Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Group’s Adaptive Camping Event

The Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Group hosted 2 events, one at Honeyman State Park and the other at Milo McIver State Park. Each event was hosted by Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection and Adventures Without Limits (AWL). They partnered with Oregon Parks and Rec Department (OPRD) and Oregon Health and Outdoors Initiative. OPRD modified group sites to be accessible for their needs, by removing one side/bench of picnic tables so more than one person in a wheelchair could eat together, by providing a 6’x10′ mat table for people to change, by grooming surfaces and installing larger fire pits. They also installed a power wheelchair charging station.

At both events AWL provided support setting up, breaking down camp, providing meals, and kayaking. For many participants, it was their first time camping, or the first time since their injury camping, or first time camping with their children. And for many, it was their first time kayaking. At both events, they hosted an intentional conversation with park rangers to discuss how they and OPRD could improve access in state parks; and at the Milo McIver State Park camping trip First Gentleman, Dan Little (governor’s husband) attended the kayaking trip and participated in the conversation about access to the outdoors.

The Honeyman Park camping trip was attended by thirty people total, twelve people with spinal cord injuries or spina bifida and their families.

The Milo McIver State Park camping trip was attended by singles or couples without children. One family with a 6-year-old girl did attend. In total, ten people with Spinal Cord Injuries attended.