Good Morning,

        I guess I am into sharing this morning. Here is information from
Betty on her up and coming  Program for children with disablities. If you
have any greta ideas - I know she would welcome them, and if you're in the
area with a child who love to have in the program. She has within the last 2
years become disabled herself and it has been an eye opener!! You can
forward any good ideas to me. The Preserve - is right behind my house - !!
LOL  I have already logged many frequent "flyer" miles there.
                        Brightest Blessing - Trisha

Boy, are you going to be sorry you asked about the program... Wings In
Flight, Inc. is the name of my program (in Alexandria, Virginia). It's a
nature thing for children with disabilities.  Okay -- here's the story.  I
am into birdwatching -- and a nature lover in general.  I have been going to
this place called Huntley Meadows Park in Alexandria for about 5 years for
birdwatching purposes.  Huntley Meadows is a 1400 acre fresh water wetland
and is completely wheelchair accessible.  My disability is only acouple of
years old and (shamefully) I didn't think about the accessibilityfeatures of
Huntley until it meant something to me.  I am ashamed aboutthat, by the way.
Anyway, I was there with a friend one day and looked around and suddenly
realized I was the only person there with a disability.  I just never
thought about it before.  But there are always so many children there --
it's just a terrific place for kids Trisha.  That was about a year ago.It
took a year to incorporate and get insured and all of that, and we aren't
even started yet.  I had too much work to do.  I had to learn about
disabilities associated with children, disability rights issues, and how to
run a nonprofit.  Certainly I had to start learning more about nature and
nature education for children.  There are a million more things I need to
know that I don't know so I can be an effective director -- it's a non stop
learning process.  We are going to start in June.  In fact, the easiest
thing I can do is attach a brochure to this e-mail so you can see it if you
wan to. This started as a nice way for children with disabilities to enjoy
themselves in a nature setting, but now it's more like a way for them to
learn about the environment -- an introduction to something that could lead
to career options perhaps (or just to have a good time -- there are no
rules).  I want for them to have the opportunity to know their
responsibility to the environment and to make a contribution.  That is just
one avenue for them to know empowerment as valuable members of the
community.  Eventually I would love to have a completely accessible nature
center with touching exhibits in Braille, people on board who sign, the
whole nine yards.  I'm in the process of retiring on disability so I will
definitely have the time.  This is sort of my little brand of activism, I
guess (I hope you approve, Mom).  There is a ton of grant money out there
Trisha, and I want some of it.

I have a lot of Anger too, Trisha.  My boss has treated my so shabbily in
the past year that I am glad I'm too sick to stay.  He's referred to me as
"half a person," and I've heard a number of other things like that too.  I
don't
want that for our children.  I don't want that for Amber.  I feel like I
have to do something or else how can I look you and Amber in the eye?  I'm
glad these things happened to me, or I would not know first hand that they
happen. An old college instructor once said to me that "hearing about a
thing 100 times isn't as good as seeing it once."  I've seen it (she said
zealously), and I don't want the children to see it.  That's my motivation,
and the thrust behind "Wings."