Internet search engines can aggregate information at the touch of a button, but there’s nothing quite like learning about new options and ideas in real life and interacting with knowledgeable sources face to face.
That’s the idea behind the first annual Flathead Disability Health and Wellness Fair, scheduled on Nov. 12 from noon to 5 p.m. at The Wave in Whitefish. Event organizer Michaelann Lee said the fair’s purpose is to raise awareness about resources available to people with disabilities in the Flathead Valley.
Lee relocated to Whitefish from Seattle, where she had founded an exercise rehabilitation center for people with injuries and chronic disabilities. In Whitefish, Lee developed The Wave’s adaptive exercise program for people with disabilities.
Some of Lee’s clients are part of the Medicare waiver program, which pays for their specialized exercise therapy, such as the session last week with Kevin Reid, who experienced a brainstem stroke. Lee works with Reid on a weight-supported system and in the pool to exercise his body despite his paralysis.
“I moved here and saw that we needed exercise for people with disabilities and saw that there wasn’t much,” Lee said. “Working with people with disabilities, they don’t know that there are so many agencies and nonprofits around to help them.”
Resources for all types of disabilities – ranging from developmental to physical – will be represented at the fair with more than 30 state and local agencies and vendors available to answer questions. At least 20 of those agencies are local nonprofits; the remaining companies include hospitals, therapists and transportation businesses, among others.
The exhibitors will have booths set up during the fair and the afternoon will also feature hourly speakers to discuss how their services can benefit disabled persons in the valley with a raffle after each presentation.
Presentations from the state Disability Program and The Wave adaptive exercise program will begin at noon, followed by the Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana’s discussion on the Medicare waiver program and other programs the agency offers.
At 2 p.m., representatives from the Summit Independent Living Center will introduce their services, and Tim Gibb, a physical therapist and neurological specialist, will speak with occupational therapist and hand specialist Rebecca Norton at 3 p.m.
For the final discussion of the afternoon at 4 p.m., a support group panel will be available to answer questions about various meetings, including those for caregivers, men’s groups and the Recreation for Physical Disabilities Club.
While the event’s organizers would like to raise awareness of the Flathead’s disability services, another reason for the fair is to help build a sense of community for those who may feel alone, according to Flo Kiewel, the county coordinator and community work incentives coordinator at Summit Independent Living Center.
“A lot of people have disabilities that are physical or sensory,” Kiewel said last week, adding that this can be isolating for people who experience it.
Connecting with others in a similar situation can open a whole new world of opportunities and social interaction, Kiewel said, which is part of Summit ILC’s goal. The center is a resource agency that helps people with disabilities find ways to live as independently as possible.
Summit ILC does not directly provide the services, but provides suggestions and guidance through its network of various agencies, Kiewel said. One of the advantages of an event such as the disability fair is that it provides a chance for Kiewel to get to know other agencies and expand Summit ILC’s resource possibilities.
“It’s always good for us to have the networking opportunities,” she said.
Kiewel said, along with Summit ILC’s presentation on its general services, there would also be a specific discussion about its peer advocacy program, which provides one-on-one and group interaction with others who know what it is like to have a disability.
Anyone can attend the Disability Health and Wellness Fair free of charge, and Kiewel said she hopes people with disabilities come to explore what is available in the Flathead.
“I want them to come so they can connect to the services that will make them more active in their community,” Kiewel said.
The Flathead Disability Health and Wellness Fair will take place at The Wave in Whitefish, located at 1250 Baker Ave. For more information on Summit Independent Living Center, visit www.summitilc.org.
UPDATE: This story has been changed to reflect the correct date of the fair to Nov. 12.