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Merry Christmas to all of our friends who celebrate this holiday of love and light. As we celebrate with family and friends let's embrace the Christmas spirit not only on December 25 but throughout the year.
Happy Kwanzaa to all of our friends who celebrate this holiday.
Happy Hanukah to all of our friends who have celebrated this holiday
Dear Community Members:
As I contemplate 2023 in regards to both SoCal Adaptive Sports and myself, there have been many positives and not so positives. As human beings we must be resilient and learn to live with loss. These might be in relationships, friendships, business matters, people passing on and a multitude of other challenges that we all face. For those experiencing war, living in poverty, hunger, homelessness, lacking freedom, as well as, personal issues that we all face on a daily basis, life can be extremely difficult.
The holidays mean many things depending on what is going on in one's life. I recently looked up words that describe the Christmas Spirt: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Kwanzaa is a time of learning, family and celebration and is about families and communities coming togetherto share a feast, to honor the ancestors, affirm the bonds between them, and to celebrate African and African American culture. Hanukkah celebrates freedom from oppression and also supports and celebrates freedom of religious expression.
For many, December seems to bring out the best in one's humanity. However, the issue that I grapple with, given our life experiences, is how do we maintain this all year round? We feel hurt from others, focus on our own deficiencies, don't focus enough on others and separating ourselves from people who don't seem to want to understand our life circumstances and philosophies. We don't spend enough time listening and spend too much time talking about ourselves.
It's not easy, but sitting and really feeling throughout our bodies the meanings behind our holidays and focusing on this all year round, might help us to eventually bring peace not only to our own lives and communities but also the world.
During 2023 we've collaborated with many existing and new partners to create more opportunities for people with disabilities and their family members. These are reflected in this newsletter and makes me really look forward to 2024! I understand that everybody is busy and receives lots of information, but please take the time to read to the end to find an activity that you or your loved one would like to participate in. I hope that you will join us and also consider forwarding this newsletter to others who might want to participate!
Happy New Year 2024!
Mike
We're growing and will be hiring a part-timeProgram Assistant/Coach. If you know of anybody that might be interested please send them my way, mike@socaladaptivesports.org, and I'll forward a full job description.
New Staff
Welcome Tyler Hay, Administrative Assistant!
Tyler grew up surfing and ran cross country in high school and enjoys being around water, especially the ocean. This past May Tyler sustained a spinal cord injury and TBI and has been recovering as much as possible through therapy. (Mike met Tyler at an event in San Diego which was quite fortuitous for SoCal Adaptive Sports.) Now he enjoys watching all kinds of sports even more than he used to, and he likes trying new adaptive sports . Tyler says, "Life always has its challenges, but being part of the community makes everything so much better."
We've been busy and these are scenes from some of our activities and events during the past two weeks.
Our partnership with Desert ARC in both Yucca Valley and Palm Desert continues to grow!
We love partnering with Robin Hood Archery as they have the expertise to teach proper archery methods! The staff are very patient and lovely! Come join us on Monday nights to really learn how to be an archer!
We never stop offering tennis and pickleball through our two sessions- one from 12:30-1:30 and the other from 1:30-2:30. You can sign up for one or both, please see below.
Our Riverside program is one of fun for youth (and even their parents/caregivers). If you know of someone in the Riverside area who might like to join our programs please send them our way!
On December 16 we went hiking in the morning, our next hike is January 6, and attended a Firebirds game in the evening! Troop 490 of the Girl Scouts attended the game with us which the Firebirds won 5-2!
We continue to offer 1:1 and small group coaching and workouts. If you'd like to do this please have SoCal Adaptive Sports assigned by your Regional Center Community Services Coordinator (CSC). Our Vendor number is PJ5601. We are open to many different modalities for bringing adaptive sports and physical, social, and emotional health to everyBODY!
As the local coordinator for Special Olympics, we really want to build this program. You can sign up now to be a Special Olympics athlete or volunteer in the Coachella Valley! Please consider joining in on the fun! Please sign up for our Special Olympics Day on January 27 and join us for golf, see below, which is our newest Special Olympics sport.
As the end of the year approaches we appreciate your thinking about SoCal Adaptive Sports and how you can become part of our family!
We believe in the power of collaboration in leveling the playing field and truly bringing about societal inclusion. That's why we're listing these events and also websites of our friends who are doing phenomenal work! Please visit below and click on the links to find out more
Beginning on February 21, 2024. This initiative is designed to provide a platform for self-advocates to share their inspiring stories across various domains, including healthcare, education, employment, and more.
Each Zoom session will focus on diverse topics to enhance your skills in self-presentation, encompassing aspects such as effective public speaking and empowerment within your community.
To ensure an inclusive experience, American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided during all sessions. Additionally, all materials utilized will be made accessible to accommodate diverse needs.
Check out these websites for many more activities and opportunities as we level the playing field.
Please join us and other organizations and individuals throughout Riverside County and southern California in leveling the playing field and creating greater societal inclusion!
SoCal Adaptive Sports’ mission is to enable people with disabilities to participate inclusively throughout society by creating greater equity and inclusion through developing, planning and implementing competitive and recreational sports and other opportunities. We envision a world in which everyBODY has equitable access to leading a fulfilling life.
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