Recreation & Leisure

Oregon Resources

RideAble provides horsemanship instruction for the special needs community in a safe and interactive environment. Essential life skills of each individual are developed and improved through healthy reHealing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center has been connecting riders with special needs to horses with special gifts. The riders are diverse. They come from different backgrounds, have different needs and dream different dreams. Some are physically disabled, others mentally challenged. Still others need a way to reconnect with a world that seems to have forgotten them. All are joined by a common experience – the joy of independence, the freedom to fly without wings, the connection of hand to rein, skin to coat, heart to beating heart.creational riding.

Adaptive Riding Institute in Scotts Mills, OregonAdaptive Riding Institute- The mission of the Adaptive Riding Institute is to improve the lives of special needs children and adults through innovative Equine Assisted Recreational Therapies of the highest quality. Health, Happiness and Healing through Horses promotes wellness, enhances capabilities and fosters independence. Our client-centered programs offer safe and rewarding activities aided by our extraordinary horses, experienced staff and dedicated volunteers.

B.E.A.T. Riding Center, Inc-B.E.A.T. Riding Center, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that exists to provide physically, mentally and emotionally challenged individuals an opportunity for emotional and physical growth through horsemanship. BEAT’s home is at Horsin-A-Round Stables 20 miles west of Portland in Banks, Oregon.

Chehalem Mountain Therapy Riding Center Inc (CMTRCI)-The mission of CMTRCI is to improve the lives of persons with special needs through the interaction with horses while fostering a safe, life enhancing, mentally and physically enriching, rewarding experience. Networking community, government, health professonals, and researchers, CMTRCI encourages a team approach of working together to change lives.

Sycamore Lane Therapeutic Riding Center’s mission is to provide and promote therapeutic riding and recreation in a safe, professional, nurturing environment to the children and adults of the Portland metropolitan area. EnhancinForward strideg the lives and well-being of people in our community including individuals with mental and physical disabilities.

Forward Stride, a PATH Premier Accredited Therapeutic Equestrian Center, is dedicated to improving lives through equine-assisted activities and therapies. Founded in 2003, Forward Stride is the largest therapeutic center of its kind in Oregon.

Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center has been connecting riders with special needs to horses with special gifts. The riders are diverse. They come from different backgrounds, have different needs and dream different dreams. Some are physically disabled, others mentally challenged. Still others need a way to reconnect with a world that seems to have forgotten them. All are joined by a common experience – the joy of independence, the freedom to fly without wings, the connection of hand to rein, skin to coat, heart to beating heart.

Clover Haven is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to bringing horses and humans together to promote learning, personal growth and healing. We offer therapeutic riding lessons and other programs based in experiential learning in the presence of horses for school-aged children, challenged youth, women’s groups, adults in transition, veterans and the elderly. Working with the horses, participants develop confidence, self-esteem, responsibility, empathy, and a deeper understanding of themselves, others, and their world.

National Resources

Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.), a federally-registered 501(c3) nonprofit, was formed in 1969 as the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association to promote equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) for individuals with special needs. With nearly 4,500 certified instructors and equine specialists and 850 member centers around the globe, more than 7,500 PATH Intl. members help more than 54,000 children and adults with physical, mental and emotional challenges find strength and independence through the power of the horse each year. In addition to therapeutic riding, our centers offer a number of therapeutic equine-related activities, including hippotherapy, equine-facilitated mental health, driving, interactive vaulting, competition, ground work and stable management. More recently, programs offer services in human growth and development to serve wide-ranging audiences for such educational purposes as leadership training, team building and other human capacity enhancement skills for the workplace and for daily use.

Looking for a sensory friendly theater of film showing? Use these resources to find sensory friendly experiences in your area.

AMC Sensory Friendly Films

In partnership with The Autism Society, we bring AMC Sensory Friendly Films to families affected by autism on a monthly basis to select communities.

The program provides a special opportunity for families to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment. The auditoriums dedicated to the program have their lights up, the sound turned down and audience members are invited to get up and dance, walk, shout or sing!

A collection children/youth with disabilities and their families about participating school and community sports programs.

• Your Writes: Benefits and Barriers To Fitness For Children With Disabilities – getting children with disabilities involved in school sports and community recreation. Common issues, ideas and resources!
• Into the game: youth with disabilities in afterschool sports
• Discover Leisure Education – This online resource was designed to assist you in understanding and further appreciating the value and importance of leisure in the life of your child. It is a resource to aid you as you consider, planning for, and assisting your child in developing leisure-related skills that will allow them to be successful at home, school, and community settings. This guide is a resource that you can turn to again and again to aid you in finding resources and answering questions. It is our hope that this guide will allow you and your child to embark on a fun and exciting adventure as you, Discover Leisure Education.
• Special Olympics Project UNIFY® is an education-based program that uses the sports and education initiatives of Special Olympics to activate youth to promote school communities where all young people are agents of change – fostering respect, dignity and advocacy for people with intellectual disabilities. But it is much more.

• Article: National Association of Secondary School Principals Inclusive Sports and Youth Leadership as an Antidote to Bullying in Schools

A collection of resources for children/youth with disabilities and their families who are interested in Participating in Boy or Girl Scouts.

Scouting Web Special Needs & Interests: Disabilities – Visitors will find everything from tips on working with scouts with disabilities to scouting materials and activities in alternative formats; as well as resources for disability awareness units/badges.

Working With Scouts With disAbilities (WWSWd) – This web site serves as an on-line resource, education tool, and link repository for all Scouters and parents who are involved in or have an interest in providing a Scouting opportunity for the disAbled. This site is supported by volunteer Scouters who believe in Scouting for those with disAbilities. It is our vision to provide the most up to date information to Scouters who have the opportunity and challenge of working with Scouts who have disabilities. There are numerous resources available throughout the world and on the World Wide Web. We hope that this site will help Scouters in need of those resources answer questions and provide examples of the many successes these Scouts can and have experienced through Scouting.

FOCUS ON ABILITY: Serving Girls with Special Needs – The up-to-date leader’s guide for main-streaming girls with disabilities into Girl Scout activities. 8¼” x 10¾”. 111 pages.

GirlScouts Nation’ Capital: Including ALL Girls Initiative – Including ALL Girls educates girls about inclusion and how they can include girls with disabilities in all aspects of Girl Scouts. GSCNC strives to make inclusion a top priority in Girl Scouts. For this purpose, GSCNC designed a specific inclusion position for our council. The Inclusion Specialist serves as a resource and a guide to ensure the inclusion of girls with disabilities within the Girl Scout community. The program offers a downloadable list of resources and an Including ALL Girls Patch Program.

Boy Scout Disability Awareness Merit Badge – This is an introductory merit badge where scouts learn about disability etiquette, disability supports and resources in their community, meet and talk to a person with a disability, learn about adaptive equipment, learn about accessibility in their community, learn about advocacy and complete an advocacy activity, and make a commitment to have a positive attitude about people with disabilities and encourage a positive attitude in others, and finally learn about professions that work with people with disabilities.

Global Scouts Peace Project Example Challenging Prejudice Disabilities – These examples contain activities and links to ongoing projects that deal with these themes.

Every example project follows the 4 step process of:

• Identifying the problems
• Developing awareness and empathy
• Taking action
• Measuring the change

Museum of The American Printing House for the Blind Scouts Disability Awareness Programs – Come visit us for memorable learning adventures! Explore the museum through a factory tour and workshops designed for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

Juliette Low Camp – Named after the Girl Scout founder who suffered from hearing loss at a young age, Juliette Low camp is specifically designed for girls with special needs and their friends. Girls, ages 8-18 who have physical disabilities such as polio, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, etc, may attend. A well-qualified staff of adults, trained and experienced in working with girls with disabilities, provide the very best camping opportunity for each girl. Two eight-day sessions take place every July. Contact the camp staff at campdept@girlscoutsmcc.org for more info, to request a Camp Brochure – available after March 1 each year.

Disability Awareness Public Service Announcement – Troop 2383′s Public Service Announcement for Disability Awareness. This was also their Bronze Award Project.

Girl Scouts Invent Prosthetic Hand Device

A collection of resources for children/youth with Autism and their families who are interesting in participating in Boy or Girl Scouts.

• Scouting for Youth With Disabilities Manual: Autism Spectrum Disorders – Update Chapter to Scouting for Youth With Disabilities Manual on the Autism Spectrum Disorders. This chapter has been updated by volunteers serving on the national Special Needs Scouting task force and will be incorporated into the next printing of the manual.
• Autism & Boy Scouts – This site was created to give information to parents of autistic children considering if Scouting is right for their child and for Scout Leaders and Volunteers (Scouters) who have autistic children in their unit. This page was created by a volunteer for the BSA who is the parent of a child diagnosed with ASD/PDD-NOS. This site is not affiliated with BSA and does not speak on behalf of BSA nor any Autism related organization. Opinions expressed on these web pages are those of the web author. Contact your local Council Office for official communications of The Boy Scouts of America. Items may be reproduced and used locally by Scouting volunteers for training purposes consistent with the programs of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) or other Scouting and Guiding Organizations.
• Autism & Scouting Blog – The goal is to provide a dynamic and supportive blog where parents, scouts (current and former), leaders and those investigating scouting for their children can learn about benefits of the Scouting Experience.
• Autism & Scouting Facebook Page – Promote Autism Awareness, Acceptance and Advancement for those in Scouting.
• Autism & Scouting Facebook Group – a place where Scouts, parents and leaders can come together and share stories and ideas to help improve scouting for all. This is to help scouting for both boys and girls and is not just limited to Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and all other scouting groups. We hope to hear from people around the world to find out what they have learned as well.
• Autism in Scouting: One Boy’s Personal Journey-Every scout troop will sooner or later have the boy that just doesn’t quite fit the mold. In this video, Chase’s scouting experience as a boy with high-function autism provides valuable insights for scouting peers and leaders alike that will help them provide a successful scouting experience for each boy.

• Scouting With Disabilities – This is a video about how scouting has helped my son who has Autism. I am a scout leader and I am part of a group helping form a Scouting With Disabilities program in the Philadelphia area.

Autietots! the one-stop source for autism-friendly reviews around Portland and the Pacific Northwest. Here you can browse reviews, post your own reviews, connect with other families, and find new places and services that work best for your child’s special needs.

We have made finding wheelchair accessible vacation rentals easier than ever! If you have a family member who needs special accommodations that are wheelchair accessible, we have many vacation rentals available that are specifically wheelchair accessible. Our vacation rentals on the Oregon and Washington Coast that are wheelchair accessible can all be located in one convenient location. See Accessible rentals.

Travel Oregon is the official travel guide to planning an Oregon vacation. Whether your Oregon vacation destination is Greater Portland, Mt. Hood or the Oregon Coast, start your trip here! From suggestions on places to go in Oregon and things to do in Oregon to places to stay in Oregon and where to eat—and of course our abundant outdoor recreation—you’re cordially invited to roam TravelOregon.com, the complete source of Oregon travel & vacation information. To find people with disability friendly options enter the words “wheelchair accessible” in to the Find Out About box in the top right hand corner of the website.

Portland Pounders Wheelchair Rugby Team aims to:

• Promote awareness of the abilities of quadriplegics.
• Promote awareness of the activities for quadriplegics.
• Provide a competitive recreational activity for quadriplegics of all ages and abilities.
• Provide an alternative forum for physical and recreational therapy.
• Provide an informal support network for quadriplegics.
• Promote self sufficiency, camaraderie, & positive self image.

http://www.tamarackwellness.com/home/tw1/smartlist_20/aquatics.html

The benefits of a 92 degree warm water therapeutic pool include increased joint mobility, muscle flexibility, improvement in endurance, increased muscle strength and tone, improvement in circulation and respiration, a decrease in pain and a general feeling of wellness.We are a renewable energy conscious facility, utilizing salt-water generation and supplementing our heating with one of The largest Thermal Ray Solar Systems in the Northwest.Tamarack Wellness Centeris a non-profit which offers both contemporary and traditional approaches to the wellness of all ages and abilities. Tamarack provides rehabilitation programs, therapeutic interventions, wellness and preventative care with a unique focus on sustainable practices and placing community at the center of health and well-being.

The National Center on Accessibility promotes access and inclusion for people with disabilities in parks, recreation and tourism. Based at Indiana University and established in 1992 through a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service, NCA has emerged as a leading authority on access issues unique to park and recreation programs and facilities.

Curious about accessibility of the U.S. National Parks system? The online portal National Parks: Accessible to Everyone is a one-stop resource for finding accessible trails, campgrounds, vista, picnicking spots and more!

American Trails is the only national, nonprofit organization working on behalf of all trail interests, including hiking, bicycling, mountain biking, horseback riding, water trails, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, trail motorcycling, ATVs, snowmobiling and four-wheeling. American Trails members want to create and protect America’s network of interconnected trails.We support local, regional, and long-distance trails and greenways, whether they be in back-country, rural or urban areas. Our goal is to support America’s trails by finding common ground and promoting cooperation among all trail interests. Since our formation in 1988 we’ve been involved in everything from training trails advocates to increasing accessible trail opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Living with Disabilities Meet Up Groups in Oregon. Meeting Up Groups are often free to participate. The groups in this section focus on creating social opportunities and living well for people with disabilities in Oregon.

COPAK (Central Oregon Parents of ASD/ADHD Kids) is a supportive social group for parents and caregivers of children with special needs. While the name emphasizes parents of kids with Attention Defecit Disorder and kids on the Autism Spectrum (including PDD/NOS), parents of a child with any special need is welcome. We will have meetups that offer support, sharing, and even some much needed fun. You don’t have to go through this journey alone. Please join us.

Great Wheelchair Accessible Hikes.com shares information with other hikers about great, not just fair, wheelchair accessible hikes. A great hike includes the following things: a hard surface such as pavement, cement, plank, packed dirt or gravel over a hard surface (not sand or deep gravel); free from ruts and rocks; wide enough for a wheelchair or scooter to pass through easily; minimal or gradual elevation change; and beautiful or interesting scenery. The trails listed here are ones the creator or other contributors enjoy hiking over and over again.

Once per month, board-certified music therapists Emily Ross and Angie Kopshy co-facilitate a group music therapy session at no cost to participants. These sessions are held at West Hills Music Therapy Studio, in Multnomah Village, and are open to any child with autism and his/her family and friends. To be held on the 3rd Saturday of the month, 10:30 to 11:30. You must RSVP to attend. Please email to confirm attendance. Visit www.selfexpressmusic.com and www.musictherapyportland.com for more information.

Captionfish is the Internet’s leading captioned movies search engine that finds open captioned, Rear Window® captioned, foreign/subtitled, and descriptively-narrated movies showing at theaters across the United States.

http://homepage.mac.com/wwscoach/Personal6.html

Our programs are dedicated to providing recreational fitness experiences and competitive athletic opportunities for people with mobility impairments. More specifically, our goals are:

To promote the concept that physical fitness is essential for everyone;

To facilitate independent movement for all people with physical disabilities;

To provide outdoor fitness experiences for people with physical disabilities;

To promote and improve the skills of athletes with physical disabilities (through local, national and international sports competitions such as the Paralympics);

To promote the integration of physically disabled athletes into able-bodied school athletics;

To help wheelchair users access a lifestyle that is as active and independent as possible.

Multiple pages of resources of camps for and/or inclusive of people with disabilities and chronic health conditions including options for children, youth, or adults in Oregon.

The mission of Easter Seals camping programs is to provide safe, fun camping opportunities for children and adults with disabilities. Camp Easter Seals recognizes the gifts and potential of our campers. We create an environment that emphasizes the campers’ abilities and independence, as well as the development of their leisure skills, social skills, and appreciation of the outdoors. Participants make friends, learn about and explore nature, sing songs around the camp fire, gain confidence, and create memories that linger long after the camp fires have died down.

Ability Online – A computer network designed to enhance the lives of children and youth with disabilities or illness by providing an online community of friendship and support. This is a family friendly safe website for kids with special needs or disabilities to message with one another Computer friendship network where children and youth with disability or illness connect to each other, friends, family, caregivers and supporters for friendship and support kids.

Adventures Without Limits (AWL) empowers people of all abilities through quality outdoor experiences. Participants develop new skills, enhance awareness of the natural environment, build self-confidence, and recognize personal potential. AWL can adapt equipment and provide additional staff support to accommodate people with disabilities. AWL provides recreation programs for communities in the greater Portland metropolitan area.

The City of Eugene Adaptive Recreation Services recognizes that being involved in meaningful recreation/leisure activities can have a positive and often profound impact on the lives of persons with disabilities. Programs include art classes to outdoor trips, be it small group discussions to large group dances. Check out the site for a brochure, and click RecEnroll to register for activities.

Oregon Disability Sports promotes sports, recreation and fitness activities for youth and adults with physical disabilities. Based in Portland, Oregon, this organization holds bike clinics and other events in several cities around the state. Check their website for current information.

Washington State Accessible Outdoor Recreation Guide The accessible sites listed in this web-based guide are managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Washington Department of Natural Resources, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, and the Olympic National Park.

MIUSA – Mobility International USA is a Eugene, Oregon, based organization dedicated to empowering people with disabilities around the world by ensuring their inclusion in international exchange and international development programs. This site offers a clearinghouse of resources, publications and tips on travel for individuals with disabilities.

Eugene, Oregon, based Trips Inc. – Special Adventures provides travel outings to adults of various abilities in a safe, respectful and fun atmosphere. Trips are designed for people with developmental disabilities and special needs who require staff assistance for a safe and enjoyable vacation. The average group size is 20.

The Siskiyou National Forest offers a wide variety of recreation opportunities for people with disabilities and limited abilities. From camping, fishing, hiking, rafting or just enjoying a nice picnic in the woods, the Siskiyou has barrier-free sites to enjoy! One principle of accessible recreation that the Forest Service uses to design and improve sites is the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum. The Recreation Opportunity Spectrum describes the whole range of accessible features and challenges that can be planned into National Forest recreation opportunities.

Special Olympics This page includes a list of Special Olympics Oregon Local Programs. Founded in 1972, Special Olympics Oregon is a year-round program offering 14 different Olympic-style sports to athletes with mental retardation. Throughout the state of Oregon, over 5,000 athletes participate in Special Olympics.