8_______
Feature
Volunteers combine efforts for disabled kids
WedNEsdAy, MAy 10, 2000
The CI ac I camas P rìnt
TAM OLIVER
Staff Writer
A four-year-old boy in a wheel-
chair has brought a diverse
group of people together here on
campus.
Steven Roberts, a little boy
who aspires to be a PGA cham
pion, spends a lot of time in a
wheelchair that outweighs him
by more than ten pounds. He was
born
with
osteogenesis
imperfecta, also known as
“Brittle Bone”. When Steven
plays, he uses a wheelchair to
prevent breaking bones.
The chair he uses is heavy to
propel and awkward to maneu
ver. There are lighter chairs for
children, some that weigh 26
pounds instead of 47, but they
cost more, and the insurance
companies won’t pay for the ul
tra-lights. Most chairs for chil
dren two to four years old are just
like Steven’s. The average weight
of the child who uses them is 26
pounds. It’s one-size-fits-all, as
the insurance companies will
buy replacement chairs only ev
ery five years.
That’s why,
when
Teryl
Hoffmann-Figgins, a Clackamas
psychology student, received a
call from Sherman Washman
about wheelchairs and how they
might possibly be improved to
make life easier for students navi
Teryl Hoffmann-Figgins, Steven Roberst and Sandy Roberst discuss the plans for wheelchair improvements.
gating the campus at Clackamas,
become aware of some of the
OATC, Hoffmann-Figgins and
she thought of the children in
community volunteers, will ex
plore the possibility of design
wheelchairs for whom she volun
problems connected to wheel
chair mobility on campus when
teers—Hoffmann-Figgins is the
he read the article by Shelbi
ing a new chair for Steven. They
founder and facilitator of a group
Wescott in the March 8 edition
of The Print. After talking to
visualize a wheelchair that
called WOW, that’s Winners on
weighs 20 pounds, adjusts for
Wheels. Hoffmann-Figgins was
Hoffmann-Figgins, his focus
growth and is affordable. They
well aware of the problems stu
shifted to the problems experi
see a chair that will make life
dents have with their chairs.
enced by younger chair users.
easier for many children.
“There’s a lot for adults, but
work with these young kids and
help them to become,involved in
life and educational opportuni
T0NIMCMICHAEL1 Clackamas Print
group this Saturday, May J 3 at I
p.m. in ¡R^rj,<ial 1 Qyrp, ^^o^ding
to ASG member Mike Lewis, they
ties, to get them ready for the tri
als they will experience as teen
already have reserved the gym
agers.
“It’s difficult enough to be a
tournament. In between games,
they will set up games consist
teenager. I want to be able to
help,” she said.
obstacle course to get to know
for the Cougar Classic basketball
ing of races, pickle ball, and an
A group from Clackamas’ en
“What we have to do is give
Her desire to help appears to
the kids. And yes, ASG members
gineering, English and computer
these kids independent mobility,”
be contagious. The Associated
do plan to borrow wheelchairs
Washman, who occasionally
assisted design and manufactur
Hoffmann-Figgins explained.
Student Government (ASG) will
and see how they do in the
takes classes at Clackamas, had
ing departments, along with
host a meeting of the WOW
events.
nothing for kids,” she told him.
Hoffmann-Figgins’ dream is to
LCOP helps homemaker find new start
TAM OLIVER
Staff Writer
“It seemed like every time I came
here someone would share,” she re
lated.
Laurie Sullivan’s lawyer suggested
the Life and Career Options course at
Clackamas Community College.
support, Sullivan was encouraged to
“She said it would be a good place
possessed and to discover what she
In addition to receiving emotional
assess the marketable skills she already
to begin working on your life,” Sullivan
really wanted to do. She was encour
remembers.
aged to pursue educational goals, and
After27yearsofmarriage, Sullivan’s
to apply for scholarships. Speakers
husband had recently asked her for a
came to the classroom and told oftheir
divorce. Up to that point in her adult
own experiences. They had also had
life, she had spent her time raising
rough experiences, yet all seemed to
three chi Idren and being a willing home
come out on top.
maker.
“I chose to stay home and raise my
children. I loved being a mother,” she
said.
“I actually felt like I had a chance to
have a new life,” she said.
This turned out to be true. To date,
Sullivan has been awarded two $500
MIKE POLLOCK I Clackamas Print
Mother of three, homemaker
Laurie Sullivan discovered life
is about change and found a
new beginning through the Life
and Career Options program
on campus.
At the time of her husband’s sur
scholarships and received a $50 award
prise announcement, one child,
for a speech she gave about Denmark
Since that emotional experience,
Zachary, age 17, remained at home.
Sullivan has received an additional
Two others had grown up and left the
in a recent tournament.
The Herb and Betty Morris Schol
scholarship from the Danish Sister
nest and a grandchild had been bom.
arship was the first scholarship Sullivan
hood of America. In addition to doing
Winter quarter 1998, Sullivan enrolled
received, and it Was presented in per
work-study for LCOP and occasional
in the LCOP program.
son by the retired couple/donors.
housecleaning jobs, she continues to
Sullivan’s parents attended the cer
work on her educational goal, which
“I was looking for hope in my life,
that 1 had some kind of future,” she
emony. After high school, Sullivan had
has switched from nursing to business
recalled.
married and begun raising children.
Now there were people who believed
administration.
“As long as you are learning, you
in her ability to obtain an education.
feel like you are moving forward,” she
At LCOP, she met other people who
were struggling through difficult
phases of their lives. She found she
“That someone felt I was valuable
said. “From LCOP, I really felt like I had
wasn’talone or unique. She found that
enough to give me money to go to
a beginning. It wasn’t an end to my
life presents changes to all of us.
school,” she marvels.
life. A chapter was (merely) closed.”
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