Santa Barbara chapter of group that helps the disabled recently held a hand-cycling event at River View Park in Buellton
The Triumph Foundation recently held a hand-cycling event at River View Park in Buellton for those suffering from disabilities. It offered participants the opportunity to try out hand-cycles. Thirty cycles were available for use, races were conducted, and there were plenty of volunteers to assist. Fun, food, and friendship filled the day.
Andrew Skinner, who has a spinal cord injury, is the founder of the Triumph Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help children, adults, and veterans with disabilities triumph over obstacles and inspire them to keep moving forward with their lives by pushing themselves to get better every day. Founded in 2008, the foundation assists people from Santa Barbara County to San Diego County, with about 20,000 members, 6,000 of whom are disabled.
“We visit hospitals all over Southern California with people who have suffered catastrophic injuries or neurological disorders,” explained Skinner. “That’s the heart of what we do. We host adaptive recreation events almost every week in different areas. We bring all the equipment, coaches, and volunteers, and anyone is welcome to attend. It doesn’t matter if you have a disability or not.”
“This event featured hand cycles, and we brought 30 of them with us. Twenty-five people took the opportunity to try riding the cycles and racing around the park,” said Skinner. “Too many people with disabilities don’t get out and live life. They isolate themselves and don’t realize what they are capable of and what they’re missing. This event is more than just cycling, it is about fellowship, making friends, and living life to our fullest ability. We extend an invitation to all people interested, especially our friends with disabilities.”
David Magallanes was the organizer of this event and is the leader in Triumph’s Santa Barbara County division, although there are support groups all over the state that hold monthly gatherings in various locations.
“I love to connect with people and let them know they are not alone,” said Magallanes. “We help meet each other’s needs, share experiences, and have fun at the same time.”
Magallanes brought up one person in particular the group has reached.
“I met one of our young members some time ago as she was going into the YMCA with her mother and siblings,” he said. “I knew, being in a wheelchair, she was just going to sit there and watch her siblings having a good time. I mentioned to them about the Triumph Foundation, and she was here today, having fun, riding a hand-cycle. That’s what Triumph is all about.
“We are the furthest northern branch of Triumph. We used to meet in Santa Barbara, but that was a little inconvenient for everyone up here, so we started a new branch in North County. We meet the second Tuesday of each month in Orcutt at Giovanni’s Pizza, but in the summer we meet at the Naughty Oak Brewery to be outside.”
Another visitor at the event was William Hendrickson, also known as “Wheelchair Willie.” Hendrickson has been competing in wheelchair sports for the past 20 years, winning approximately 50 medals. He just returned from Minneapolis, where he competed in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, and recently competed at the Angel City Games in Los Angeles.
“A lot of people showed up today to try out the cycles and had races around the park,” said Hendrickson. “There was a lot of camaraderie. We chatted with each other about what we are up to. A lot of people are on their own, and linking up at these events helps us work together to solve problems.”
“To me, it’s not about the competition anymore; it’s about the kids and the newly injured — inspiring and teaching them how to be successful in sports and in life,” said Hendrickson. “I’m getting to be one of the oldest competitors — I’m 60. There are not too many of us left.”
Dominick Trevethan, who also attended the event, is a podcaster, a radio programmer, and blogger, who can be found at thedisabilitymyth.com. As he puts it, his podcast is about “amplifying the voice of the disability community; bridging the gap between disabled and non-disabled experiences; and being
handsome, humble, and hammy.”
“This is the first hand-cycling event I’ve been to, and last week we held the Junior Wheelchair Sports Camp. It was awesome to meet new friends here today and reunite with the people from camp,” said Trevethan.
Another local advocate of the Triumph Foundation is Will Ambler, president and founder of SCI Research Advancement, who attended the event.
“The Triumph Foundation serves a unique niche to benefit people with disabilities on the Central Coast,” Ambler said. “After being invited to several events as a guest speaker and casual participant, I have seen firsthand the great value the Triumph Foundation provides to people with disabilities. The hand-cycling gathering was a perfect example of the service they provide. Volunteers bring food, drink, and specialized equipment to a park. They invite anyone who might be interested to try out the equipment or support the group. All the while, people are having fun, making new friends and contacts. This is a great support group, and I know this is a worthwhile foundation. If you get the chance to participate in any of the events, you will be extremely happy to choose to get involved with the Triumph Foundation.”
For more information about the Triumph Foundation, visit www.triumph-foundation.org/events.
