to get involved!  https://adaptivesportsconnection.org/

Harmony Playground: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

On April 25, 2019 the Knox County Chamber of Commerce held the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Harmony Playground, the new fully inclusive playground in Mount Vernon. Harmony Playground has been a wonderful collaborative project with the Knox County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Crossfit 1808, the Knox County Health Department Creating Healthy Communities and many other wonderful team members that brought together this amazing playground for all families in Knox County and beyond.

Carol Grubaugh, with the Chamber of Commerce led the ceremony and we heard wonderful remarks from Katie Fiorilli, Crossfit 1808 & Caroline’s Classic; Tami Ruhl, Knox County Health Department Creating Healthy Communities; Steve Oster, Knox County Board of Developmental Disabilities; and Mayor Dick Mavis, City of Mount Vernon. Thank you to Jamie and Levi Sanders for cutting the ribbon!

Thank you to everyone who helped make this project a reality, and thank you to everyone who came out to the ribbon cutting ceremony!

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Generous donors who made this project a reality are:

Knox County Board of Developmental Disabilities

The Ariel Foundation

Diversified Products & Services

Richard & Arline Landers Foundation


Crossfit 1808 Caroline’s Classic

United Way of Knox County

Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon

The Energy Cooperative Operation Round Up Foundation, Inc.

The Ramser Family

Licking/Knox Goodwill Industries, Inc.

Knox County Health Department Creating Healthy Communities


Women United

First-Knox National Bank, Division of Park National Bank

Elks Care, Elks Share - Mount Vernon Elks #140

Celestine Watkins

Siemens Energy Systems, Inc.

Mount Vernon Rotary Foundation

City of Mount Vernon

Knox County Foundation

Foundation Parks Conservancy

Concepts in Community Living, Inc.

Margo de Camp

Steve Oster

Kim & Pam Rose

Ian & Charlotte Watson

Creative Foundations, Inc.

Gordy & Fran Yance


Delta Kappa Gamma of Knox County

Knox Community Hospital

Chip & Katie Wilson

Marc & Jen Odenweller

Geotechnical Consultants, Inc.

The Marlow Family

Deb Romas & Associates

Dr. Robert & Patricia Ronk

Riverside Recovery Services - Where Recovery Brings Hope

Amy Albery

Elena N. Brechler

Craig Black - Tricia Moore - Andrew & Anna Breen

Team “Neverquit” - AFC

Adam Daniels - Ben Durbin - Natalee Johnson - Trista Butler

Brock M. Evans

Lara K. Farmer

Built By Unity

Hanna Ford

Matthew Gibson

The Hickman Family

John & Kristin Hofferberth

Matthew Kelling

Always Forward CrossFit

Tara Lamb

Alex Lambert

Melissa Leonard

Ron & Natalie Lucas & Family

Dan & Rebekah Mullins

Emily Nussbaum

Alicia Olson

Evan Palmer

Kathy Patton

Chad & Tami Ruhl

Holden Richards

The Ruffner Family

In Memory of Dorothy “Dottie” Marchal

Megan West

Neal Bell - Justin Satin - Loriann Fuhrer - Kris Whiting

Nichole Williams

“N8” Woodford

Dick & Peggy Mavis

Flappers Bar & Grille - Norm & Erron Porter - Steve Oster

Benjamin Peter Ollis

Lucy Peterson

Barbara Jordan

Anonymous

Easterseals Central & Southeast Ohio

ViaQuest, Inc.

Gantt Homes Inc. & The HIVE

Teresa Bemiller

Joe & Miranda Conkle

Nick & Katie Fiorilli

Rhonda & Chuck Gherman

Steve & Kathy Greenich

Mike & Karen Hagans

Jaclynn Mahle

Joe & Sally Nelson

Donald & Nancy Omahan

Friends of Kelly Shoemaker

In Memory of Ashton Cordray

Moms of Mount Vernon Giving Back