March 16th marks the anniversary of NYC Adaptive Climbing’s programs in Brooklyn Boulders and Peak Potential will be joining them to celebrate the only way we know how.
BY CLIMBING!
Climb-a-thon, raffle prizes from top climbing companies, climbing shoe demos, and a bake sale. It’ll be one part party, one part fundraiser, and 100% fun so come on down and join in the celebration!
When:
Saturday March, 16 2013
from 3:00pm – 9:00pm
Where:
Brooklyn Boulders
575 Degraw St. Brooklyn, NY 11217
(corner of 3rd Ave and Degraw St.)
CLIMB-A-THON – SPONSOR OUR CLIMBERS
Don’t know who to sponsor? Well, here are profiles of some our climbers.
Alexander R.J. Thompson
Alex is a recent law school graduate with quadriplegia resultant of a spinal cord injury. He volunteers for a FIRST Lego team at an elementary school in the Hudson Valley, provides website assistance to non-profits, and remains active in disability groups in NYC. Alex first went climbing before his injury as a Boy Scout while earning the climbing merit badge in 1997. He is a strong supporter of cross-disability groups like Adaptive Climbing because they strengthen the community through friendships and shared experiences. His disability challenges the movement of all four limbs, but it doesn’t stop him from being active.
Collin Berg
Collin Berg (11 years old ) suffered an intraventriuclar/intracerebral hemorrhage sometime during 22-32 weeks gestation. Collin’s hemorrhage caused a weakness in the right side of his body called Hemi-paretic Cerebral Palsy. Over the past 11 years of his life Collin has met many physicians of various disciplines, as well as occupational and physical therapists that have helped him face and overcome the many challenges he deals with everyday. It was along that journey that he met Dr. Cheng and it was Dr. Cheng who introduced him to the world of rock climbing with Peak Potential. Collin has had the pleasure of climbing with the Peak Potential staff for the last 6 years. Their faith in him and his desire to climb any challenge put in his path has made him the young man he is today. When he is not climbing, he is playing baseball, shooting hoops and is doing karate.
Crystal Orihuela
Crystal (16 years old ) is a graduate of the Peak Potential programs but still returns to climb when she can. Since age 5 she has been involved in many adaptive sports such as track and field, swimming, and soccer at the regionally and nationally competitive levels . Crystal discovered Peak Potential through her doctor at Children’s Specialized Hospital in 2006 and for her, climbing is all about the feelings of self accomplishment she gets when she reaches the top of the wall. At the same time, Crystal also enjoys the benefits of increased flexibility and mental focus that climbing helps her to foster.
Jon Sedor
Jon (24 years old) is a graduate student at SVA pursuing illustration and painting. He discovered climbing during his sophomore year in high school. In 2007 Jon became an upper extremity amputee (Losing his dominant hand – left hand). He started climbing seriously again after moving in Brooklyn in August 2012. ”I love to climb because it is an outlet from stress and I meet amazing people. Climbing and art are my life.” – Jon
Kathryn Carrol
Kathryn is a full-time, third-year law student with a visual impairment. She does research for non-profit organizations and volunteers with advocacy organizations such as the National Association of Law Students with Disabilities in her spare time. Kathryn discovered NYC Adaptive Climbing through word-of-mouth, and thought it would be a great way to break into the sport of rock-climbing. She believes that all people with disabilities have the right to participate fully in sports and recreation. She enjoys the challenge of discovering a route up climbing wall using a combination of vision, sense of touch, and good communication with her fellow climbers.
Michael (Oliver) Parondo
Oliver, a high school freshman, recently discovered Peak Potential through his doctor at Children’s Specialized Hospital and took to it like a fish to water. By tackling the rigorous physical and mental challenges of rock climbing, he has developed a tremendous and well-earned sense of pride, accomplishment, and satisfaction. While climbing, Oliver finds himself literally and emotionally unfettered by the constraints of his dyskinetic cerebral palsy (which requires him to use a wheelchair more often than not) and profound deafness. His passion for climbing is something you can see it in his eyes, in his smile, and in his happy exhaustion at the end of a session. After setting a personal record of 16 trips up the indoor wall in a one hour session Oliver is looking forward to the next challenge, his very first trip outdoors to climb on real rock.
Nadia Bon
Nadia (16 years old) has been climbing at Brooklyn Boulders with NYC Adaptive Climbing since last Spring. She loves to climb and every time she goes challenges herself with a more difficult wall.
“I have been involved in a lot of adaptive sports but climbing gives me the most complete workout. Sometimes after a good night of climbing I come home exhausted and have to soak in a hot tub. My hands are blistered and every muscle in my body is sore. But there is a huge smile on my face and I am thrilled at my accomplishment and the thought of going back the following week. For me, climbing is not just a weekly activity, it is something I will probably do for the rest of my life. Once you take up the challenge and harness yourself in, there’s no going back!!!! If you are open to new experiences and love to challenge yourself, this is the sport for you. No matter what your ability, you can climb, and you will love it! ” – Nadia
Noah Schramm
Noah (13 years old) is an athlete with cerebral palsy who is passionate about sports. He learned about rock climbing and Peak Potential from a school friend when he was nine. Through rock climbing Noah has discovered that there is absolutely nothing he cannot do. As a result of the confidence he gained climbing the rock wall, Noah has expanded his athletics to include sled hockey, adaptive skiing, and swimming. Noah is very excited for his first outdoor climbing experience, which will be with Peak Potential in June. He now knows that he can reach the top in anything he wants to try.
Climbers from Peak Potential and NYC Adaptive Climbing will be climbing to represent our organizations. Help support adaptive climbing by making pledges and sponsoring these climbers HERE
Peak Potential, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
All proceeds will go to benefit Peak Potential, Inc., NYC Adaptive Climbing, and BKB Foundation