One of the more frustrating things about becoming disabled is the loss
of independent transportation. For myself, I was very blessed to have many
friends and family members who offered to help me get out & about. Being a teenager, it was important for me to
attend every football & basketball game I could. But, Momma raised 4 very independent minded
boys (OK, Rowdy, Loud, Obnoxious, Hard Headed & Unruly may also have been
used to describe us). At any rate, I
REALLY wanted so much to get right back out there & drive again.
I have to admit that in the late 60’s & early 70’s architectural
barriers usually prevented independent integration in the activities at hand
(but that’s a whole different topic of discussion). I worked very hard to become as independent
as I could be. Being independent minded,
I was able to let my needs be known, so I could continue being active in the
community. But I didn’t REALLY feel
independent until I got behind the wheel, again.
Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (MEDA) came up with the idea of
sponsoring the National Mobility Awareness Month, as described below:
Starting this year, the month of May is recognized as National Mobility
Awareness Month. The purpose of this declaration is to bring attention to and
show the world how people with disabilities can live an active, mobile lifestyle.
Supported by national spokesperson, Mike Savicki, and utilizing the National
Mobility Equipment Dealers Association network of members, the goal of National
Mobility Awareness Month is to educate the public that:
• People with disabilities
constitute the 2nd largest minority in the United States.
• Over 18 million people in the
U.S. and Canada have mobility issues.
• 6 million of those are
veterans.
• There are mobility equipment
manufacturers, dealers, driver rehabilitation specialists and other
professionals in your community dedicated to improving the lives of people with
disabilities.
• Automotive mobility solutions
are available for people with disabilities enabling them to enjoy active,
mobile lifestyles.
One problem cropped up. There
were some many people with disabilities who had the need to acquire or upgrade
their accessible vehicles that MEDA’s server was overloaded the first day of
April. So they upgraded their server and
that crashed, too. All month long, their
server failed on a daily basis. Although
MEDA sought to inform the public that there are available transportation resources
in the community, the disabled community has (hopefully) educated NEDA that the
financial resources to PAY for accessible transportation is an even GREATER need.
Being disabled comes with a huge price tag. Above & beyond the normal daily needs
that we all must meet (housing, food, utilities, etc.), many people with disabilities
many also have personal care expenses, personal mobility equipment, medical
equipment, etc (as well as the repair cost of maintaining the special equipment). All those additional expenses
often overshadow the need for accessible transportation (in terms of daily
survival).
In looking at some the other people vying for the 3 new accessible vans,
it is very clear to me that I am by far NOT the most needy contestant. I fought the good fight. I refused to play the pity card or sacrifice
my self-dignity for the sake of a new ride.
In scanning the other stories, I see that there are MANY people with WAY more
votes than I. I’m OK with that (although
I was hoping to break the 500 mark).
I have always said that everyone has a story. I encourage everyone to read some of the
stories of my brothers & sisters with disabilities. Their strength in facing their own challenges
will surly encourage us all to give it our best, as we face our own challenges,
no matter how large or how small.
peace,
steve
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