Outdoors for All’s vision is for children and adults of all abilities to be able to recreate whenever and wherever they choose. A few ways the organization supports this vision becoming reality are through Custom Event partnerships with other organizations, including schools, and the running of the Adaptive Cycle Center in Magnuson Park.
Sometimes, these two methods come together to create amazing and life enriching opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
At Skyline High School in the Issaquah School District, Maddy’s teachers looked for a way to get her active and more involved in physical education. Maddy was born with Cerebral Palsy and is a wheelchair user. People who suffer from this condition could be more prone to developing scoliosis in the future. This causes the spine to develop an unnatural curve, which could sometimes result in needing surgery from somewhere similar to the Scoliosis Institute, (https://scoliosisinstitute.com/) before it starts to have a bigger impact on the physical education people with cerebral palsy can be involved in, like Maddy. She had never ridden a bike before her school rented one from Outdoors for All for a four month period, but during the time of the rental, she would request to ride the bike a couple times a day.
Maddy was able to gain strength and independence through her four months riding the bike through the high school’s four month rental.
“…Renting the bike allowed for the student more opportunities to work on skills such as: making a request, upper extremity mobility and endurance for physical activity. ” – Amanda Weinberg, Skyline High School Staff Member
“We are grateful for not only what [Outdoors for All] did for Maddy but for what they do for kids with special needs… ” – Maddy’s parents