I took a trip with some friends to Ft. Lauderdale this weekend and stupidly forgot my camera mounting bracket so I didn't make any money at all. I did float in a pool for the first time in 11 years. Can you believe how white my feet are?

I got my friend to take some firework pictures at the beach. The display was amazing, I saw some fireworks that I have never seen before and as soon as I go through them I'll post the best ones.

I am adding a link list of accessible sports and the gear you need to get going. If anyone knows some good links leave me a message please

Since my injury 11 years I have only been fishing 1 time. I caught a beautiful 8 pound "spotless" Redfish and I definitely would like to do it again.

My injury is C-5/6 but stronger as a five. I did some research on the web and found some really great gear. I'm going to show you some equipment that will greatly help us to help you fish with indepence wth your disability as best you can. From my own short trip 2 years ago I'm going to be learning right alongside you all.

Here is a great rig - Elec-Tra-Mate 312 HS

"The Elec-Tra-Mate 312HS weighs only 28.5 ounces comes with the Penn 320GTi reel. It has a retrieve speed of 322 feet per minute. The 312-HS is designed for heavy fresh water or light saltwater fishing and because of its lightweight and balance is perfect for physically challenged individuals. For complete portability, a battery pack and charger are also available separately.

If thats not good enough they have many other rigs. For example The PT 450THE 450-PTH

The 450-PTH enables individuals who are physically challenged to enjoy the sport of fishing without assistance. It has been designed to power the popular Penn 4500 SS and 5500 SS Spinfisher Spinning Reels. Like other popular Elec-Tra-Mate models, the 450-PTH is easily attached to the side of a standard Penn Reel in literally minutes and is available with or without the reel. (Some assembly required).
Equally at home in both fresh and saltwater, the 450-PTH comes standard with a remote waterproof switch which is easily mounted on the fore-grip of the rod for one arm use.


EM450 $799.00. p/h poa
Includes 450 PTH elec-tra-mate power unit, Penn 4500 ss or 5500ss spinning reel, 10 foot power cord with solid copper Alligator clips for direct connection to 12 volt battery, and remote waterproof switch.

STRONG ARM
This is my favorite out of all.STRONG ARM
The Strong Arm is a versatile fishing rod holder. This is an excellent product for anyone with limited or no grip. With this rod holder even lower level quadriplegics can cast by themselves. Made of 6 oz. oil treated leather, it can be worn over or under most clothing. One size fits all. Specify right or left.

SA01b. $95.00, p/h $6.60

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WASHINGTON, July 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 600 veterans with disabilities have signed-up to compete in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, taking place July 13-18, 2009, in Spokane, WA. Now in its 29th year, the event has grown to become the largest annual wheelchair sports event in the world. This year's competitors come from 42 states, Puerto Rico and Great Britain.

"The National Veterans Wheelchair Games are sports and rehabilitation at their best for our brave heroes," said Randy L. Pleva, Sr., national president of Paralyzed Veterans of America. "From quad rugby to handcycling, power soccer to wheelchair slalom, the Games are an exciting combination of competition, camaraderie and courage."

The Wheelchair Games, co-presented each year by Paralyzed Veterans of America (Paralyzed Veterans) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), are open to all U.S. military veterans who use wheelchairs for sports competition due to spinal cord injuries, certain neurological conditions, amputations, traumatic brain injuries or other mobility impairments and who receive care at VA medical facilities or military treatment centers. The Northwest Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans and the Spokane VA Medical Center are hosting the 2009 Games.

Sports are an important aspect of the therapy programs used to treat many disabilities. For many injured veterans, the National Veterans Wheelchair Games provide their first exposure to wheelchair athletics. At the Games, veterans will compete in 17 different sports: air guns, archery, basketball, bowling, field, handcycling, nine ball, a motorized wheelchair relay, power soccer, quad rugby, softball, swimming, table tennis, track, trapshooting, weightlifting and wheelchair slalom. For the third year, stand-up events will be held in archery and table tennis for athletes who have amputations and choose to compete using prosthetic devices instead of their wheelchairs. A golf clinic will also be held as an exhibition sport this year."

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"There was a time when Bill Donohue thought he might never sail again. But the 57-year-old Brick resident found himself sailing the waters off Qingdao, China, last fall in the 2008 Paralympic Games.

"I was a little disappointed that we ended up in eighth place," said Donohue, who was a member of Team Odyssey representing the United States along with captain Rick Doerr of Clifton and Tim Angle of Marblehead, Mass. The men raced in the Sonar class, and Germany took the gold medal, France the silver, and Austria the bronze.

Donohue credits Sail-Habilitation with providing both inspiration and financial support to assist him in his goal of seeking Paralympic gold.

"It's really an organization set up to help all disabled people and people with special needs," said Donohue, whose right leg was injured following an accident at age 18. He eventually had to have his right leg amputated below the knee in 1997 following 30 surgeries and a high risk of infection.

Donohue, who is on the board of directors of Sail-Habilitation — as is Doerr, a former plastic surgeon who is a paraplegic — said Sail-Habilitation set up a fund to raise money for the $150,000 cost of sending Team Odyssey to qualifying events around the country, as well as to China for the Paralympics.

"Sail-Habilitation raised $30,000, and the Christopher Reeve Foundation donated $9,514 to the fund," said Donohue, adding that he is grateful for the contributions people and the foundation made.

Donohue said he will be at Sail-Habilitation's annual Community Sailing Day on the morning of Aug. 1 at the Lavallette Yacht Club.

While it is unlikely that many of those coming out to spend a day on the water Aug. 1 are likely to turn into competitive sailors like Donohue, the sailor said the goal is to give people with special needs a chance to go out on a boat and experience something they might not normally be able to experience.

"Sail-Habilitation provides an opportunity for people who are disabled to leave their disabilities behind," he said.

In the meantime, Donohue said he continues to sail in local waters.

"I give adult sailing lessons at my yacht club (Shore Acres Yacht Club), and I race on Barnegat Bay," he said.

And whether another Paralympics is in Donohue's future is something he is still pondering.

"I'll wait until next year to decide. I'm 57 right now, and I'd be 60 if we make it into the next Paralympics," he said."

June 24 - Choue Chung-won, the chairman of the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), is confident his plans to help globalizse the traditional Korean martial art is beginning to pay dividends.

The South Korean, 61, has launched the world’s first poomsae [a demonstration of a sequence of moves] championship and its first international taekwondo competition for disabled athletes since being elected to the post five years ago.

The Para-Taekwondo Championship was held for the first time earlier this month in Baku, Azerbaijan, and Choue believes that it has a big future, especially if plans to get it onto the programme for the Paralympics in 2016 are successful.

He said: “By giving disabled athletes the opportunity, they can develop confidence to overcome their challenges.

"I met a few athletes, and they said they were using taekwondo to try to overcome their physical problems and to lead as normal a life as possible.

"They also told me about their dreams of competing in the Paralympics and asked me to help them realise their dreams.

"We’re targeting the 2016 Paralympics for taekwondo’s inclusion.”

Other Choue initiatives include overhauling the scoring and judging in taekwondo, which is the world's most popular martial art and has been part of the Olympic programme since Sydney in 2000.

An instant video replay system is in place to help eliminate errors, following a row involving Britain's Sarah Stevenson at the Olympics in Beijing last year.

The Doncaster fighter was robbed of victory in her quarter-final bout with China's double Olympic champion Zhong Chen, the judges failing to record a kick to the teeth which Stevenson landed with 10 seconds to go.

Officials were later forced to overturn the result because the incident was so clear on the video and Stevenson went on to win a bronze medal.

Electronic protectors, which were used for the first time in WTF events at the Para-Taekwondo and World Cup Team Championships this month, are designed to aid officials in awarding points.

Choue now hopes to help the development of the sport in countries where it is still has to make an impact.

He said: “I plan to provide more financial and human resources aid for countries where taekwondo is still in its infancy or is underdeveloped.

“We will send coaches to such countries so that taekwondo can take deep roots and develop.

“The ultimate goal is to develop taekwondo on the global stage so that it’s not just a sport for Koreans."

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