During April as we celebrate Spring we see renewal and growth and find new meaning in the world around us. April 22 is a celebration of Earth Day in order to raise awareness and support for environmental protection. The first Earth Day was held in 1970, and it is now observed by millions of people in over 190 countries around the world. We have to protect Mother Earth!
Passover will be celebrated from April 22-30 by people of the Jewish Faith. Passover commemorates liberation from slavery in Egypt and the “passing over” of the forces of destruction. As a child I remember always celebrating this time through having a seder with family and friends.
Ramadan and Eid have just ended for people of the Muslim Faith. Ramadan is considered one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims. In Ramadan, Muslims commemorate the revelation of the Qur’an, and fast from food and drink during the sunlit hours as a means of drawing closer to a higher power and cultivating self-control, gratitude, and compassion for those less fortunate. Ramadan is a month of intense spiritual rejuvenation with a heightened focus on devotion, during which Muslims spend extra time reading the Qur’an and performing special prayers.
We live in such a diverse world and unfortunately, we don't seem to get along very well. I do my best to stay current in world affairs and am so distressed by what I see and read about happenings in the Middle East, Ukraine, Haiti; the list is unending.
But we all can, on some level, appreciate what others believe in and can come together to remember that as human beings we all have similar needs and wants. There is a lyric in the Avicii song, Lay Me Down, which states, "we all weep, bleed the same", something that we sometimes forget about others. How do we bring more humanity to our dealings with others because at our core we are all the same.
Yes, some people have been given greater opportunities in life but we have to think about everybody and how we can come together leading to appreciation, respect and greater societal inclusion and access for all!
Please sign up for our programs today as they fill up very quickly! Since the last newsletter I've taken out some of our special programs as they are full!
Hope to see many of you soon!
Mike
THANK YOU!
A huge thank you to Doug Widdup and Arlynn Feldman and the Lakes Country Club Sports Committee 2024. Doug has supported SoCal Adaptive Sports in so many ways and is a true friend. Through his engagement with Arlynn and her Committee he asked for donations of pickleball paddles and tennis rackets. The Committee led by Arlynn came through in such a big way even donating some new equipment and shoes. We are so thankful for this friendship!
Highlights from the past two weeks
Desert Arc Sports in Yucca Valley (Mondays) and Palm Desert (Fridays)
Monday After-School sports with CVUSD
(Educating children about adaptive sports!)
Monday Evening Archery with Robin Hood in Indio
Wednesday Morning Sports and Tennis/Pickleball (Special Olympics/ACEing Autism/Rancho Las Palmas-come out to one or both of our sessions. The program runs through April but as the weather gets hotter we will end for the season and then start up again in the Fall.)
Thursday after school Riverside Parks and Recreation and Rancho Cucamonga youth adaptive sports
Special Events
(We offer numerous special events for athletes and their family members, but we also educate the public as to why access and inclusion are extremely important.)
Alzheimer's Coachella Valley
Sports-Palooza-Ranchho Cucamonga
Hiking with Friends of the Desert Mountains
Cheerleading with Legacy Bridges Foundation!
First Adaptive Sports Fair at Long Beach City College (and their Foundation) with Playmakers and Many Others!
Special Needs Hockey Friendly Tournament (Irvine)
(We want to develop a team in the Coachella Valley so please come out and learn to skate with us!)
We are growing our Inland Regional Center programs and continue to offer 1:1 and small group coaching and workouts. If you'd like to take part and/or you participate in any of our programs, please have SoCal Adaptive Sports assigned by your Regional Center Community Services Coordinator (CSC). Our Vendor number is PJ5601. We are open to many different modalities for bringing adaptive sports and physical, social, and emotional health to everyBODY!
As the local coordinator for Special Olympics, we want to build this program. You can sign up now to be a Special Olympics athlete or volunteer in the Coachella Valley!
Please register for an account to always receive our newsletter and feel free to forward this newsletter to others.
We believe in the power of collaboration in leveling the playing field and truly bringing about societal inclusion. That's why we're listing these events and also websites of our friends who are doing phenomenal work! Please visit below and click on the links to find out more
Check out these websites for many more activities and opportunities as we level the playing field.
Please join us and other organizations and individuals throughout Riverside County and southern California in leveling the playing field and creating greater societal inclusion!
SoCal Adaptive Sports’ mission is to enable people with disabilities to participate inclusively throughout society by creating greater equity and inclusion through developing, planning and implementing competitive and recreational sports and other opportunities. We envision a world in which everyBODY has equitable access to leading a fulfilling life.
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