Wheelchair Walk Is New Experience for Youth
Being a youth under 16 in the summer usually means you are too young to have a job with many hours. You also are not old enough to drive yourself anywhere you would like to go. However, some of OUR youth got together with something to do Tuesday morning. We assisted at the Wheelchair Walk at Brethren Village.
Non-ambulatory residents were waiting for us when we arrived. It was a hot day to be outside but there were several shade trees along the path. No one in our group had ever visited a retirement community before this event. Four youth from LCOB were joined by friends from Stevens Hill Community COB for a total of 10 willing participants.
When asked about the experience, youth were surprised how much effort it takes to roll someone uphill and the muscle to be in control in rolling downhill. It was really just a short loop around the “Hidden Garden” and then we returned residents to their home floor. Once we finished, we had lunch together at the church in the youth room. Trying something new to fill a summer morning was rewarding and fun.
–Linda Byers, Director of Children & Youth