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 | Award Congrats | Revolution Ride 2023 - Ways to Get Involved | Adaptive Cycling | Adaptive kayaking | Access Northern California | Fitness | Team Sports | Adventures & Outings | Volunteer Opportunities | Travel Update | BORP Covid-19 Guidelines | Social Media Links | Mission Statement | Office Address

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The Best Event Ever –

Not to be missed!

Many of you have heard me say that the REV is my favorite fundraising event ever, and I’ve attended more than I can count. It’s a joyful day that raises critical organizational funds while participants do exactly the thing that BORP is all about - being active, working in teams, being healthy, and having fun.



It is also by far and away our biggest fundraising event, and it remains critical to our capacity to offer our robust menu of adaptive sports and recreation programming, which now includes five team sports, one of the largest adaptive cycling centers in the world, adaptive kayaking and climbing, weekly adaptive fitness classes (live and virtual), and a robust Adventure and Outings program. In these years of pandemic and wildfires, the importance of the REV to our future programming cannot be overstated. We are now one month away from REV 2023, and we need everyone to join this effort to make this years’ REV a major success. Our goal is to raise $200,000 and we have a steep hill to climb to be successful. 

And if you can’t be at the actual event on May 13th please consider doing a virtual Revolution: pick a day to do a ride or other activity, sign up for the REV, and raise funds in support of BORP’s programs.



Click HERE to register

Image reads: Join the Revolution! Our annual fundraising bike ride, the Revolution Ride, Roll, and Stroll, supports all our programs at BORP. Join us virtually or in person on May 13, 2023. Santa Rosa, CA and help us fundraise to change lives! Info at www.borp.org; Includes a Photo of two women riding adaptive cycles, with others in the background. 

Congratulations!

Image: Bonnie on the dais receiving her award.

Register Today!



Ride the REV

Join the cycling fun at the in-person REV! Pre-ride fundraising is a terrific way for folks to support you by supporting BORP. Register for the ride here.

Support the REV

Encouraging others to be a part of the REV as a participant, donor, sponsor, and/or volunteer are fantastic ways to support BORP. Share info about BORP and the REV with your friends on social media, in your community groups, and with your friends from work and school. Another way to be a part of the REV is to volunteer at the event, which you can sign up to do at: borp.ivolunteer.com. Questions? Reach out to Sarah and The REV team by emailing RevRide@borp.org.

Participate in the Virtual REV

More into Zoom classes than bike rides? Not able to make it to The REV in person? No problem! You can still be a part of the REV from anywhere (and at your convenience) by participating virtually. Create a fitness challenge for yourself–try a new class, a personal cycling challenge, or any other fitness challenge that sounds fun to you. Want to be virtual but part of the day-of fun? We’ve got you covered: Virtual REVers have the option to attend the Virtual REV for a day of online fitness fun hosted from the in-person REV. Register here for the Virtual REV. For extra fun, be part of the Rumbistas team by choosing the “Join a Virtual Team” option as you sign up for the event. Sign-up here to join the Virtual REV.

Volunteer at the Revolution

The REV needs your help! Help out as a flagger (and have a lovely catch-up chat with your bestie while you’re at it), or choose from tasks like bike sweep, masseuse, registration volunteer, and more to help the BORP Revolution magic happen. Volunteers help out for a few hours and as a thank you, receive many thanks alongside their event t-shirt and lunch with all the REV folks. Volunteering is a terrific way to support BORP and be a part of the fun at the same time. Some folks even ride as well as volunteering! The in-person REV will be held on May 13, 2023, in Santa Rosa. Learn more about volunteering & sign-up at: borp.ivolunteer.com

Thank you to our Rev Sponsors!

Image: Sponsor banner that reads - Presenting Sponsor with the logo for Sutter Health; and Events Sponsors with the logos for McGuire Hester, Hanger Clinic (empowering human potential), Human Minded, United Access, Clif Bar, Columbia, and Albany Rollers and Strollers.

Spring is Here!

Along with the new blossoms, we have been welcoming new riders every week. Car access to the Cycling Center during ongoing construction is much improved, but occasionally, large equipment blocks the road for a short period of time. Call before leaving home for up to the minute info on accessibility and parking.

We welcome Ward Hallock who started working three day a week as cycling center associate. Ward comes to us with a history of diverse career experience and a plethora of hands-on skills. "My position at BORP is allowing me to have the job of my dreams. I love cycling and interacting with fellow cyclists, especially first time BORP cyclists who come back beaming and smiling."

Volunteer opportunity: Be a pilot! As a pilot you would be doing the steering and braking while riding a tandem with one of our riders with a visual impairment. If you are interested, call 510-848-2930 or email us with your availability at cycling@borp.org.

Bikes for the Rev: If you plan to ride a cycle stored at the cycling center, get in touch with us to reserve ASAP. 

Monthly group rides continue through June

Each ride takes a different route and they range from Very Easy, beginner rides to Very Advanced routes for experienced cyclists. Saturday April 15th Rosie the Riveter: Advanced, 15 mile loop 11-3pm

Saturday May 20th Berkeley Marina: Very Easy, 3 mile loop 11-1pm

Friday June 16th Yerba Buena/Treasure Island: Very Advanced, 16 mile loop 11-3pm

Adaptive Cycling Center Location and Hours:

80 Bolivar Drive, Berkeley, 94710 (click for map)

Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays | Rain or Shine

9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

By appointment only. Same day appointments welcome. 

Contact cycling@borp.org or 510-848-2930 to ride.

Image 1 Welcome Ward Hallock: Photo of a man wering a black t-shirt standing behind an adaptive tri-cycle at the Cycle Center.

Image 2: Volunteer Kai, with staff members Alex and Jorge, update maintenance on cycles.

Adaptive Kayaking begins in May

BORP Adaptive Kayaking is recruiting volunteers for our 2023 season! We welcome volunteers of all skill levels and abilities. Our events will take place on select Sundays and Mondays starting in May. We'll be offering volunteer training on May 21. To learn more, contact Mia at kayak@borp.org

Image: Two people in power chairs on fire road trail going toward a lush green valley, accompanied by a Golden Retriever.

Fitness Highlight: In-Person

Bollywood Dance Fusion Class

Monday, April 17 and Monday, May 15

at 11:30 a.m. 

Two more dates to shimmy and shake! We are thrilled to have the Bollywood class return to the studio! Taught by Kiran Easwarachandran, MSS, R-DMT, LCSW, Bollywood Dance Fusion™ is a movement class with one simple idea, if you move to music that inspires you, and connect with your body in a joyful meaningful way, you will be well on your way to health and healing, wellness and recovery. Learn more and register here.

We also have great fitness resources at our Ed Roberts Campus studio!

Get info

Click here for in-person classes or Click here for virtual classes.

Image reads Bollywood Dance Fusion Inclusive Class on a violet background with ornamental Mehndi shapes and a figure dancing.

 High Fives Storm Wheelchair Rugby

The High Fives rugby team participated in The Western Semi-Finals Tournament in Las Vegas on March 30 - April 2. Eight teams from all over the country were competing for the opportunity to play at The National Championships, which will be at the end of April in Chicago. The High Fives played two games on Friday versus Las Vegas High Rollers and WASA Lightning and lost both games in hard fought battles. On Saturday, the team beat The New York Warriors in the morning and then lost another hard fought battle vs The Birmingham Lakeshore Demolition in the afternoon.

Saturday was complete and we had a 1-3 record and we knew we would have to win both games on Sunday to have a chance to compete at Nationals…With only seven players traveling to LV, guys were fatigued but not done. Sunday morning at 8 AM the team showed determination and resolve and beat Grand Rapids easily. For the afternoon game our opponent was Oscar Mike, the US Military Veterans associated team from Chicago, who will be hosting Nationals. Additionally they are coached by Team USA Rugby Head Coach Joe Delegrave and they are the most well-funded team amongst the 55 teams in the country. We knew it was going to be a tough game and we also knew that our starting four players would probably have to go ironman and play the entire game…The High Fives went up early and held a 3-point advantage at the end of the first quarter 12-9. Oscar Mike fought back and tied the game at halftime 22-22, however, they used all four of their time outs in doing so. In the third quarter they went up two points and we took a time out and made some defensive changes going to a man-man zone which changed the momentum of the game.

The High Fives ran off a 6-2 run to close the third quarter and lead by two. Then we put together an epic fourth quarter and buried Oscar Mike for a final score of 48-40.

The High Fives, BORP's affiliated Wheelchair Rugby Team, is going to Nationals as an underdog and hopes to continue its theme of March Madness in Vegas!

Thanks to BORP and the city of Berkeley, we have a great practice facility at James Kenney Recreation Center. We practice Sundays 10-2, come by and check it out.

Image 1: Action photo of Storm player and opponent clashing, both wheelchairs on two wheels. Image 2: Team photo in front of the Quad Rugby "Wall of Fame" in Birmingham, AL. They are pointing to names of Storm coaches Nils Jorgensen and Chris Cook on the plaque. Image 3: Storm's Ed OIsen with his Sportsmanship Award from the event. Image 4: Storm's David Garcia #24 with his trophy for Best high Pointer from the Western Semi-Finals Tournament.

Youth Wheelchair Basketball

Post-Season Wins

The Jr. Road Warriors 2022-23 season has come to an end. This season, we welcomed two new kids who had never played team sports before and found a community here that embraced them. The team worked their butts off this year, and the season was awesome. We fell short of our goals at Nationals, but our triple-overtime loss to Mississippi was one of the most exciting games ever. Hats off to Mississippi for pulling off the win. Our final game of the season was against the Rancho Halos (Los Angeles) and we won by two points. That put us in 15th place in the Varsity Tournament.

In other updates, our two seniors have both been accepted into multiple Universities, and one has decided to follow his former teammates to the University of Arizona, while the other is still exploring his options. Brandon Louie was also was awarded the Timothy Nugent NWBA Academic All-American Award and scholarship. He submitted this video as part of his application. 

And we have a correction to last month’s story about the Jr. Road Warriors varsity wheelchair basketball scholars. Team members Avery Dauer and Nathaniel Anish also received Academic Awards (Team 1) at the NWBA West Coast Conference Championships in February.

Congratulations Jr. Road Warriors on a great season!

Image 1: Brandon Louie, winner of the Timothy Nugent NWBA Academic All-American Award and scholarship on court with Coach Johnson. Image 2: Jr. Road Warrior taking a shot from wheelchair. Image 3: Coach Johnson talking to team members. Image 4: Jr. Road Warrior on court preparing to pass.

Photo credits: David Louie

Power Soccer - Going to the Rev

Excited for the Revolution? We are too! Power Soccer United, the fundraising team for BORP’s power soccer program, is more than half way to meeting our goal. Check out our page at: https://borp.akaraisin.com/ui/Rev2023/t/PowerSoccerUnited.

The Shockers participated in the Battle of the Bay on March 11 and 12, facing off against five teams in total. We extend great gratitude toward the Bascom Community Center and the San Jose Flash and Steamrollers for hosting the intense two-day competition. Shockers tied their first game on Saturday 0-0 against the Sacramento Republic, and earned a hard win 2-1 against LA Galaxy. On Sunday, the Shockers unfortunately lost all three games: 0-1 against LA Soccer Club; 0-6 against the Flash after valiantly holding a 0-1 score in the first half; then ending 0-1 against the Steamrollers. Despite the losses, the Shockers continue to train hard and look forward to competing in Folsom, April 1 and 2.

- Rian Dindzans, Power Soccer Athlete

Blind Soccer Clinic

Blind Soccer is coming back to the Bay Area this spring. On Thursday May 18th at 12pm the Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP), in collaboration with the California School for the Blind (CSB) and the East Bay United Soccer Club (EBUSC) will be hosting a Blind Soccer Clinic.

This clinic will be an introduction to the sport of Blind Soccer - participants will learn basic skills like dribbling, passing, goal kicking and have an opportunity to play in a game at the end of the session. Open to all blind and visually impaired high school aged youth as well as their families. Click here for a short video on the sport of Blind Soccer.

If you are new to BORP activities, please complete our Participant Form and sign the waiver. For more information please contact Brandon Young brandon@borp.org

Image: flyer that reads, Blind Soccer Clinic, a sport for blind and low vision athletes Thursday, May 18th, 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM, California School for the Blind, 500 Walnut Ave, Freemont, CA.. Sponsors are BORP, East Bay United Soccer Club and California School for the Blind. Come Out, and Let's Play. Click here to register.

For all A&O events call or email Lori Gray to confirm your attendance.

lori@borp.org 510-843-4398 - Call only after 10:00 AM

Space is limited at all A&O events. Please be sure to sign up early and, if you find you are unable to attend, let us know as soon as possible so that another interested participant has a chance to join the fun. Email Lori for the complete calendar.

Volunteer Opportunities Abound!

There are many ways to get involved as a volunteer as an individual or as a group. Maybe your place of employment gives back to the community by supporting volunteering. Here are some of the up-coming opportunities:

Skilled Labor (volunteer or in-kind donation)

• Cycle Center sign fix (needs professional signage and roof mount)
• Cycle Center carpentry and exterior paint

Program Support and Visibility

• All the team sports need support at weekly practices
• Adaptive Kayaking and Cycling need regular volunteers - training on May 21st for training up Kayaking volunteers.
• Help BORP be more visible by helping out with events like the Berkeley Bay Festival (see below)

The Rev - May 13th in Santa Rosa

So many ways to get involved at the Rev! Help out as a flagger (and have a lovely catch-up chat with your bestie while you’re at it), or choose from tasks like bike sweep, masseuse, registration volunteer, and more to help the BORP Revolution magic happen. Volunteers help out for a few hours and as a thank you, receive many good vibes and smiles plus their event t-shirt and lunch with all the REV folks.

Learn more about volunteering & sign-up at: borp.ivolunteer.com

Come Say Hi!

Come check out the BORP table at the Berkeley Bay Festival, at the Marina:

Saturday April 22

Shorebird Nature Center

160 University Ave., Berkeley.

For more information:

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/berkeley-bay-festival

Image: Berkeley Bay Festival flyer text reads - Come celebrate the day, City of Berkeley presents Berkeley Bay Festival Saturday, April 22nd -11:00am - 4:00pm, Shorebird Park, 160 University Ave., Berkeley CA. Earth Day Cleanup at 9am, Food vendors, Fun activities, Adventure Playground, Interactive marine exhibits, Boat Rides, Live music and performers, Free for all ages! Berkeleyca.gov (search Berkeley Bay Festival), (510) 981-6720

Enjoying the Ride

The BORP bus has had a few adventures this past winter between the atmospheric river storms and tsunami warnings, of course. We have been able to provide transportation for BORP programs including trips to indoor rock climbing, Ghirardelli Factory and bowling or movies for the Oakland youth. The Lighthouse for the Blind has used our Fee for Service option and partnered with us to help provide transportation for a couple of their Enchanted Hills Camp transfers. The BORP bus will venture to the coast, regional parks, and other local trails with the Adventure & Outings program this summer. See you on the road!

We are always looking for qualified part-time CDL drivers with a commitment to safe driving, adventure and good times. If you know of anyone who would be a fit, please see below for Transportation Coordinator contact information.

BORP’s accessible buses and transportation is made possible by funding from Alameda County Transportation Commission through the Special Transportation Program for Seniors and People with Disabilities (Measure B funds). Our goal is to improve the mobility of people with disabilities and increase access to sports and recreational activities by supplementing conventional fixed route service. This funded project addresses the current gap in accessible group trip options for youth and adults with disabilities in Alameda County. Our Group Trip Service option offers discounted community bus rental rates for disability groups and nonprofits.

For inquiries or questions Please Contact BORP Transportation Coordinator: Sarah-Dawn Smith; transportation@borp.org

Reminder: To keep up to date on the latest protocols from BORP around masking, vaccination requirements, and more, please visit borp.org/covid-guidelines. BORP 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.

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 Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Follow, like, and subscribe to us across all your social media platforms!

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