Ability Classic

Last week was the Ability Classic at TPC Scottsdale. This is the event's second year, and was put on by one of our athlete's parents. Friend's and golf-lovers who came played 18 holes and had many prize-winning opportunities! There was also wonderful food provided as well a silent and live auction. The donations given and funds raised are for AZDS programs. I was amazed to see how generous people are! We had some athlete ambassadors attend the reception at the end of the night to tell their stories. I loved meeting and hearing from them! They are very strong, inspiring people, and I can't wait to meet more of them! TPC Scottsdale was gorgeous and the weather was perfect. There were feelings of happiness, giving, and comradery floating around all day, and I met so many fun and loving people. I'm really becoming a fan of the adaptive sports community and believe in what they work for. Week 2...check!

Internship Time!!!!!!!

Well I survived last semester with some pretty good grades! Yes! I am now living in Arizona, doing my senior internship with Arizona Disabled Sports. AZDS is a non-profit organization that partners with the City of Mesa and Mesa Public Schools to provide sports and recreation activities for people with all kinds of disabilities. I just finished my first week, and it was awesome! I have learned so much already! I met a lot of incredible people, and got to see some if the opportunities that are available for people with disabilities. Everyone is so well-connected and willing to help one another in order to provide the best services. One day this week, I got to spend some time at a fancy shmancy fitness center for people with disabilities. A lot of Paralympic athletes train there, which is SO AWESOME! I am VERY excited for all that is ahead of me with this internship. Even after one week, I am better able to see myself pursuing a career in this field. Tomorrow we are having lunch with Arizona United Soccer. Wahoo! It's going to be great!
Check out the Arizona Disabled Sports website!

Bye, bye Utah

I think this past year in Utah was a dang good one! Just before Christmas, I had to say goodbye to an incredible group of coworkers at a job that I loved and learned so much from. These people and many more blessed me greatly. I love my rec team!

Here we are after the Fall Festival :) I was in charge of bowling. Other activities we had were a cupcake decorating contest, bean bag toss, witch's brew where you would stick your hand into buckets and feel gross ingredients such as eyeballs (olives) or guts (spaghetti noodles), among others! All of the residents looked so hilarious in their costumes! One apartment of ladies were all dressed as past presidents. I laughed so hard!

This is a team picture of all of us as official Special Olympic Bocce Ball coaches. This day was so fun! We had four teams compete, and they rocked it!

And finally, this is us on my last night :( we had just finished our final performance of the Christmas play. Pretty special! We all put so much work into this event, and we had a great response. It was so fun to work with certain residents so that they could have the opportunity of performing on a big stage for an audience.

Again, I LOVED my experiences at this job. Thanks again to my incredible coworkers/ friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love my JOB!

Since May I have been working as an Activity Technician at a developmental center. I have been able to do the most fun and rewarding things in this job! We took individuals to the track and field and bocce ball Special Olympics, we have dances every week with people from the community, we are getting trained in equine therapy, I went to a puppy barn, and we have taken individuals to lots of concerts. Because I am working to improve the lives of the residents, my life is being improved. This is the best job I have ever had! Yesterday, I had a very sweet experience with an older gentleman who is deaf and mentally disabled. He is typically very cranky and gets upset when he has to be away form home without food. He doesn't readily participate in activities, and on the rare occasion that he does, he is usually throwing a fit through the whole activity. Yesterday however, I went into his apartment to do a Halloween craft with his roommates. I invited him to join us as I do every time, expecting him to deny my invitation. I was SO surprised when he looked up at me with a smile, and with great difficulty because he's is really old, got out of his chair! He sat next to me and placed parts of the craft as I added the glue. He was happy the whole time too! I wanted to cry because he was so cute about it! It's the small successes that reconvert me to therapeutic recreation just when I need it.

First Post!

Hello, and welcome to my Handy-Dandy TR Blog!

This blog contains all of the information I will need as I move through my education and career in Therapeutic Recreation.