A local society is inviting everyone to be inspired by three friends, their courageous stories and their dreams as they share their TrailRider adventure through the movie Access Challenge.
Powell River Mobility Opportunities Society (PRMOS) is showing the movie, which documents Sam Sullivan’s multi-day adventure with two fellow paraplegics and their friends. Sullivan is the brainchild behind the TrailRider creation, a multi-terrain wheelchair device used to help people with mobility challenges to experience the backcountry.
The movie follows each individual who shares their stories of before and after the life changing events that left them with mobility challenges and what the TrailRider means to them.
In Canada, more than 16 per cent of the population has a physical disability. For many of these people it becomes impossible to participate in outdoor activities. Some have never experienced the grandeur of the wilderness; for others, the notion of a stroll holds nothing but frustration and the memory of lost dreams. Until now these activities were considered impossible for many.
In 1985, Sullivan, who would later become mayor of the City of Vancouver, was keen to find ways of enjoying outdoor activities. He formed BC Mobility Opportunities Society (BCMOS) and investigated the possibility of accessing hiking trails and parkland. A request for assistance to develop a vehicle for persons with physical disabilities was sent to over 100 engineers, wheelchair manufacturers and industrial designers. In 1994 a multi-terrain prototype was created and today the TrailRider, a more user- and environmentally-friendly rendition, fulfills Sullivan’s dream and aids many in accessing wilderness areas.
PRMOS encourages the partnership of volunteers and people with mobility and/or other challenges for mutually enjoyable and exciting experiences in and around nature.
It will host the showing of Access Challenge from 7 to 9 pm on Thursday, March 29 at Evergreen Theatre, Powell River Recreation Complex. There will be a TrailRider on display at the screening as well as literature and the PRMOS team to answer questions.
For more information, interested readers can visit the society's website, email info@prmos.org or phone 604.483.9867.
