Dreamscape’s Mission Takes Shape at Hannibal YMCA
Dreamscape’s Mission Takes Shape at Hannibal YMCA
In 2018, Hannibal YMCA’s Group Fitness & Aquatics Coordinator reached out to Dreamscape Foundation seeking guidance and assistance on how to make their YMCA facility – and its programs – more accessible. The effort was inspired by one of their wheelchair-bound members, Audrey Pickett, who wanted to be more involved but was facing accessibility challenges at their facility.
Dreamscape Foundation immediately responded, and has since been providing advice on accessibility options and resources, as well as contributing funds to support the programs and equipment that would make accessibility possible.
The collaboration sparked a movement; one driven by Audrey’s determination to make the world more accessible for herself and others. She experienced firsthand how the fitness equipment and programs at the YMCA can improve her life, her personal strength, and her mobility.
Beyond that, she found a sense of community at the YMCA that accepted her, encouraged her, and offered opportunities to be involved with the organization. She wanted other individuals in her community with disabilities to have these same opportunities. Thus, Dreamscape Foundation remained in contact and continued to support her in these efforts.
Below is an update on her story.
From Student to Instructor: Audrey is an Invaluable Asset to the YMCA
In addition to her attending her physical training sessions, Audrey is now an instructor teaching Pound classes at the same YMCA that she helped evolve to accommodate accessibility needs. The class is a high energy cardio, conditioning, and strength training program that utilizes special drumsticks called “Ripstix.” The exercise uses these sticks to combine rhythmic beats with Pilates- and Yoga-inspired movements, and is easily modified to suit participant’s unique level of abilities.
“When I first started taking Pound two years ago, I didn’t ever think I was going to be teaching it,” Audrey confessed. “I didn’t even think I was going to last a class. But then I kept going back.”
When asked about how the last two years have impacted her, she said, “It’s made me a better person, and it’s made me stronger. I realized that I can do more than I thought I could do.”
Audrey has always enjoyed teaching and has desired to do so in some capacity. However, being a Pound instructor at the YMCA is an opportunity she never imagined would be a reality when this all began. She attributes her growth to both her dedicated practice and effort as well as the support of the people around her.
Beyond teaching, Audrey is also an active YMCA volunteer. Recently, she helped assemble food boxes for their USDA-funded food program called Meals On The Go. The program provides one week’s worth of food per box for youth ages 18 years and younger.
“I love this place,” Audrey said. “It’s my second home.”
Audrey continues to serve as a huge driver for accessibility at the YMCA. Her voice has led to several changes, including adapting the handicap restroom to be more accessible.
“Audrey mentioned that the stall was very tight, and she really couldn’t get in there, turn her chair and shut the door,” said Hannibal YMCA CEO Eric Abts. “And we appreciated that perspective. We moved on it pretty quickly, and got it switched over. Now it’s better for everyone.”
Looking forward, Audrey aspires to continue to grow, expanding her capabilities as a Pound instructor and possibly return to school to expand her education.
“I wanted to say we’re extremely thankful to Dreamscape Foundation for making this possible,” Eric said. “You guys have been wonderful. We’ve had this relationship with Dreamscape for well over a year now and it’s just been a blessing.”
« PreviousNext »Skating Over Setbacks: The Kyle Hilliard Story
Skating Over Setbacks: The Kyle Hilliard Story
Sports have always played an important role in American culture. They have the power to unite the nation while teaching morality, ambition and integrity. American children are exposed to sports early on, and many kids begin specializing in a sport by five or six years old. For an athlete to find success they are expected to look and act a certain way, and those who don’t are seen as underdogs. The best success stories involve breaking barriers and defying the odds. Just ask these famous former underdogs; Willie O’Ree, Shaquem Griffin, Rudy Ruettiger, Jim Abbott, Jeremy Lin, and hopefully one day, Kyle Hilliard.
Overcoming the Odds
Born nine and a half weeks premature, weighing only 4 pounds 8 ounces, left Kyle Hilliard with some developmental setbacks. “I was born with some nervous system and coordination issues, which resulted in me not being able to walk around two years old, so my mom took me out on the ice,” he recalled. “She took me ice skating to teach me natural balance, coordination, build up that leg strength, and before long I started ice skating. After I started ice skating, I learned how to walk. It’s kind of funny and went a little backwards.” From that point on, ice skating remained an important part of Hilliard’s therapy.Practice Makes Perfect
As Kyle continued to ice skate, his strength, coordination and balance kept improving. One day while at the ice rink, he saw kids playing ice hockey. Like any child would do next, he asked his mother if he could join them. Her answer was the first of many no’s that Hilliard would encounter throughout his sports career. She told me I had to get better at ice skating before I can start playing, so at four years old I begged her every single day to take me to the ice rink,” he shared. “Then at five years old, I finally started playing ice hockey, the sport that would become my passion in life.”
Love of the Game
Growing up, Kyle played in the local house league due to financial limitations, which meant he got one practice and one game a week for a little over half a year. When you compare that to players without financial restrictions there becomes a huge developmental gap. He explains, “their parents are paying 10 – 15 – $25,000 a year for their kids to get 48 game seasons, three-to-four practices a week, specialized coaching, scouting, tournaments and Canadian tournaments.” When Hilliard got to high school, he knew he didn’t receive the same proper direction and development as his competition, but he had the passion.Four-Year Transformation
For Kyle’s freshman year of high school, he made the varsity hockey team, but he never played a game. “I sat on the bench, which just motivated me to keep working harder, overcome that skill gap, that development gap, overcome everything, just keep working harder,” he confessed. “Then sophomore year I finally got my shot on varsity, and junior and senior year I was an alternate captain on the team.” Not only did this left wing go from benchwarmer to captain, but his team went from a 3-18 season his freshman year to placing second in the championships his senior year.Showing Up
After high school, Hilliard went to Seton Hall University and played for the American Collegiate Hockey Association his first year. As happy as he was to be playing hockey, he knew he had more to give and started looking for other ways to continue to evolve in the sport. Then he found the New Jersey Rockets Organization and saw they were about to have an open three-day tryout. “First day of tryouts coach tells me you’re not gonna make the team and tells me to go home,” he admitted. “I told him I know I’m not going to make the team. but just let me skate for the extra practice.” Kyle not only returned the next day, but after tryouts ended the coach invited him to return for the third day. “I go back on the third day, and I made the team,” he proudly shared. “I went from being fourth line walk on to top six player on the team and captain.”A Big Change
During his season with the New Jersey Rocket Organization, Hilliard spoke to scouts from the Calgary Flames and the Minnesota Wild. “They told me that they loved my skating speed and that I still have things to develop on, but, you know, skating speed was what I was marketing myself on,” he explained. Finally, after overcoming all of life’s setbacks it seemed like things were looking up. Then two crucial things happened. “The first thing was a small shoulder operation to fix a ligament that got torn,” Kyle shared. “Then the other thing was I had amassed 72 credits from Seton Hall University that ruined my chances of playing NCAA hockey because the eligibility cut off is 18 credits and you start losing playing years of eligibility.”Age is Just a Number
Hilliard started playing ACHA hockey again once he healed from surgery and continued to play, develop, and improve over the next few years. “I had proven that I can overcome that skill gap, that I was getting up there, that I could do all these amazing things, but I just ran out of time because hockey has an age out at 21,” he told. “Everyone’s looking at me and saying you’re past 21, you’re too old, but hockey is a sport that should be for everyone no matter how old you are, where you came from, your background. It should be one of the sports where if you really want it, you should be able to make it happen.”Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Since first implementing the “Hockey is For Everyone” campaign in February of 2019, the National Hockey League has continued to use their global influence to drive positive social change and foster more inclusive communities. “They’re saying in their campaign that, you know, race, gender, sexual orientation, finance, and disabilities doesn’t matter; that the sport is for everyone. Well, here’s their chance to prove it. Give me a shot,” Kyle challenged. “I got the skating speed to compete with the best players in the world, just to give me a shot, and I can prove to them that I can.” Hilliard is doing all of this not just for himself, but to help pave the way for others.
Let’s Go Viral
“It’s been everything. Hockey gave me the ability to walk. Hockey gave me drive and passion, so I just never quit,” Kyle admitted. For the past twenty years Hilliard has played hockey, but until recently he hadn’t sharing his talent in the social media world. There is one time lapse video in particular that really showcases his speed. “We did a skating video of me doing an all -star skating lap, and I did it in 14.16 seconds,” he boasted. “If you were to put that on the NHL speed skating competition, I would have come in fifth place and that’s all self-made.” You can see this video and many others by following Hilliard on his personal Instagram or TikTok.
Believe It, See It, Achieve It
Winners never quit and quitters never win. In Kyle’s own words, “no matter your challenges you can you can overcome them and you can thrive,” he shared. “It might take a little more time, but it is possible.” The Kyle Hilliard Story is far from over. More committed than ever, Hilliard enlisted the help of world-renowned hockey coach, Vladi Kouroedov, and has been training with Kouroedov since February. With his improved skills, Kyle hopes to get the opportunity to try out for the ECHL next season. Hilliard’s story is a great reminder that with passion, work, and determination you can achieve anything. What do you want your story to say? « PreviousNext »Illuminating Invisible Disabilities
Illuminating Invisible Disabilities
Many know a disability when they see one; Quadriplegics in a wheelchair or Blind people with a walking cane are some afflictions that come to mind. If I asked you, “What is the most common disability?” what would you say? Actually, the most common ones are typically non-physical related. Many people will not know immediately that someone is living with these Hidden Disabilities. This is where we want to step in to help spread the word.
Living with a Mental Disorder
Psychiatric disabilities, an umbrella term that covers a wide variety of mental health issues, are as common as 1 in 2 people. This is something people deal with every single day. These people do not require use of a cane or any accessibility device, as they have no actual physical disability. Keep in mind, people suffering from Psychiatric Disabilities can have years of experience, but still suffer from their condition. One mustn’t confuse experience with curing of a disability. Think of it as a scale, day to day, ranging from mild to severe. For example with the right amount of experience, people living with Bipolar Disorder will be able to notice signs of a disturbance and might even be able to contain their emotions, to a degree. Other days, the person may not even notice their mental disorder.Knowing the Signs
Although some invisible disabilities can be kept low-key, some will actually need to be presented to everyone around them. Due to the possible life-or-death situation, conditions such as Epilepsy, Diabetes, and Learning Disabilities should be shared as soon as you get to know someone. There is no shame in telling someone about your condition. especially if you spend a lot of time with them. The triggering of your disability can spark a wide variety of health issues and symptoms that can have you thrown for a loop, and can even lead to death. Keeping loved ones in mind, there should be no judgement. It may be a hard conversation to have, but one that needs to happen.Being the Support they Need
Living around someone with an Invisible Disability may sound like a rigorous task, but actually it’s pretty simple. With the right experience, someone will be able to “get into the mind” of their mentally disabled friend. These skills can be learned through personal experience, knowledge of previous events, and works best when you’re very close to the person. Catching someone slipping can save hours if not days of grueling mental laps that the invisible disability affects on the person afflicted. A simple, “Let’s step outside and get a breather” or “Hey, drink some water” can go a long way! Tackling Invisible Disabilities can be as easy as changing the pace of the day. Get some fresh air, take your mind of what it bringing you down. Staying positive is one of the best ways to deal with Invisible Disabilities. Without the right attitude, the afflicted will never get better. With the help of loved ones and the advice of professionals, Invisible Disabilities can be identified and dealt with accordingly. « PreviousNext »Audrey’s Determination Sparks a Movement in the Community
Audrey’s Determination Sparks a Movement in the Community
The Hannibal YMCA is home to many locals looking to get in shape and increase their overall wellness. But some of these members are there for more than just losing weight and toning up. These members are pushing themselves to the limit everyday to fight back against the disabilities trying to keep them down. To them, going to workout with a personal trainer is about achieving goals they once thought to be impossible. However, it is hard for them all to get the most out of each session because of the limited equipment they can utilize.
The Hannibal YMCA has a complete training center but very little accessible equipment. The 10+ members with limited motion or who are wheelchair bound can only use the free weights and cables that are open underneath and accessible to them. Anyone who has gone to a modern day gym knows that very minimal machines allow for free and full range of motion. That is why the Hannibal YMCA Team and one of their most dedicated members, Audrey Pickett, have teamed up with the Dreamscape Foundation; to raise money for the accessible equipment they need to support all of their members and their community as a whole!