BORP News and Updates | September 2022

 BORP logo in black, a stylized drawing of person in a moving wheelchair plus the words BORP adaptive sports and recreation.

Image: BORP logo in black, a stylized drawing of person in a moving wheelchair plus the words BORP adaptive sports and recreation.

In This Issue: Letter from Rick Smith | Opening Day | Team SportsAdaptive Rock Climbing | Adaptive Kayaking | Access Northern Ca | Adventures & Outings | Fitness Classes | Fitness Fun via Zoom | Adaptive Cycling | Transportation | Participation Paperwork | Challenged Athletes Fnd. | BORP Covid-19 Guidelines | Social Media Links

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From the Desk of Rick Smith, Executive Director

Summer is in Full Swing at BORP


The end of summer is going out with some serious heat. I hope everyone is finding ways to stay cool. 


Please take a few minutes to fill out our annual Participant Survey. This feedback is incredibly helpful to us as we think about, and plan for, future programming. We especially want to hear your thoughts and ideas regarding new programs and how can improve our current menu. The survey can be found here.  


With the Fall/Winter season upon us, we’re looking forward to regular, weekly sessions at the gym for basketball, rugby, goalball, and power soccer. To kick off the new season, please join us for BORP’s annual OPENING DAY event on September 24.



In the last couple of newsletters, I’ve had the pleasure to introduce some new BORP staff members. This time around I’m saddened to announce that Leo Siecienski, our Cycling Program Manager for the last three years, has accepted a new position at REI. We all really appreciate Leo’s dedicated service to BORP and wish him all the best with his new position. 


On a positive note, Terri Fredlund will assume the responsibility for managing ‘Open Hours’ at the Adaptive Cycling Center (Thursday – Saturday, 9 - 5). Terri has been working closely with Leo for the past couple of years and is eager to keep things running smoothly at Aquatic Park. And to help with our transition, Greg Milano, Leo’s predecessor, is coming back to BORP in a part time role to operate BORP’s San Francisco Adaptive Cycling Program on Saturdays through the end of October.


I’m happy to report that the California Coastal Conservancy is renewing our funding for the Disability Outdoor Coastal Access Program. These funds will help support our programming at the Adaptive Cycling Center (on the Bay Trail), which now includes kayaking. As with previous grants, BORP’s staff will be planning and leading a series of group cycling trips to coastal destinations around the Bay and Coast. And our Adventures and Outings Programs will be offering a new series of coastal outings.

 

Enjoy the rest of BORP’s September News, 


Rick Smith

Executive Director

Opening Day: September 24

Join Us!

BORP Opening Day on

Saturday, September 24, 2022

1:00 - 5:00 p.m.


Join us for an afternoon of getting to know BORP's adaptive sports options. The day will include interactive adaptive sports demonstrations allowing folks to have the opportunity to try out BORP's sports equipment. Attendees must wear masks and be vaccinated. 

Come on out and join the fun! Opening Day will include demonstrations and time to try: Goalball, Adaptive Cycling, Wheelchair Basketball, Power Soccer, and Wheelchair Rugby. Attendees will have the chance to meet and talk with BORP Athletic Director Brandon Young and new BORP Program Associate Jorge Macias.


To attend, please register online at Eventbrite. Please sign up so that we can best plan to have enough equipment on hand.

Questions? Email Brandon@borp.org or Jorge@borp.org.

Image 1: flyer reads: Save the date BORP opening day, Saturday, September 24, 2022. Interactive adaptive sports demonstrations. Everyone is welcome to attend and participate. Goalball, adaptive cycling, wheelchair basketball, power soccer, reintroducing wheelchair rugby. After a 26-year hiatus, BORP is bringing back quad/wheelchair rugby to the Bay Area. Wheelchair rugby is an inclusive sport for quadriplegic men and women. Practices are open to players of all levels from beginner to players in the competitive wheelchair rugby league. Come on out and join the fun! To attend, register at Eventbrite. For more info contact Brandon@borp.org or Jorge@borp.org. BORP Opening Day Saturday, September 24, 2022 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. James Kenney Community Center, 1720 Eighth Street, Berkeley.

Team Sports

Youth wheelchair basketball players are pictured mid-game photo credit Scot Goodman

Youth Sports: Join a Team


Attention! Do you know a young athlete (aged 5-18) who has a physical disability who wants to join a youth sports team? Our youth wheelchair basketball and sled hockey teams are recruiting new players for this upcoming season and welcome the young folks from across the Bay Area to join in on the fun.


School has started again and for young people in school, week nights are filled with homework assignments and the day-to-day stresses of school. Playing a sport like wheelchair basketball or sled hockey is a great way to leave the stress behind and push themselves to get stronger and increase endurance while getting the added benefit of being part of a team. 


It is true that BORP’s youth sports are a great way to get exercise, but being on our teams offers so much more than physical activities. When kids and teens join a BORP team, they are opening themselves up to grow in new ways. Playing basketball or sled hockey doesn’t just build their physical strength, it builds them up on the inside as well; leadership, and mental and emotional toughness are muscles too. Playing a team sport does all this for kids and teens with physical disabilities and can be incredibly impactful to build these muscles as part of living a full and independent life.

 

For more information and to check out BORP’s youth wheelchair basketball and sled hockey sports, please contact Brandon Young at brandon@borp.org or Trooper Johnson at trooper@borp.org.

Image: Youth wheelchair basketball players are pictured mid-game.

A person is pictured as they are about to throw a ball while playing goalball. The person is in a gym, wearing blinders, arm and knee pads.

Goalball: A Fantastic and Unique Sport


BORP’s goalball program has been active since the mid 90s as one of the beloved team sports we offer. Our program produced one Paralympian that played on team USA. Will you come play with us?


What is goalball? Goalball is a sport that was specifically designed to be played by people who are blind or visually impaired. Players play on teams of three. The objective is to roll a large rubber ball with bells inside it across the opposing team's goal line. The team on defense tries to block the ball by throwing their body in front of the ball to stop it from entering the goal and scoring. The game is played on a gym floor and players wear elbow, knee, and hip pads to protect themselves during the game. The most important piece of equipment that every player must have is, however, the blind fold. All players, whether they are totally blind, fully or partially sighted, must wear a blind fold to play the game. This is to ensure that know one has an advantage while playing.


BORP’s goalball program is active and ready to make a full comeback from the pandemic pause. We are looking for new players to come out and build a robust goalball community.


Playing goalball with BORP is not just about the physical exercise, though that is a great benefit of the program. On and off the court, goalball is about the community of people who come to play. Whether the team has post-practice go with everyone else as a group to grab a beer and food, or you find a new friend to explore the Bay Area with. Being apart of BORP’s goalball community opens up new possibilities to live your life. So, contact Brandon Young by email at brandon@borp.org to get connected and come out and play! 


Learn more about Goalball by watching or listening to this video. A detailed description is included in the video information.

Image: A person is pictured as they are about to throw a ball while playing goalball. The person is in a gym, wearing blinders, arm and knee pads.

Wheelchair Basketball

Practice schedule update:

Wheelchair basketball (adults) practice has been changed to Mondays.

Practice will continue to be held from 6:30-9:00 p.m. in the gym at

2100 Browning Street, Berkeley, CA

Questions? Contact brandon@borp.org or jorge@borp.org

Adaptive Rock Climbing

Adaptive Rock Climbing with ParaCliffHangers


Do you want to reach new heights? BORP and ParaCliffHangers are teaming up to offer more adaptive climbing opportunities. Adaptive Rock Climbing is an extremely versatile, community driven activity where folks with all types of disabilities can come together to challenge themselves physically and mentally. Adaptive Rock Climbing is a sport all about adapting; everyone climbs “mountains” a little differently. With a range of adaptive equipment and a little creativity we can empower you to find your own style of climbing. We accommodate all types of disabilities including spinal cord injuries, visual impairments, amputees, stroke survivors, and more. 

 

Your first step? Join us at one of our indoor sessions. The cost is $10 per person (all gear included) and a family member/friend may also join at the $10 rate. Volunteers are welcome in our community. 

 

To participate, sign up at the ParaCliffHangers site here. Be sure that you have a BORP participation form and waiver on file with your current information. If you have a form on file, please do be sure to fill out our updated participation waiver, hereQuestions? Email jorge@borp.org.


BORP / ParaCliffHanger Climbing Dates:

  • Every Friday 6-9pm at Berkeley Ironworks, 800 Potter St, Berkeley, CA 94710
  • Every Fourth Sunday of the Month, 12-3PM at Pacific Pipe 2140 Mandela Parkway, Oakland, CA 94607
  • Every Second Tuesday of the Month, from either 2:30-5 or 6-8 (sign up for either session) at Diablo Rock Gym, 1220 Diamond Way # 140, Concord, CA 94520

Adaptive Kayaking

Paddlers Sydney Wyma and Susana Witte enjoy kayaking together on Berkeley's Aquatic Park Lagoon while a great egret soars by.

Adaptive Kayaking in Berkeley


August kayaking was a success! Curious if kayaking could work for you? Schedule a 1:1 on-land meeting with Mia to learn more about all the possible adaptations. We can try things out and find the best system to make kayaking fun and safe for you. 


The two remaining kayaking days in September are full, but email Mia at kayak@borp.org to join the wait list and for updates on possible kayak dates in October. 


The BORP Kayaking program is located at our Adaptive Cycling Center in Berkeley at Aquatic Park. 

Image: Paddlers Sydney Wyma and Susana Witte enjoy kayaking together on Berkeley's Aquatic Park Lagoon while a great egret soars by.  

Access Northern California

Help Keep Parks Barrier Free 


Did you know that East Bay Regional Park District is the largest park district in the country? It has 73 parks, 1,250 miles of trails and 55 miles of shoreline that spans across 125,000 acres in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. As you might imagine that’s a lot of territory to manage.


In my current work to write reviews of some of their accessible parks and trails to post on the Access Northern CA website, I occasionally come across minor access barriers. Most of these barriers are maintenance issues and can readily be removed so to help keep their parks barrier-free, I have taken to filing ADA complaints using their official process. They have been extremely responsive and quick to remove the barriers and even appreciate being informed of the barriers because after all, you don’t know what you don’t know. 


So, if you come across a barrier in an East Bay park consider filing a complaint. It’s a win-win. Complaint form links: PDF version and Online fill-in form

Image: A person flattens new asphalt in front of a door to outdoor restroom building. The new asphalt is dark black. The building has restroom signs marking them as unisex and wheelchair accessible.

Save the Date

October 16: Berkeley Bird Festival


The 2nd annual Berkeley Bird Festival will take place on Sunday, October 16 in locations throughout Berkeley. In addition to BORP offering one of the birding field trips there will be family friendly bird-related activities, lectures, art, and more.

Adventures & Outings

The Adventures & Outings (A&O) calendar is full of in-person and virtual programming. Events are listed on the BORP calendar: borp.org/calendar. 

To participate in any of the A&O events, you must first contact Lori Gray at lori@borp.org or by phone at 510-843-4398 (calls accepted after 10 a.m.).


A&O events to look forward to in September and October include:

October 10: Fine Arts Museums Virtual Tour

October 22: Superfest Film festival in Berkeley

October 23: Outing with East Bay Regional Parks on the Carquinez Strait George Miller Trail; pre-trip meeting on Sept. 17 is mandatory for participants

Outdoor Hikes and Activities throughout the Bay Area

Monthly Highly Descriptive Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Virtual Tours

Monthly Group Indoor Adaptive Rock Climbing–Starting Again Soon


Contact Lori to find out the latest planned adventures

and to be added to the A&O mailing list.

Fitness Classes

Image reads "just breathe" in stylized black text on a white background.

Gentle Stretch & Movement with Lela Davia



The Gentle Stretch Class is geared towards people with arthritis but open to all. This class provides gentle movement and strengthening for people with disabilities and/or joint disease. Classes will include warm up, strengthening, stretching, cardio, and relaxation segments, all from a seated position. Everyone is welcome to join us on Mondays from 10–11 a.m. at the BORP Fitness Center.

Image reads "just breathe" in stylized black text on a white background.

Open Gym: BORP's Fitness Studio in the Ed Roberts Campus

Every Tuesday 

4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Free!


Everyone is welcome to come use the equipment at BORP's Fitness Studio at the Ed Roberts Campus in Berkeley. This is not a class and there is no instructor. If you are not able to use the equipment independently you may bring someone to assist. Participants must use masks and be vaccinated. Limited to eight participants. Please sign up so you can be notified of schedule changes. Email cynthia@borp.org for more information.

Image: Three women and a yellow dog are in a fitness studio. One woman in a manual chair is using the Vitaglide fitness equipment. A woman in a powerchair is swinging split ropes. Another woman in a power chair is stretching out using TRX system.

Summer Workout Series with Jorge: Fitness for All


Jorge has extended his  Summer Workout classes or two more weeks, through October 7. Join Jorge for a fun and inclusive workout, outside in the courtyard of the BORP Cycling Center. We will be using innovative adaptive equipment designed to work for you. These courses are a great way to stay active and socialize outside while maintaining social distancing. All fitness levels welcome.  


Class Fee: Donation Based. No one turned away for lack of funds.

Register here for Jorge's Fitness for All Summer Workout Series.

Email cynthia@borp.org with your Fitness Studio questions.

Fitness Fun via Zoom

BORP-online-fitness-studio-logo-1024x1024.png

Online Fitness Fun for Everyone!

BORP offers an array of online fitness classes each week, Mondays through Saturdays, and there's something for everyone.

Register for online classes here.


Sit Fit | Magic Monday | Tai Chi | Inclusive Functional Strength Training | Adaptive Chair Yoga | Move to the Beats! | Mindful Movement | Seated Pilates and Breathwork Rumba with Tina | Move to the Beats

Image reads: BORP online fitness studio. 

Adaptive Cycling Center

Adaptive Cycling Center – Summer Hours:

By appointment only, from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays

cycling@borp.org 510-848-2930

San Francisco Adaptive Cycling with BORP


The San Francisco Adaptive Cycling Program, funded by SF Recs and Parks, happens on Saturdays through the end of October. 


On the 1st and 3rd Saturdays we will be located at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park next to the new accessible bandshell parking lot. On the 2nd and 4th Saturdays we will be located on the Great Highway at Judah Street. 


Reservations are required and bike availability is limited. All reservations must be made before 5pm on the Friday before (minimum 1 week's notice for reservations). Email Terrie at cycling@borp.org to sign up or for more information.

Transportation

Wanted: Cargo Van or Small Passenger Bus


BORP community, can you help? We are looking for a cargo van type vehicle for sports equipment (or passengers) as well as a shuttle bus with a wheelchair lift. If you have, or know of, anything for sale that might fit the bill, please let us know. Sarah-Dawn Smith is leading the search for a replacement shuttle bus and cargo van for our transportation fleet. We look forward to being able to bring more folks on adventures soon when we acquire a new (or, rather, new to us) cargo van or bus.


Sarah-Dawn Smith can be reached by email at transportation@borp.org

Participation Paperwork

BORP is working to keep participation paperwork simple, and we appreciate your help in keeping your information up-to-date.


Everyone participating in an in-person class or program should have a participation form on file. If your information has changed, please update us by filling out the form. Your participation form covers all BORP activities and includes a link to our waiver, which you will also need to submit. Click here to fill out a participation form.


Waivers should be filled out annually and our new online waiver system makes it simple to do. If you have yet to fill out a waiver recently, please do so. The direct link to the waiver is here (one is for activities and one is so that we can use photos in our social media, newsletter, and updates sent to funders).

Challenged Athletes Foundation

Grant Opportunities


Challenged Athlete's Foundation (CAF) 2023 Annual Grant Program is officially open! Grant request options include sports expenses grant or equipment grant, and the application window is open until November 4, 2022.

 

See below for links to the Annual Grant Program Application, additional information, as well as tools to help support an individual through the application process:

 

The CAF grants team will be hosting three live webinars that will cover steps to completing the application as well as a Q&A at the end. To see dates and times and to register, please visit the CAF FAQ page.

 

Please note that the CAF Operation Rebound Grant, for veterans and first responders, as well as the Ossur Grant are both year-round programs. Please see below links for details:

 

Questions? Visit www.challengedathletes.org for more information.

Image of flyer reads the same as the article plus an image of a person on a lawn wearing a red shirt stretching on a blue yoga mat.

Adaptive Yoga with Challenged Athletes Foundation


Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) will be hosting an adaptive yoga class held at the Centerville Community Center in Fremont on Saturday, September 24 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This class is open to individuals with physical disabilities of all ages, experience levels, and abilities.


Olivia Barry, long-time yoga instructor and physical therapist, will be leading the adaptive yoga class for a morning of yoga postures, gentle movement sequences, breath work, and guided meditation. Yoga mats will be provided if participants do not have one and a light lunch will be served following the one-hour class. 

Saturday, September 24, 2022

10:30AM – 12:30PM (one-hour yoga class and optional lunch)

*Please arrive by 10:15AM to check-in.

Centerville Community Center (3355 Country Dr, Fremont, CA 94536)

Register here to participate.

Questions? Please reach out to Eva at eva@challengedathletes.org

Image of flyer reads the same as the article plus an image of a person on a lawn wearing a red shirt stretching on a blue yoga mat.

Like, Follow & Subscribe to BORP's Social Media Pages

Our Facebook page features what’s happening at BORP, news about adaptive sports, fitness, and recreation, and other issues of interest to the disability community. BORP is also on InstagramTwitter and YouTubeFollow, like, and subscribe to us across all your social media platforms!

Reminder: To keep up to date on the latest protocols from BORP around masking, vaccination requirements, and more, please visit borp.org/covid-guidelinesBORP has pandemic-related safety protocols (masking and vaccination requirements) for indoor and outdoor activities, the Adventures & Outings program, and the Adaptive Cycling Center for all individuals aged 5 years and older.

Image: BORP logo in black, a stylized drawing of person in a moving wheelchair plus the words BORP adaptive sports and recreation

Bay Area Outreach & Recreation Program (BORP) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization working to improve the health, independence and social integration of people with physical disabilities and visual impairments through sports, fitness and recreation programs. www.borp.org 

Image: BORP logo in black, a stylized drawing of person in a moving wheelchair plus the words BORP adaptive sports and recreation

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