Hello and Welcome back to Second Chance to Live my friend. I am happy to see that you decided to stop by to visit with me. I need your help my friend. In the event that I was given an opportunity to speak before your brain injury association, support group, hospital staff or before your professional organization or association what would you like to learn from me. Your input would be greatly appreciated as I seek to be of service to the brain injury community and beyond.
Please leave your suggestions through a comment of confidential email. He is the link Comment or Confidential email.
Thank you for your time and kindness in this matter. Your suggestions will be invaluable.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family from Second Chance to Live.
Craig
What I have been doing is just speaking on my story, what it is like living a Jew with a disability in an able bodied world, why I created my website, and the positive and negative things about being a person with a disability.
I am enclosing a recent article that was published about me for your pleasure.
Fitness and Inclusion
Last winter, Marlee Kivens, started working out at the Sabes JCC under the guidance of inclusion personal trainer Eric Schafer. “I am feeling more confident and getting more muscle-tone and strength,” she said. “It’s an amazing program here at the Sabes JCC.”
Establishing a routine of regular exercise produces many benefits including increased self-esteem, and a healthier body. For many of us it is just a matter of getting the motivation to get started and then to make exercise a habit. For Marlee, it took a bit more. She was born with Spina Bifida Myleomengocele. Making exercise part of her life had its own challenges. One of which was finding a health club that was accessible for a person with a physical disability and had the staff with understanding of the personal challenges and how to meet them.
Marlee heard about the inclusion program at the Sabes JCC and contacted Anita Lewis, Sabes JCC inclusion director. “Anita is great,” said Marlee, “any concerns I’ve had, Anita responded to right away.” After meeting with Anita and taking a tour of the JCC, Marlee signed up. The Sabes JCC, in collaboration with the St. Paul JCC, offers a Wellness Program for adults with developmental disabilities. It enables Marlee to work with a trainer one-on-one to help her reach her fitness goals.
Marlee meets with Eric once a week and her goal is to participate in water aerobics twice a week. Both Eric and the aerobics instructor work with Marlee to make accommodations to her exercises so she gets the maximum benefit. This one-on-one personal attention separates the JCC from other health clubs.
“Eric believes I can do things I never thought I could do when I first walked in the door,” she said. “He started me on the Nu Step stationary bicycle which calculates how many steps a person takes while using the machine. In July, I was doing 700 steps in approximately 10 minutes–I am up to 1300 steps today.
“I feel better when I work out whether it is in the pool or the weight room. My energy is up, my strength is up and I feel more confident about myself after each workout. I know that if I keep at it eventually my weight will go down and I will build muscle.”
Anita Lewis was also able to assist Marlee in locating a nutritionist. Marlee has started seeing a nutritionist here on the JCC campus through the Minnesota Medical and Rehabilitative Services LLC.
The overall experience has helped Marlee feel part of our Jewish community. The services at the JCC help meet her needs and she is pleased to see them offered in a Jewish environment. “Working out and attending the swimming classes take me to a happy place where I feel I fit in the Jewish community. As a Jewish female with a disability, I felt I needed to connect with others that have a variety of disabilities. That is why I have created the website, Empowering Jews with Disabilities. I needed to fill a void. Jews with disabilities seem to be hidden throughout the Twin Cities. It isn’t easy to meet people, let alone people with disabilities.” For more information visit her website at http://www.empoweringjewswithdisabilities.org.
Anita appreciates Marlee’s perspective and feedback on how we can continue to improve our inclusion program and meet the growing needs in our community. This includes the physical aspect as well as the educational, recreational, social and spiritual needs of community members with disabilities. Marlee would prefer to do things for herself and only ask people for help when she needs it, rather than have people assume she always needs assistance.
“To empower ourselves as Jewish people with disabilities is one of the most rewarding and greatest self esteem builders I can think of,” she said.
“There are 27 other adults participating in the Wellness Program,” said Anita, “they all have their own personal stories of what a difference this program has made in their lives in areas of wellness, self-confidence, Jewish identity and community.”
Initial funding for the Wellness Program was provided by the Endowment Funds Advisory Committee for Persons with Developmental Disabilities through the United Jewish Fund and Council of St. Paul and the Minneapolis Jewish Community Foundation. As needed, the Sabes JCC offers membership scholarships to help make the Wellness Program accessible.
Hi Marlee,
Thank you again for your time kindness and input. The article is fantastic Marlee. I am proud of you. You are a champion indeed. You are also a leader and example to other people with disabilities. Thank you for sharing the letter me Marlee.
God bless you my friend.
Craig