Wheelchair Accessibility in Fernie, by an Expert!

Hi guys! This is an article I wrote that I'm sending to the local paper! Let me know what you think!  

Hello! My name is Grace, and I was diagnosed with a condition called Arthrogryposis at birth, which simply means that I cannot use my limbs as well as the average person, so therefore I must use an electric wheelchair to get myself out and about. I have lived in Fernie my whole life, and let me just say this, I have a lot of challenges in my life, and a lot of them cannot be helped, but accessibility in this town is one thing that I know can be changed and should be changed. I am a busy 16-year-old that has work to go to, places to go to and people to see, and most of the time it can be very difficult for me to do what I have to do. Things like finding a parking space, getting into a store, getting around the store and using the washroom, which might seem easy to the average person, are extremely hard for people like myself who have difficulties getting from place to place. The average person doesn't know how difficult these tasks can be, until they are put in a situation in which they must experience them face-to-face. For me, the most important thing is to be treated equal, like every other person, and when the store, parking stall, or washroom is accessible, it makes me feel less like an alien and more like a regular human being, which is why accessibility is extremely important to me. It's the thing that separates me from being just like everyone else, to being “disabled”, the person that is unable to do something because they’re “special”. If Fernie decided to make the change, to make things easier for the people that don't have it so easy, then equality might actually be in our grasp. If the person that parked in the handicapped stall, who said they were just going in for a quick second, made the right decision and parked somewhere else, even if it meant walking a little bit farther, if one store owner decided to make a ramp outside their door or put an elevator in their store, if one person is willing to make the change then who knows what can be accomplished. So let me ask you something, when life gives you lemons, should you always make lemonade? In other words, should we be content with everything we have, or should we stand up for what we think is right? Where would the world be today if we didn't have fighters and people to stand up for what they believe in? I am just a little person (quite literally), and my opinion might not mean much, but how do we know what we're capable of, or not capable of, how do we know what we can do, and what we can't do, to make a change, unless we try? This is something that I have to ask myself every single day, and now I'm asking you, and I'll end with this, how do you know what you can do, unless you try?

Hello Spring, Welcome Back!

Spring is in the air! FINALLY!!! Although I was quite sad to say goodbye to sit skiing, I had an amazing last ski in Panorama with Kate. The weather was perfect, sunny and extremely warm! I hardly needed my jacket! We had a pizza party afterwards to draw the season to a close! I must confess I had “withdrawals” the whole week after, just looking at my sit ski when I went down stairs (where my sit ski’s live as book shelves and blanket holders at the moment) made me cry! I know, pathetic! But I’m over that now… Especially when I went out for my first bike ride of the season (although it’s more like mom rides her bike and I chase her trying to keep up)!

Fernie isn’t much to look at this time of the year, it’s just covered in gravel! Once the city cleans everything up and the trees start to bloom, Fernie shall be restored! The city uses the gravel from the roads to redo the paths around town, so I’m excited for them to come collect it! They re-did almost all the paths around Fernie last year, only a few more to go! That makes it so much easier for me to get out!

This summer I will be volunteering at a day camp for young disabled children again, so I use the paths to get to work! I have to walk there, it takes about a half an hour but the walk is beautiful, so I don’t mind!

I did my yearly ritual of watching “Pride and Prejudice” the other night, what can I say, I’m like the rest of the teenage girl population who has a crush on Mr. Darcy! With that said though, I can only stand to watch it once a year because it’s so long!

I also applied to Camp Winfield (a week long camp for disabled teens) again this year! Filling out the application forms is a grueling process, but I survived! Camp Winfield is like my vacation from the world, as I am not allowed any electronic devices, and mom’s vacation away from me! So we both benefit! I thought about not going this year, as it is difficult for me to adjust to having a complete stranger help me in the bathroom and such, but I guess I’m just stuck to Camp Winfield!

Anyway, there’s a look into my life lately, I hope you readers are getting nice weather as well! I would also like to say that if you would like to write me to ask questions or to talk, please don’t hesitate to email me at: bethefire@hotmail.ca! Bye bye all! 

An Amazing Spring Break, and Frustrating Accessibility Issues!

Hello everyone! Back from spring break, ready for the rest of the school year!  I had an amazing and very busy spring break! I started it off with a week of sit skiing in Kimberley for the Canadian Association of Disabled Skiers skiing festival! Unfortunately the weather didn’t really hold up, so I ended up skiing three times! When I did go out I had an amazing time! I had the two most amazing instructors who showed me a wonderful time! Especially when they put up with my carsickness, which I suffered from a couple of times! I even got to see one of my instructors from last year, who retired, so unfortunately I didn't get to ski with him this year... But that made my day to be able to see him! On Sunday I went to Panorama to ski with my best friend Katie, and ended up skiing with an instructor I haven’t seen since last year! I had an amazing time, and even went off a couple of small jumps! Definitely made my heart go pitter pat! All and all I had such a great time with great people that I will never forget! My second week was spent in Saskatoon with my auntie, who is unfortunately in the hospital. I had an amazing time with her, she has a great attitude despite her circumstances and we had a lot of fun laughing and joking! I haven’t seen her in five years, so it was great to see her! I also had a great time with my mom’s friend, who we stayed with. She took us to this amazing bookstore that had a cute café inside of it. That was my dream place! I love places like that! The café has the most amazing carrot cake I have ever tasted! I love carrot cake!!! But Saskatoon is not a very wheelchair accessible place! Vancouver is the most wheelchair accessible place I have been to, and that is because they had a mayor who is disabled and in a wheelchair! I think that unless someone has experienced what I have to put up with, they don’t ever fully understand the importance of the things that make my life so much easier! For example, I don’t like how we have a sign on the side of our van that asks people not to park beside us so I can get out of the car, and people don’t even look, and park beside us anyway! And even if we do park in the handicapped zone, they are never big enough for me to unload, and people park beside us there too! It is very rare that we find a handicapped parking space that has a striped zone beside it for ramps. In my opinion, they should have at least one of those in every public place! It makes my life so much easier! And I should know! The other thing that is very hard for me is when bathroom stalls aren’t big enough! I have to park like a car just to get in the bathroom, and then there is no room for my mom to come in. This happens with every public bathroom we use! Sometimes I can’t get into a bathroom because they are too small, so I have to wait until we can find one that’s bigger! Let me ask you, is that right!? There are lots of disabled people who might have to use the bathroom! So again, for people like myself, who have wheelchairs and need full assistance in the bathroom, it would be really nice if every public place would have a BIG accessible bathroom! These are two things we have to consider every time I go outside! And nobody really considers these things! I only had one business in town come to me and ask me what they could do to make things more accessible, and I said a big bathroom, a raised toilet, and lots of space inside the store. Every person who has a business should be going to someone disabled and asking them what they could do to make their store more accessible. Man would that make things nicer. And how hard is it to ask? Not hard at all!

Anyway, sorry for rambling! My spring break was amazing; I met amazing people and had an amazing time with old friends and family! I call that, a great holiday! 

FIRE!

Merry Christmas! Happy new year!

I am on Christmas break and loved it for a day……. and then boredom kicked in… Christmas break is not exactly fun for me since I cannot leave this house! Cabin fever shall start soon…

Anyway, I wanted to give you some updates on my sit ski society. After much thought I have decided on a name for my society which (in my mind) tops all society names… FIRE: Fernie Inspire the Race to Empower! I am desperately looking for volunteers still so if you’d like to help out please email me at: bethefire@hotmail.ca

Also be sure to check out my website (http://bethefire.blogspot.com) for more news! I shall be skiing in January when I go to Panorama for my best friends birthday!

I’ve been at it again! Cooking lots of delicious things and (much to my surprise) I have not had any disasters yet….. YET! I’m taking a foods course this year in which I must take food safe, bake cakes, bread and cookies and make something out of the “Mastering the Art of French Cooking “ cookbook! Lets hope I don’t burn the house down in the process…

I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year if we’re not dead…  

Teens, drugs, smoking and drinking!

“Do not be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life, instead be filled with the Holy Spirit” Ephesians 5:18

I am not surprised at the information I read in articles and websites about smoking, drinking and drugs amongst teens.  Even though the government says they are educating teenagers on the dangers of these things, society is still influencing teens through advertising, movies and music teaching them that it is cool to engage in such activities. Unfortunately these activities are typical among teens today. I believe this is caused by poor relationships between teenagers and their families and friends.

I feel that society is making a difference in some areas such as preventative commercials, introducing the “care card” as identification and bringing more awareness to schools. The fines for the people responsible for selling alcohol and cigarettes to teens have greatly increased over the years, making them more careful about whom they sell to. In Mark 9:42 it states “If anyone causes one of these children who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck”. This shows that those responsible for leading teens into temptation are in danger themselves.

I would suggest that teenagers develop better relationships with their families, choose their friends wisely and make sure they have a Youth Pastor to go to in times of need. Teens need to be aware of the consequences of their actions, instead of focusing on the social acceptance they think they will gain. Teens also need to learn how to say no and not be ashamed of that. Teens should know that they don’t need to drink, smoke or take drugs to fit in. In my belief, these activities may lead to future sin. I also believe that if teens had a closer relationship with God, there would be less of these activities pursued by young people today. In Romans 6:23 it clearly states “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

God's hand on our lives!

On Friday God did something amazing for us, which really showed that He had His hand on our lives. My youth group and I were heading over to Vulcan for a youth convention on Friday. My mom, two friends of mine and I were in our van and my youth group were in a bus. We drove to Coleman and then stopped at the “Husky” to get some gas. The man that came over to help us asked where we were going and we told him. We told him we were going to take highway 22 to Vulcan. Right away he told us not to take highway 22 and to take highway 2 instead. He said highway 22’s roads conditions were really bad and dangerous. So we took his advice and took highway 2. When we got back from the convention my dad told us that there were 65 accidents that happened on the way to Vulcan. We thanked God immediately knowing that one of those accidents could have been us. You never realize how much God has His hand on our lives until you experience something like that. 

Pull yourself out of the dumps!

I had a rather unpleasant half of a day this week. I was feeling “down in the dumps” I was upset about something and because of it I almost had an awful full day.  It’s at those times when you want to curl up into a little ball and be grumpy all day, not only ruining your day but others as well. And I could have let the devil win. But I didn’t! It’s at those times when you need to tell the devil to take a hike! Because is staying in the dumps going to get you anywhere? No! When you’re like that you’re hiding your light! In the Bible it says, “Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead put it on a stand and let it shine for all “. So many times we hide our light and let our emotions get the best of us. God wants us to be a light for others! So we must pull ourselves out of the dumps and into the sky! That’s what we’re supposed to do. The first step is to smile! Go on smile! I guarantee it will help! So my challenge for you, dear reader is to be a light to some one else and pull yourself out of the dumps! Smile! The lyrics to one of my favorite songs pretty much says it all! “Today's a new day, and there is no sunshine. Nothing but clouds, and it's dark in my heart and it feels like a cold night. Today's a new day, where are my blue skies, where is the love and the joy that you promised me you tell me it's alright. I'll be honest with you, I almost gave up, but a power that I can't explain, fell from heaven like a shower now. When I think how much better I'm gonna be when this is over, I smile, even though I'm hurt see I smile, I know God is working so I smile, Even though I've been here for a while I smile, smile.. It's so hard to look up when you look down. Sure would hate to see it when you give up now. You look so much better when you smile, so smile”.