Faith Communities and Disability

Via Wheelie Catholic, a link to PBS’ Religion & Ethics Newsweekly article, Faith Communities and Disability:

I’ve had families say to me, “I’ve fought all week to get my kid included in a school or whatever. I shouldn’t—I don’t want to have to fight when it comes to Sunday morning or Saturday.”

The piece profiles several inclusive faith communities, but only alludes briefly to the many church congregations and other communities that are positively unwelcoming to those with disabilities.

Posted by Katja on 3 July 2009 | Permalink
Filed under disability, religion | No comments yet

Accessible Event Planning

Via Midlife and Treachery, cripchick’s list of things to consider when planning an event includes:

childcare
sliding pay scales
different ways of getting information out
gender-neutral bathrooms
food options
wheelchair and other mobility-related access
structured schedules and awareness of time
alternative formats
audio description
accessible language
understanding different learning styles
access to quiet space
commitment to being anti-oppression
trigger warnings
arrangements for carpools/room sharing
identities and experiences

There is lively ongoing discussion in the comments.

Posted by Katja on 25 June 2009 | Permalink
Filed under accessibility | No comments yet

Santa Cruz’s new Pacific Blue Inn

From Good Times:

The elderly man with a walker who didn’t want to take the stairs; the Arizonan who insisted on being “green”; the carpet-phobic Swedish couple that loves bamboo floors; the bride and groom who wanted to rent out a hotel for their wedding party without breaking the bank.
These are just a few of the visiting characters that the Pacific Blue Inn in downtown Santa Cruz has seen walk through its doors recently. Contrary to the name, the inn, which has been open less than a month, is actually a “green” inn with many environmentally sound aspects.
[...]
It is built of sustainable, mostly recycled materials, painted with soy-based paints, runs a low-flow water system, and is illuminated by fluorescent lighting. Self-described on its website as having “an eco-conscious heart with local flair,” the inn features the art of a different local artist in each of the guest rooms, and local photography and sculpture in the lobby – all on consignment, in case any guests feel inclined to invest in a Santa Cruz creation.

But perhaps its most unique offering is that each of its nine rooms are wheelchair accessible, a trademark of the builders, Easy Access Development, a local company that makes all of its projects “wheel-chair friendly.”

Debbie Quigg, one of the owners, says that while the ADA requires large hotels to accommodate for people in wheelchairs, it isn’t often that small bed and breakfasts do. “A lot of times at cute, quaint places like this it is hard to find wheelchair accessibility,” she says. And she would know – she and her husband Joe are both in wheelchairs, and started Easy Access Development after moving to Santa Cruz eight years ago and having difficulty finding places that were accessible. Their mission with Easy Access Development was to make accessibility a priority in all of their projects.

Full article: http://www.gtweekly.com/20090623446471/news/housing/pacific%E2%80%99s-green-inn

Easy Access Developers’ website: http://eadsantacruz.com/ (interestingly, the website does not mention accessibility at all)

Posted by Katja on 23 June 2009 | Permalink
Filed under accessibility, travel | No comments yet

Wheelchair Accessible Sprague Lake

So sad - we live not an hour away from one of the most amazing national parks in the country, but only seem to go there when someone comes to visit. So thanks, Mike, for visiting!

Sprague Lake, in Rocky Mountain National Park, is encircled by a 1/2 mile wheelchair accessible loop trail. About a 1/2 mile off the the lake, there is an accessible back country campsite with two tent pads, picnic tables, and accessible vault toilet. For information about getting a permit for the campsite, see Rocky Mountain National Park Backcountry/Wilderness Camping Guide. Note that while the guide says that permits can be picked up in person at the Headquarters Backcountry Office, it’s not wheelchair accessible.

A few photos from our trip there today: