Spotlight: Triple S Mobility

My parents are shopping for a newer wheelchair accessible minivan to replace the one we've had for 12 years. One option is Triple S Mobility in Pinellas Park, Florida. A family-owned business for more than 40 years, Triple S Mobility mainly sells rear entry minivans in which a manual or power ramp comes out of the back of the van instead of the right side. The rear entry makes finding a parking spot easier because it doesn't matter if a neighboring car is blocking the van's ramp side. Triple S Mobility both builds accessible vans and makes modifications to pre-owned vans to make it possible for a wheelchair user to enter the van. Each van comes with a five-year/50,000-mile warranty, and there are financing options for customers. Triple S Mobility prides itself on selling simple, safe, and strong vans. For more information and to see photos and videos of the vans being sold, go to https://www.triplesmobility.com/.

Triple S Mobility logo

(image via BLVD.com)

Spotlight: Bridges

Established in 1956, Bridges is an organization that serves people with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities (including veterans) in multiple ways. Among the services provided are day programs, employment services, supported living, and group homes. People can have their fingerprints taken for background screenings for a fee at Bridges' office in Rockledge. The proceeds go to Bridges, which also runs a material recycling facility at which program participants work for a paycheck.

The Bridges Foundation will host its third annual Special Art Special Hands fundraiser at Adventure HQ and The Backyard in Palm Shores from 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. on Friday, October 5. The event (which will include food and beverages, raffles, and music) will feature creations of Bridges clients who participate in the art-studio program. You might see Bridges' mascot Bridgette the Bear at community events in Brevard County. For more information about the nonprofit, go to https://www.mybridges.org/.

Bridges has served people with

disabilities for more than 60 years.

(image via mybridges.org)

Staying Active with a Disability

Summer is coming to an end, but there are many options for people with disabilities who like to keep themselves busy all year round. Those with mobility impairments can play wheelchair accessible sports such as basketball and adaptive skiing. If you want to learn how to become involved in sports near you, go to the Disabled Sports USA (DSUSA) Web site at www.disabledsportsusa.org. The Central Florida Dreamplex in Clermont is the closest DSUSA chapter to Brevard County. People who prefer less strenuous activities can attend accessible community gatherings like club meetings, classes, and game nights. These activities can serve as support groups for individuals with disabilities. If they want to give back to the community, they can do so by volunteering, using their skills and talents. In conclusion, being active contributes to better health and well-being for people with disabilities by improving their mood.

The Disabled Sports USA logo

(image via Wikipedia)

Spotlight: Ryan Niemiller

Ryan Niemiller is a stand-up comic who was born with short arms and deformed hands. Referring to himself as the "Cripple Threat of Comedy," Niemiller, who's from Indiana, did theater before switching to comedy. As a person with a disability, he tells jokes from a different perspective about topics such as looking for a job and dating. He was interviewed on Hangin with Web Show earlier this year. (I made an appearance on this show to promote my book UnabASHed by Disability: An Autobiography in 2015.) Niemiller is on tour with stops at clubs and colleges all over the country. He'll perform in Florida later this year (Back Porch in Pensacola on November 16 and Mosey's in Panama City on November 17). Niemiller warns everyone he may be unarmed, but he is dangerous. To see samples of his comedy, look for his videos on YouTube. For the latest information, go to his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/cripplethreat8/.

Ryan Niemiller

(image via fortwaynecomedyclub.com)

Spotlight: Kirstie Ennis

Kirstie Ennis (who joined the Marine Corps at age 17 in Pensacola, Florida) was seriously injured in a helicopter crash while serving as a door gunner during her last deployment in Afghanistan in 2012. She has undergone almost 45 surgeries, including an above-the-knee amputation of her left leg. Nevertheless, Ennis has stayed active as a rock climber, snowboarder, swimmer, and stuntwoman in movies. She started the Kirstie Ennis Foundation and is a spokesperson for Building Homes for Heroes. A goal for Ennis (who's working on her third master's degree) is to climb the highest mountain on all seven continents. She is preparing to climb Russia's Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe. To learn more about Ennis, go to https://kirstieennisfoundation.com/.

Kirstie Ennis

(image via twitter.com)

Spotlight: Isaac Lidsky

Actor-turned-entrepreneur Isaac Lidsky was born with retinitis pigmentosa, which caused him to be completely blind by age 25. He starred as high school student Barton "Weasel" Wyzell during the first season of Saved by the Bell: The New Class in 1993. (I realize I'm dating myself here, but I remember Lidsky as Weasel.) He graduated from Harvard with an honors degree in mathematics and computer science at age 19 and then from Harvard Law School magna cum laude. Lidsky is the only blind person to be a Supreme Court clerk; he was also an undefeated U.S. Justice Department lawyer. He founded an Internet technology startup he eventually sold for $230 million as well as Hope for Vision, a nonprofit for the treatment of blinding diseases. In 2011, Lidsky became the CEO of central Florida-based ODC Construction, which he expanded into a $150 million company. He published his first book Eyes Wide Open last year and is a corporate speaker. Lidsky, who recently turned 39, lives with his wife and four children in Windermere, Florida. He's come a long way from his Weasel days. To learn more about this accomplished individual, go to http://www.lidsky.com/.

Isaac Lidsky then and now

(image via cookiesandsangria.com)

Website Spotlight: Understood

Brevard County K-12 students go back to school on Friday, August 10. This is an excellent time to consider learning and attention issues that affect some children's ability to read, write, and/or do math. If these issues are ignored, students will struggle to learn, leading to frustration, stress, and unhappiness. Fortunately, there is a useful website for these students' parents. Founded through a partnership of 15 nonprofits, Understood contains numerous articles and other resources such as quizzes, slideshows, and decision guides. Also on the website are tools like Parenting Coach and Tech Finder and groups in which parents can communicate with each other and experts. Understood aims to help parents understand their children's learning disabilities and obtain information they need to improve the children's educational experience. To access these learning resources, go to https://www.understood.org/en. I wish everyone in education a safe and successful school year!

Understood logo

(image via understood.org)