Hello again! I hope everyone had a wonderful week 2 at your
sites, and I can’t wait to see you again on Tuesday!
In our last meeting, we discussed the idea of transportation
in Memphis (well, you all discussed while I was stuck downtown waiting for a
bus). I cannot help but relate my experience last Tuesday to the hardships
faced by many of the athletes in SO Greater Memphis. Due to the nature of
extreme physical and intellectual disabilities, the athletes are not able to
provide transportation for themselves. Therefore, this becomes a priority for
the families in order to ensure as many opportunities for development, and
simply fun, are available for their loved ones. However, work schedules are a
constant conflict for the athletes as they attempt to involve themselves in SO
programs. To combat work-related obstacles, SO plans programs that either run
during business hours all day, such as the camp I am involved with this summer,
or events that occur only after business hours. I have observed that the
families team up to transport as many athletes in one vehicle as possible: the
guardians take turns providing transport. An easy solution. However, for the
athletes that do not have families to care for them, transportation proves to
be a bit more challenging.
This week, my supervisor and I worked to plan a few of the
events for the Lynx Camp. We have planned to orient the camp around a more
educational objective rather than the sport-centered approach that was taken
last year. Our theme is Around the World, so we will expose the athletes to
many different cultures throughout the week while connecting them to the
Memphis community through a few field excursions. Many of the athletes have
been all over Memphis with various SO programs in the past, so it is proving
difficult to keep our excursions fresh and exciting. However, I think they will
be the highlight of the camp, at least for myself, as we challenge ourselves to
find unique places in Memphis that differ from the regular “tourist” sites. I
am excited to broaden my knowledge of Memphis, and to share new experiences
with these amazing individuals. Specifically, I am tasked with finding useful
information and translating it into understandable, interactive language and
activities. I’ll be sure to keep you updated on our progress as the camp
approaches!
I am really excited to hear about what you discover about Memphis! The city has so much to do, but it can be challenging to find new things apart from the regular tourist sites, especially for people who live here and have seen a lot. I have lived in Memphis for three years now and I feel like I have barely scratched the surface, which is one of the reasons I wanted to be involved with Summer Service. You have the ultimate task of discovering Memphis, relating it to the athletes, and relating it to the fellows. You will definitely have a much better understanding of Memphis at the end of the summer!
ReplyDeleteTori,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you’re having a great experience so far working with Special Olympics! It’s clear that you are observing and listening to the needs of your clients rather than jumping to conclusions (i.e. walking the old woman across the street when she was waiting for the bus, to use Sandi’s metaphor.) For example, you and the SO staff are cognizant of the fact that those involved in SO have conflicting work schedules, so you all are working to address that need by staying open during and after regular business hours. In addition, you all recognize that family is not a resource for everyone. This issue is related to transportation, which you pointed out, and it’s great to see that you’ve thought about our MATA trip in relation to your clients.
The summer camp that you’re planning will definitely be a great way to expand your knowledge of Memphis! I’m interested to hear where you plan to take the SO participants in Memphis that meets the non-tourist qualification and fits with the Around the World theme. It’s especially interesting that you’ve been given the job of translator. It seems like you’ll get to use your creativity to communicate information about other cultures in a fun, understandable way. Do you have any ideas so far?
I look forward to hearing how summer camp plays out and what you learn from the SO participants and this city!