PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

THE POWER OF THE POOL...

Trust... Diveheart instructors and dive buddies must have it before they can change the lives of someone with a disability.

When I first started guiding blind skiers in the mid 80's I realized how much someone with no sight had to trust their guide.

Confidence, control and calm had to be exerted by the blind ski guide while all the time reassuring the blind skier in a loving tone that all was ok and that they were doing fine.

The same applies in the pool, quarry, lake or ocean when working with a new scuba diver with a disability.

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to work in a pool with and incredible and beautiful woman who suffers from quadriplegia. Shelly is a bright eyed third grade teacher who lives near Hershey Pennsylvania.

Please read her story and share it with others....I can't help thinking that as she explains how scuba has changed her life, somehow, this new wonderful friend of Diveheart has changed mine.

Jim Elliott
President of Diveheart

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Diveheart Newsflash Feature Story

Feeling Free and Flying Underwater

By Shelly White

May 31, 2009, the Cody Unser First Step Organization's, Scuba Adventure, touched down in Hershey, PA. Friends of mine at Lebanon Valley College, told me about this opportunity to learn more about scuba diving for those with disabilities. A powered parachuting accident in September 2001, left me paralyzed from the chest down, relying on the use of a wheelchair for mobility. Therefore, never in a million years was I going to try scuba diving, but I was curious to check it out. Sunday morning, we arrived at the sports center at LVC and met my favorite water woman, Mary Gardner (Aquatics Director). I watched the divers in the pool, again thinking, not for me. Rob Dellar, Rick Allwein, and I were invited to scuba on Tuesday, June 2^nd. It would have been neat to go and watch, however I had school and didn’t think I could take off.

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