>> FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS, THE NONPROFIT HOLYOKE ROWS
ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED ROWING ACCESS ON THE CONNECTICUT
RIVER FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO MAY NOT HAVE OTHERWISE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY.
FOUNDER STEPHANIE MOORE COACHED AT SEVERAL ELITE UNIVERSITIES
FOR 10 YEARS BEFORE OFFERING THIS SPECIAL SERVICE TO PIONEER
VALLEY RESIDENTS STARTING IN 2000.
BRIAN SULLIVAN CAUGHT UP WITH HERE DURING ONE OF HER ADAPTIVE
ROWING CLASSES.
>> SHE OUTFITS THIS SINGLE SEAT SHELL BEFORE JEFF BROOKS HEADS
ON THE RIR.
A LAYER OF FOG AND MIST HOVERS OVER THE WATER AS THE STRONG
CURRENT APPEARS TO BE TRYING TO PUSH IT AWAY.
THE RIVER IS HIGH, BUT AS LONG AS THE WEATHER IS COMPLIANT THE
ROWERS WILL ROW UNTIL THEY SHUT DOWN FOR THE WINTER MONTHS.
STEPHANIE IS WORKING WITH MEMBERS OF THE ADAPTIVE ROWING
GROUP, OVERCOMING DISABILITIES TO GET OUT ON THE WATER.
AS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION'S
BROADER UNIVERSAL ACCESS PROGRAM.
>> WE HAVE THE CONTRACT TO RUN ROWING.
SO WE ARE OPEN TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
WE DON'T QUESTION WHAT DISABILITY.
WE DON'T REALLY CARE.
WE WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THEM AND MAKE IT SO
THEY ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATION, ABLE GET ON THE RIVER AND ABLE
TO ENJOY THE STATE PARKS.
WE ARE NOT A STATE PARK.
WE STARTED IN NORTHAMPTON AT ELWELL STATE PARK.
OUR CLIENTS CAME DOWN WITH US.
THEY REALIZED THIS IS A GREAT PLACE, HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE,
BATHROOMS, SHOWERS, MAKING IT MORE FRIENDLY TO PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES AND FAMILIES.
>> THE ADAPTIVE GROUP MAY NOT BE THE BIGGEST CONTINGENT, BUT IT
IS A SIGNATURE PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT THE INCLUSIVENESS
THAT IS THE HALLMARK OF HOLYOKE ROWS.
STEPHANIE LOGS MORE THAN HER FAIR SHARE OF OVERTIME HOURS
MAKING SURE THE BOATHOUSE AND RIVER LIVES UP TO REPUTATION.
SHE WAS WORKING WITH JIM BROOKS WHO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH M.S.
AND BARBARA BLACK HAS BEEN COMPLETELY BLIND FOR OVER 20
YEARS.
NEITHER ACHIEVED OVERNIGHT SUCCESS BUT BOTH CITES ONE
PERSON FOR CONTINUING WITH THE PROGRAM WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT.
>> I HAVE ROWED NUMEROUS TOURNAMENTS OR REGATAS
THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES ALL BECAUSE THAT WOMAN OUT THERE ON
THE RIVER HAD THE PATIENCE TO ALLOW ME TO ACTUALLY COME TO
GRIPS WITH MY FEARS.
STEPHANIE IS NUMBER ONE.
>> I JUST FELT LIKE STEPHANIE WAS REALLY GOOD AT HELPING ME
FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THINGS AND SO I KEPT DOING IT WITH HER.
I DROPPED THE OTHER THINGS AND I KEPT GOING WITH HER.
SHE CONVINCED ME THAT I COULD TRY ROWING WITH A CREW AND SO I
TRIED IT AND IT WAS SORT OF LIBERATING TO BE PART OF A
GROUP, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, SCARY AT TIMES.
>> SCARY OR NOT, MANY OF THE ADAPTIVE ROWERS ARE JOINING THE
ABLE-BODIED ROWERS IN THE BIGGEST GROUP.
DAYS LIKE THIS ARE PRACTICE, A REFRESHER OR ANY OTHER REASON
THEY WANT TO BE OUT ON THE WATER.
>> WE TRY TO INCLUDE OUR ADAPTIVE ROWERS IN THE GENERAL
POPULATION SO THEY KNOW WHEN I WILL BE HERE FOR ANOTHER
PROGRAM.
A LOT OF THEM DON'T NEED SUPPORT IN THE WATER.
THEY NEED SUPPORT GETTING THEIR BOAT DOWN TO THE WATER AND BACK
UP THE HILL.
>> NEW RECRUITS ARE COMING ABOARD.
THE LATEST DROVE IN FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE.
STEPHANIE WORKS WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL ACCORDING TO THEIR
PROFILE.
THE END GAME IS TO GET THEM TO USE THEIR BODIES TO THE BEST OF
THEIR ABILITY.
>> WE ARE LOOKING AT ROWERS WITH DISABILITIES.
THEY ARE LIKE ROWERS LIKE ANY OTHER ROWER IN THE BOAT HOUSE.
THEY MAY COME TO BE AN ATHLETE, COME TO GET OUT OF THEIR HOUSE,
OUT OF THEIR DAY PROGRAM.
WE MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT.
THAT IS TRUE FOR ALL PEOPLE.
WE ARE A PROGRAM FOR THE COMMUNITY AND CREATES COMMUNITY.
IF WE LEAVE OUT ACCESSIBLE ROWING WE LEAVE OUT PART OF THE
COMMUNITY.
THAT IS OUR MISSION, TO INCLUDE EVERYONE.