Disabled Veterans....Want to help?

[justlistening]

If you live in Southern California and want to help teach mentally and physically challenged Veterans, take a look at the Challenges Foundation website. We provide free instruction to disabled Veterans and currently have more than a dozen students working toward either skin or scuba diving certifications. We could sure use help from interested instructors, dive masters and divers.

 

[Noboundaries]

Website must be down. Can't get it to show up.

 

[pasley]

Yes, it appears to be off line at the moment. Hopefully it will come back on line soon.

 

[Eric Castillo]

Taking an HSA instructor course in Jan. Hosted by the Aquarium of the Pacific and Diveheart.org. Would love to help, please let me know what you need. The Aquarium of the Pacific is hosting a Festival of Abilities on Jan 24-25th. Dive Cody Unser (google her!!!) will be on AGA (fullface mask with comm.'s) giving an in-water dive presentation. Please go the the Aquarium of the Pacific website for more info on the festival.

 

[SteveTW]

Is there anything on the East coast (NJ) dealing with mentally and physically challenged veterans? I'd sure like to get involved with something like this.

 

[Eric Castillo]

Pasley, I call you later today.

 

[pasley]

Is there anything on the East coast (NJ) dealing with mentally and physically challenged veterans? I'd sure like to get involved with something like this.

Steve,
Challenges Foundation is only in Los Angeles and while we would welcome your money there certainly should be a more local organization near you to work with.

To get involved I would recommend contacting Dive Heart. Dive Heart is spreading out across the nation. http://diveheart.org/images/stories/2008docs/dmw_brochure_final[1].pdf I would drop Jim Elliott a note and ask him about opportunities in your local area. Dive Heart is working with Challenges Foundation and others to help us in fund raising and organizing and is serving as the clearing house if you will of volunteers.

S.U.D.S. is running the program at Walter Reed SUDS Diving > Welcome to SUDS which is not that far, but not in your back yard either.


If there is nothing near by, I would recommend doing three things 1. Contact Dive Heart about starting a local program 2. Get certified as an HSA instructor, Dive Heart can help here too. 3. and then contacting the local VA hospital and starting a program where you are.

 

[clay144]

Try checking with your local Handi capped scuba Instructors, or your local VA, to find out about the program. I've been involved with Wounded Warriors for 2 years, and just became a Handi Capped Scuba Instructor (HSA). I hope to do a lot more with the program this year.

Clay

 

[Indian Valley Scuba]

The International Association for Handicapped Divers, (websites is IAHD-americas.org )has it's headquarters right in southeast PA. They have programs for disabled veterans as well as the rest of the handicapped community. I am sure they would love to hear from you!

 

[SteveTW]

Thanks IVS,
I'll look up that web site and check them out.
Steve