Far and Wide Trek for Developmental Disabilities: Trees.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Trees.

Northern Ontario has offered alot of new adventures and opportunities. The landscape on the north shore of Lake Superior is one of the most beautiful places on this trip. Except the bugs and weather have been try to convince me otherwise.

Lots of tough days lately with hills and heavy rains. The rain seems to be relentless. It always adds so much more time when, putting your tent away ..... and it's just mentally draining. But nothing can really bring me down. I guess knowing that I'm only 3 days away is such motivation to push through anything.

I have had huge bike problems, and had to hitchhike to the next bike store. Hitchhiking is always interesting because of the dependency on trust on both parties. It took me two rides to get where I was going and I actually turned down one ride from someone that I didn't feel comfortable going with. It's amazing how many people drive by hitchhikers. I tried many different things to intice people to pick me up. The animated thumb (shaking it all around). Juggling and then dropping the balls and throwing the thumb out. The Journal thumb.... (writing in my journal and putting my thumb out) The sad thumb (thumbs down).

Anyhow, I'm in Sudbury and will be arriving in Hamilton on August 12th around 4ish. I will be be riding to the Lawson Ministries building where I started this trip. It will be great to see the building where so many of the amazing individuals with Developmental Disabilities that I'm blessed to work with have motivated me to do this journey. I hope I have accomplished in spreading the word about their abilities and that I have represented them in good form.

Well this is the last blog on the road and there has been sooooo much that has happened but I will do one more blog when it's all said and done. I guess it will be a kind of recap.

GODSPEED :)
Matthew

2 comments:

Felipe Siem said...: It was good having you at our place Matt, Sorry about all the taking while you slept -_-, I sorta felt bad you in case we woke you at night and you had to get going in the rain next morning again...

read some of your blog, crazy adventure you're having man, keep it up!; August 10, 2008 at 8:28 AM
amyhowitt said...: I fell asleep today to Judge Judy - an unlikely event, but awoke to see you on the news. I was amazed to see your story, and wanted to congratulate you on a great trip for a great cause. Initially I was stunned at the affinity we share for not only special needs - but biking and working in northern canada as well. The thought to ride my bike across Canada persisted early summer for me, and I denied it. So Thank you Matt, for getting up and doing even more than that. Welcome back.

-Amy; August 18, 2008 at 4:02 PM

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A little about Matthew

All my life, a life spent with a younger sister who has Down syndrome, I believed that inclusion was the way of the future, that she would graduate and become a part of the community, that she was someone who could contribute just like anyone else. I have learned that the idea, and the words around it, is still in vogue. It’s the practice that’s wanting. Since her graduation, she takes part in a day program where the only *normal* people are her supervisors. She has become invisible again, part of a protected ghetto for people with disabilities, safe from others and them safe from her.
Much of my early life was trying to educate my peers about my sister’s disability and, being a kid, sometimes landing in the occasional fight. (Certainly true with my sister, who has always been outspoken!)
It saddens me to see that we continue to isolate people with mental disabilities because we don’t understand or are uncomfortable with what we see as unbridgeable differences. I believe that we can make a positive difference in how people view each other if we make an effort to encourage understanding through education.
Having worked with organizations and institutions dedicated to helping individuals with special needs, I have firsthand knowledge of how little society as a whole understands the challenges people with mental disabilities face on a daily basis. From my work with adults and children in Hamilton, I have learned a great deal about special needs. I also learned how a few people work incredibly hard to make a few underfunded programs work as well as they do. This past fifteen months I have spent teaching in South Korea. During this time, I did considerable research into the types of support that individuals with special needs receive and how it can be improved with relatively simple steps.
From my previous experience and from my research, the idea of the Far and Wide Bike Trek was born. It seems a logical next step, a way to raise awareness and funds for people with mental challenges. My hope is that I can connect with associations and individuals along the way in an effort to get some recognition for people in communities across the land. It helps that athletics, especially cycling, is something I love and it’s an honour to do something for others that they may not be able to do for themselves. This also would enable me to meet with community leaders and charity organizations across the continent to discuss the problems people with special needs face, and to share ideas. With only negligible help on the part of the community, many of these individuals’ lives can be made infinitely more manageable.
In addition, by using a bicycle, I’m also achieving other goals. Not only is the bicycle an excellent and neglected form of transportation, it’s environmentally friendly and a great form of exercise. I think the messages that we need to care for our environment and we need to take care of our bodies through exercise are important ones as well.
Finally, outside of monetary concerns and environmental awareness, I am genuinely interested in bringing to the attention of people everywhere how capable, frequently astonishing, and incredibly special people with mental challenges are. Although there are a handful of programs (such as the Special Olympics) with this goal, I feel as if the Far and Wide Bike Trek can truly drive the point home. Please be a part of my dream. Thank you for your time.

Far and Wide Trek for Developmental Disabilities

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Trees.

2 comments:

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