voiceability

Josh Chavez running the  Strawberry  Shortcut in 2017 Running Down Memory Lane with The Strawberry Shortcut By Annie Uyehara There is no shortcut when it comes to the impact COVID-19 has had on our nation and the annual Strawberry Shortcut race is no exception. This summer would have been the race’s 43rd year of running the 10K, 5K, and the one mile Family Fun Run, with proceeds going to the Special Olympics. Although it’s been canceled (or postponed, more on that later) along with Strawberry Days, on which day the race is run, it’s good to remember what the Shortcut has done for community members with disabilities and for the Special Olympics. Mike Kishimoto, Glenwood’s high school track coach, who took the reins as race director last year, is currently trying to find a way to make it happen this year “in a lowkey manner.” Until then, we’ll go back a few years, back to 1978 when some 200 racers ran the first Strawberry Shortcut. It was a fun, l...

Kolakanta Darling, a longtime Roaring Fork Valley local, loves the outdoors. One of her  favorite things to do is to hike to the cross on Red Mountain in Glenwood Springs. But  she doesn’t hike up like most people--she gets there on an adapted Segway with a seat.  Kolakanta has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and transverse myelitis, an inflammation in the  spinal cord. Diagnosed in 2002, she struggled with the limits that come with having MS.  “My left leg drags. It’s like having two different legs.”  She went through a grieving stage, which she says is essential to recovery. “When  there’s a significant change to the body, there’s grief with it,” says Kolakanta. But she is  an optimistic woman. “I miss what I used to be able to do, so I learned to focus on what  makes my heart smile. For me, it’s faith that gets me through. My daily mantra is Isaiah  40: 28-31, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, They will soar on...

              Cecilia                                        Corey                                         Camy Lessons for the COVID-19 Challenge written by:  Debbie Wilde, Executive Director If you have tuned in to this monthly column, you will have read story after story of people in our local communities who have met the challenges of physical, cognitive and/or emotional disabilities. They are not new to dealing with a different reality than most of us have faced.   As we all share a new challenge labeled COVID-19, we can learn from our friends and neighbors who have grown strong making their way through a life that has been out-of-the-norm.   In this new reality of challenge, they are the leaders. Yo...

Meet Karyn ReNae Anderson, a caregiver, incredible cook, leader for change for the blind, and employee at Caregiver Connections.  She is also visually impaired but that does not stop her from being a community icon.  Her voice will change you.  My name is Karyn Renee Anderson and I have the challenge of being visually impaired.  I am completely blind; I was not born this way.  I was an artist before I lost my sight.  I was a graphic designer.  I loved doing art and when I was 27 years old, I lost my sight due to some complications with medication.   At that time, I didn’t know what I was going to do. Now, I work for Caregiver Connections.    In steps Wendy Miller, Board of Directors president for Caregiver Connections.  She took that leap, the one where she looked past Karyn ReNae’s challenge. Wendy looked at Karyn ReNae’s passion, personality, vision for Caregiver Connections, ability to build relationships, an...

   Redefining the Perception of Challenge Debbie Wilde, Special to the Post Independent As you become more aware of the unique challenges faced by many, a challenge that has probably not crossed your mind is the challenge of play .   Visit a playground and you will easily be aware of the lack of accessibility to all. Just for starters, a child or an adult in a wheelchair or with a walker cannot manage the gravel or shaving surface let alone use the equipment. Play is a critical component of a healthy community. the Journal of American Academy of Pediatrics states that, “ Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth. Play also offers an ideal opportunity for parents to engage fully with their children.”   The Journal further reminds us, “Play is so important to optimal child development that it has been recognized by the United Nations High Commission fo...

It started as a question. During a work session, we were discussing potential action steps around building inclusive communities. We were moving towards a call to action; a way to get others involved in our mission. The question was asked, “How can we ask people to do something they do not yet believe in?” It was realized we needed to work on awareness first in order change what people believe about those with “disabilities.” Then allow them time in order to experience and include those with disabilities before we asked them to do something. So on a warm, early summer day, a small group of staff sat around a kitchen table, brainstorming core values, essential questions, and action steps that encompassed a formula for a campaign aimed to change peoples’ perceptions. We looked at disability advocates like Stella Young and Erik Weihenmayer who questioned the social model of disability and who pushed for society to see people with disabilities as anything but insp...

                    Kendall Patrick Noble is a 16 year-old sophomore at Battle Mountain High School in Edwards. He was diagnosed with autism when he was three years old. The journey with Kendall over the past years has been challenging, full of hurdles but always rewarding . Just like any other kid. We are still not exactly sure where he will end up but we can be sure that the rest of the journey will be just as exciting as the first part. I think his story may help you understand some of the challenges he (and other kids like him) faces and also why it is a huge benefit, not only for Kendall, but for those with the curious and open attitude, to put aside some of the hurdles and get to know him . Kendall has always exhibited many classic autistic behaviors which people who have not been exposed to kids on the spectrum often find odd and off-putting. When Kendall was younger he would sometimes have tantrums in public as his sens...