Fitness Inclusion Network

Zion National Park in Utah became the first national park to offer an all-terrain wheelchair for people with disabilities. The chair is free, first come, first served. A non-profit donated the funds to purchase the wheelchair for Zion. They started the process almost two years ago. This is a big step in the right direction! To read more, click the link. https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/zion-becomes-first-national-park-to-get-all-terrain-wheelchair-for-public-use/

The Great New York State Fair is having another Sensory Friendly Day on Wednesday, September 2nd from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Many of the rides will operate without lights, sounds, music, and public announcements will be reduced or limited. This will accommodate people with sensitivity to sound.

Today I went to Baltimore Woods. I checked out some of their trails. They have 6 miles of diverse hiking trails. Most are accessible and flat. The trails are rocky with some grass. There are some benches, but not a lot. It's very pretty because it's in the woods. There are many signs telling you what plants you are looking at. It's very quiet and peaceful. There are no dogs allowed because they want to keep the animals that live in the woods safe. Baltimore Woods Nature Center is a great place to explore and get into nature.

The Great New York State Fair is starting on Wednesday, August 26th and ends on Monday, September 7th. The fair will have many accessible amenities, such as accessible parking, wheelchair restrooms, a new accessible mobile restroom that's new this year, accessible concert seating, accessible seating and dining areas, an accessibility fairgrounds map, ASL interpreter services, baby care cottages, wheelchair, scooter, wagon, and stroller rentals, sensory areas, service animals, and tram service. To learn more, click the link https://nysfair.ny.gov/your-visit/plan-your-trip/accessibility/?utm_source=Member+-+General&utm_campaign=6a0a569b01-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2026_06_24_12_48_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-aaced0bad6-99986341

Yesterday I also checked out the Jim Schug Trail in Dryden, New York. The trail is about 4.2 miles long, but I only did part of it. There are breaks in the trail, and you have to cross the road to get to the other side of the trail. It is very flat, which is nice. The trail is made of gravel, which was bumpy at times. There were benches to sit down on to take a break. It was very pretty overall, and I saw some cool wildlife. If you want to go to Dryden, I would suggest checking out this trail.

Today, I went to the Roy H. Park Preserve in Dryden, New York. I explored their new trail. It was amazing! In the parking lot, there is handicap parking and a lot of the parking lot is paved, so that was really nice. Getting onto the trail was easy. The stones were very tiny, which was very nice. Then, there were 2 paths. One had stairs and the other one was the accessible trail. The accessible trail was newly built and it was beautiful! It started with some stones, and then became a boardwalk. At the beginning of the boardwalk, there were no handrails, but then the handrails started about 50 feet in. There is a slope on the boardwalk, but where it is, they had grab bars. Throughout the boardwalk, they also had benches where people could take breaks and look at the view. At the end of the boardwalk, the handrails went away so you could see the view easier, and it was gorgeous! Thank you again to Finger Lakes Land Trust! If you have a chance to check it out, I would highly recommend it!

3D printing is a game changer for some individuals! Recently, a 13-year-old boy named Zac Waters made a 3D-printed wheelchair for a little girl who couldn't afford an expensive wheelchair. He spent 300 hours on this project! And he did it because he wanted to! MakeGood Assistive Design is a nonprofit in New Orleans. They make technology available to everyone in need, including accessible equipment for people with disabilities. Zac connected with MakeGood to help this little girl. To learn more, click the link: https://www.upworthy.com/a-13-year-old-boy-spent-his-whole-summer-3d-printing-a-custom-wheelchair-for-a-baby-in-need/

Advocates Incorporated is having their next Friday Night Game Night on Friday, September 11, at Sacred Heart Church. Doors will open at 6 pm, and games will start at 6:30 pm and end at 8 pm. They will supply snacks, prizes, and beverages. All of it's free! They do appreciate donations to help with the cost of these items.

Heritage Hill Brewhouse is having a balloon festival from Friday, August 21 through Sunday, August 23. There will be tethered rides, night glows, full rides, a children's walk, balloons for the kids, games, live music, and more! Tethered balloon rides are $20 per person the day of. To learn more and to book a full balloon ride, go to the link below!

https://heritagehillbrewery.com/

Rosamond Gifford Zoo is having yoga with elephants on some Saturdays and Sundays in August from 830am-1030am. Tickets are $30 per ticket. Click the link below. https://www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org/events-2/upcoming-events/asian-elephant-extravaganza/