September 2021 Newsletter
 Founder's Message: Fodder from the Founder
David C. Jones
I first want to remind everyone that the anniversary of the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association (FDOA) both in 1990, have been jointly celebrated for over thirty years now as we reached the official 31st year in July. The law has led the way to recognizing the need and right to equality of access and opportunity. Just as important is how it has led to the beginnings of change of attitudes and the acceptance of our differences and in the diversity of our people.
We have been improving and building better accessibility for people with disabilities in all sectors and our country is better because of it. Our people are much better off today as this civil rights law opens the door to opportunities to participate in all walks of life. I am so proud of what our little organization has been able to accomplish during this exciting and challenging run to provide and promote accessible and inclusive recreation and active leisure opportunities.
I was recently honored with the opportunity to participate in a ribbon cutting celebration, and invited to be aboard the maiden voyage of a brand-new wheelchair accessible glass bottom boat that was custom built and being put into service at Silver Springs State Park near Ocala. This project was initiated by a past encounter that Paula Russo had with a grandmother who was visiting the springs with several of her grandchildren. She was unhappy because she wanted the kids to enjoy the experience of the tour of the springs like she had done years earlier. She couldn’t do it, so they didn’t either.
She was now using a wheelchair and the boat was not accessible for a wheelchair. She was angry. Paula happened to be there and hear her disappointment. Paula uses a scooter for mobility and understood her pain very well. Paula told her that she was involved with the State Parks Foundation which led to the question that was asked of her “well, what are you going to do about it?”
That started a personal five-year crusade for Paula, culminating with the launch of the “Betty Mae Tiger Jumper” Florida’s first and only universally designed glass bottom boat that easily accommodates numerous wheel chairs and other mobility devices with ease and comfort for tours of the springs and river. The boats design gives every passenger an equally unobstructive view of the underwater world below. It was named after the first and only female Seminole Tribe of Florida Chief.
I also just presented at the recent Travelability hybrid conference held in Tampa and also virtually. It was a national annually scheduled educational summit that was postponed last year due to the pandemic. The both in person and virtual event also served to show that these types of events can be done in a safe and successful manner. It works to build access and inclusion into the travel industry with a focus on education and awareness of the needs and benefits of providing and promoting accessible travel and hospitality options for a large and rapidly growing audience.
I am also presenting with Jake Steinman, the Travelability Summit founder and director, at the 2021 VISIT FLORIDA Governors Conference in Hollywood Florida. We will be providing a session to our VF members to help make visits and travel more accessible and inclusive. We are so proud of the great Job that VISIT FLORIDA is doing to promote disability sensitivity and to open up the disability travel market. Please visit their website and YouTube channel to see great videos with several of our SportsAbility Alliance Partners including Gabriel Gabrielli, Cordell Jeter and Matt Chatowsky.
We are coming back with our all of our programs, slowly and safely with adaptations and new offerings. Stay tuned to our website and social media platforms, lots happening.
Active Leisure for Life!
 Executive Director's Message: Big Kahuna, Kickball and more
Laurie LoRe-Gussak, MBA, IOM, CAE
Miracle Sports Kickball: The Miracle field’s rubberized surface make it accessible and the programs are adapted to enable everyone is to participate on their own level of ability. No one is excluded and adaptive equipment may be used to ensure participation for all. People with and without disabilities play together.
Learn more about Miracle Sports
Big Kahuna & Big Kāpena: Big Kahuna is a fundraising event for SportsAbility Alliance to support inclusive and accessible recreation and wellness programs for people of all ages and abilities. New this year - Instead of teams of people in a big canoe, single paddlers in kayaks will compete for the best time. There will be 2 categories of races: the Big Kahuna ("Big Chief") race for organizations and groups, and the Big Kāpena ("Big Captain") race for individuals. All racers will be video recorded, which will be streamed at a later date. Winners will be announced on the video stream.
Learn more about Big Kahuna
Virtual Reality (VR) SportsAbility Park (24 Hours a Day): Either utilizing a virtual reality headset or from their computer, people of all abilities are able to hang out with friends and make new friends in the SportsAbility VR Park. They can participate in virtual recreation like shooting fireworks, playing basketball or cornhole, climbing a waterfall, reaching the top of an aerial obstacle course, and more. SportsAbility Park will be available year-round and 24 hours, 7 days a week, but we will be hosting special events in the virtual park during the SportsAbility event.
Learn more about the VR SportsAbility Park
Stay well friends!!
Events & Activities
Big Kahuna
Big Kahuna is a fundraising event for SportsAbility Alliance to support inclusive and accessible recreation and wellness programs for people of all ages and abilities. This event has a brand new format this year, we now have 2 races:
- the Big Kahuna ("Big Chief") race for teams/groups - 1 person will be chosen as the team's "Champion" to race
- the Big Kāpena ("Big Captain") race for individuals
Instead of teams of people in a big canoe, single paddlers in kayaks will compete for the best time. All racers will be video recorded, which will be streamed at a later date. Winners will be announced on the video stream.
Miracle Sports
Kickball - Join us for some in-person kickball at Miracle Field (Messer Park, Tallahassee). We play Thursday evenings starting September 9. Everyone is welcome to play!
Recent Articles
Gordon Palmer currently serves as the president of the Board of Directors for SportsAbility Alliance (formerly Florida Disabled Outdoors Association). Since FDOA was founded in 1990, Gordon has been involved as a participant, volunteer, and board member.
Read Full Article
 The Benefits of Walking Outside
The nature prescriptions that doctors have chosen to write are to help with overall health. Whether you walk, run, hike, bike, swim or even sit down to take in the environment or fresh air, being outside for 20 minutes can help improve your mood and well-being (Ducharme, 2019).
Read Full Article
What are you doing to stay active?
Post it on social media and tag us!
Information for People with a Spinal Cord Injury: English | Spanish
Information for People with a Brain Injury: English | Spanish
Donate to Support Inclusive Recreation
Suggested Donation:
Give $31 for our 31 years of supporting inclusive recreation for all ages and abilities.
Any donation amount appreciated.
Donations may also be mailed to:
SportsAbility Alliance
3035 Eliza Road
Tallahassee, FL 32308
FDOA (dba SportsAbility Alliance) gratefully accepts tax deductible donations and in-kind gifts as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. (Federal ID# 59-3051552)
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