Free time is when you relax and relieve the daily routine for a bit. Most of us don’t have enough leisure time in our lives; we
don't take time off, or feel we
can't take the time or we don't use it constructively. It is important to include fun activities in our lives to have a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
The Assistive Technology for Kansans Project (ATK Project) can provide information about adaptive equipment for sports. Contact Sheila Simmons at
[email protected] for more information.
The links on the left-hand side of this page can give you some ideas for leisure time activities. Of course, these topics are not all inclusive. If you have an area of interest that is not addressed, you may want to do an Internet search for what interests you.
Have fun checking out the pages and enjoy your leisure time!
Photography
Taking pictures and videos can be a fun hobby or career that allows you to record your own personal history and the sights around you.
Almost anyone can be a photographer, including people with vision impairments, blindness, dexterity impairments or mobility issues. In recent years, technological advances have allowed more people with disabilities to become photographers.
Examples of resources and websites:
- “Shooting Beauty” - This effort started out as a non-disabled photographer’s project to give cameras to people with disabilities so each could tell their story through photographs. One of the goals for the project was to help break down stereotypes. Another was to assist people with disabilities to tell their stories. The project ended up as a movie called “Shooting Beauty”.
- Christopher Voelker is likely the most recognized photographer with a disability. Wikipedia has more information about Mr. Voelker.
Travel and Vacation
When we think of vacation, we think of traveling. Now people with disabilities can travel to almost anywhere that people without disabilities can go. You may need to research accommodations so your travel experience is successful, but fortunately travel resources abound for people with disabilities.
For Accessible Car Rental Information, Contact United Access at 1-888-939-1010
or www.unitedaccess.com.
TSA Cares Helpline Assists Travelers with Disabilities
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has launched TSA Cares, a new helpline number designed to assist travelers with disabilities and medical conditions. You can go to the
TSA website and in the search box type "TSA Cares" and the topic you are interested in. For example, service dogs, medication, Autism. Unfortunately there is not a TSA Care website, so you have to search for the topic you are interested in.
Travelers may call TSA Cares toll free at 1-855-787-2227
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prior to traveling with questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at the security checkpoint. TSA Cares will serve as an additional, dedicated resource specifically for passengers with disabilities, medical conditions or other circumstances or their loved ones who want to prepare for the screening process prior to flying.
The hours of operation for the TSA Cares helpline are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. EST, excluding federal holidays. Travelers who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to contact TSA Cares or can e-mail
[email protected].
If you would like to make advance arrangements for screenings at airports, travelers can contact TSA using
Talk To TSA, a web-based tool that allows passengers to reach out to an airport Customer Service Manager directly, and the TSA Contact Center, 1-866-289-9673
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and e-mail, where travelers can ask questions, provide suggestions and file complaints
Travel Kansas
Kansas Travel and Tourism has a great website with lots of places to travel in Kansas. Ready-Made Adventures, Scenic Byways and Backways, Quirky Kansas, historic sites and much more await you in Kansas.
Did you know?
In order to have a tourist attraction sign on Kansas highways, the attraction must be accessible? Check out those sites while on your way across Kansas.
Quick Link
Frixo - a service in England for finding out how highway traffic is on certain roads.
Sports and Hunting
Can I play sports if I have a disability? You bet you can! Due to the advancement of technology and assistive equipment, sports can be part of everyday life for people with disabilities.
Sports are a great way to enjoy socializing with friends, teammates, and competitors while also building physical strength, resiliency, teamwork skills and self-confidence. From wheelchair sports to adaptive skiing, from power-lifting to adaptive sailing, there are hundreds of adaptive sports options available to you and even more organizations ready to help you participate and enjoy them.
If there is a sport you are interested in trying, go to the
Outdoor Sports and Leisure website to see the opportunities. This site concentrates on non-competitive sports, where the only person you are competing against is yourself. There is a wonderful feeling of well-being as you become part of the beautiful rugged outdoor world!
The Assistive Technology for Kansans Project (ATK Project) can provide information about adaptive equipment for sports. Contact
Sheila Simmons for more information.
Olympics
Special Olympics - Special Olympics is an international year-round program of sports training, education and athletic competition for more than one million children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Paralympics - Today, the Paralympics are elite sport events for athletes with a disability. They emphasize, however, the participants' athletic achievements rather than their disability. The movement has grown dramatically since its first days. In fact, the number of athletes participating in Summer Paralympic Games has increased from 400 athletes from 23 countries in Rome in 1960 to 3,951 athletes from 146 countries in Beijing in 2008 to 4,280 athletes from 166 countries in London in 2012.
Hunting
The
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has information on disability permits issued by the Law Enforcement Division. The two permits issued to help people with disabilities are:
The agency also issues free hunt and fish licenses to disabled veterans as funds permit. For more information on this, call the Pratt office at (620) 672-5911
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.