austraLasia #1997
(Two items of note:
1. 'Thai Salesian Games 2007' [#1994] was picked up on Google alert. Congrats to our Thai correspondent, Fr Suphot Riungam!
2. #1996 on the 'differently-abled', from Bro Jomar at Canlubang in the Philippines, has encouraged yet another Thai correspondent to write in. Fr Charles Velardo's story is below.)
Bridge over the River Kwai - blind cyclists' latest challenge
PAKKRED (Thailand): 3rd December 2007 -- "Yesterday at dawn I left with a group of fifteen blind and visually-impaired cyclists for a 90 kilometre ride. Amongst the activities we have at our Skills Development Centre for the Blind is bike-riding. Usually we ride in areas not far from the Centre, but once a year we lengthen the distance. I assure you it is both a challenge, and fun. A challenge because blind riders have to overcome their fear by riding side-by-side with cars and trucks on ordinary roads with no other protection than their sense and their stamina. Fun, because of the reaction of motorists and people at large who, there and then, cannot understand immediately what is going on.
Can a blind person ride a bike? Yes, with a tandem bike, together with a sighted guide! Yesterday, for the second year in a row, we joined the Tour de Thailande, an annual feature organised to gather funds for a Foundation which helps poor people affected by leukemia. Last year, by providential chance, the organiser of the Tour came to see me and I readily suggested that blind riders join the Tour....so long as some funds were made available for the Blind. The offer was accepted and we joined the Tour from Ayuthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand, to Bangkok.
This year the route took as to Kanchanaburi, the city of the famous Bridge over the River Kwai. The fun and amazement were repeated. Everyone looked smart, happy....tired. In spite of the fact that our bikes are not top of the line, the results were more than satisfactory. Riding alongside sighted cyclists lessens the gap of disability, creates bonds of friendship, makes people aware of the abilities of the blind, and educates to team-work".
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use BoscoWiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xml Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org
(Two items of note:
1. 'Thai Salesian Games 2007' [#1994] was picked up on Google alert. Congrats to our Thai correspondent, Fr Suphot Riungam!
2. #1996 on the 'differently-abled', from Bro Jomar at Canlubang in the Philippines, has encouraged yet another Thai correspondent to write in. Fr Charles Velardo's story is below.)
Bridge over the River Kwai - blind cyclists' latest challenge
PAKKRED (Thailand): 3rd December 2007 -- "Yesterday at dawn I left with a group of fifteen blind and visually-impaired cyclists for a 90 kilometre ride. Amongst the activities we have at our Skills Development Centre for the Blind is bike-riding. Usually we ride in areas not far from the Centre, but once a year we lengthen the distance. I assure you it is both a challenge, and fun. A challenge because blind riders have to overcome their fear by riding side-by-side with cars and trucks on ordinary roads with no other protection than their sense and their stamina. Fun, because of the reaction of motorists and people at large who, there and then, cannot understand immediately what is going on.
Can a blind person ride a bike? Yes, with a tandem bike, together with a sighted guide! Yesterday, for the second year in a row, we joined the Tour de Thailande, an annual feature organised to gather funds for a Foundation which helps poor people affected by leukemia. Last year, by providential chance, the organiser of the Tour came to see me and I readily suggested that blind riders join the Tour....so long as some funds were made available for the Blind. The offer was accepted and we joined the Tour from Ayuthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand, to Bangkok.
This year the route took as to Kanchanaburi, the city of the famous Bridge over the River Kwai. The fun and amazement were repeated. Everyone looked smart, happy....tired. In spite of the fact that our bikes are not top of the line, the results were more than satisfactory. Riding alongside sighted cyclists lessens the gap of disability, creates bonds of friendship, makes people aware of the abilities of the blind, and educates to team-work".
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use BoscoWiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xml Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org
