Access Trax Wins Alibaba Manifest Grants Program
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We are excited and grateful to share that Access Trax is a recipient of the 2022 Alibaba Manifest Grants Program! There were over 23,000 businesses that applied and 50 winners selected by an esteemed panel of judges including: the presidents of Alibaba.com and Hello Alice, the CEO of Indiegogo, the CRO of Payoneer, a product sourcing expert, and none other than Shark and FUBU Founder Daymond John.
This grant will support product development, strengthen our supply chain, and bolster overall business growth in 2023 and beyond!
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EDDIE Awards Celebrates Entrepreneurs with Disabilities
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Synergies Work, a nonprofit dedicated to helping entrepreneurs with disabilities launch and grow their businesses, is announcing the inaugural EDDIE Awards which will take place on April 27th, 2023. The awards celebrate the innovative and ambitious business leaders within the disability community who are helping build a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem and inspiring the next generation of people with disabilities across the world.
There will be winners across 5 categories: Newcomer, Creativity, Techpreneur, Social Impact, and Entrepreneur of the Year (chosen from 1 of the 4 above categories).
All disabled entrepreneurs are welcome to apply (see application website link below for details). Applications are open until March 1st and there will be a semifinals period before the winner is announced at the EDDIE Awards Ceremony on April 27th, 2023. Please help us spread the word!
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Geologist Creates Accessible Field Program
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Dr. Anita Marshall is no stranger to the barriers that geology field camps in the wilderness can impose. While a grad student at the University of Arkansas, she was struck by a drunk driver, instantly crushing her left leg. She wondered if her dream of becoming a field geologist was over. At geology field camps following her injury, she found that with her reconstructed leg and chronic fatigue, the existing camps were pushing her past the point of safety. Over time, she began to wonder if the extreme physical demands of field camp were a necessary part of the learning and science, or if it was just a culture that needed to shift to become more inclusive.
In researching the scope of the problem in STEM, she found that 22% of high schoolers with disabilities say they're interested in STEM careers. By the time they are master's degree students, only 6% are still in STEM. She knew that she wasn't alone in feeling pushed out. So she decided to create a more accessible and inclusive program to solve this unmet need in her field.
The GeoSPACE program is initially funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Dr. Marshall has carefully curated an accessible field camp that will open the geosciences to people that normally don't see themselves in this STEM field- not for lack of interest but due to barriers. Students in the GeoSPACE program have both an in-person and remote option, making the field camp experience truly inclusive.
To learn more about the program at the University of Florida, click on the link to the article or video.
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Learn about the GeoSPACE program founded by Dr. Anita Marshall at the University of Florida
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Record 33 Sports Apply for LA28 Paralympic Games
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This January marks an important month in the Paralympic world because the IPC (International Paralympic Committee) will decide which sports will be officially included in the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. A record-breaking 33 sports applied for the summer games. There are currently 22 summer and 6 winter Paralympic sports. The Paralympic Games in LA28 will be held August 15-27th 2028.
Among some of the new sports that applied to be included are: surfing, karate, golf, CP football, climbing and beach ParaVolley. What is challenging is that the IPC must remove some of the current sports in order to exchange them for new sports; they don't simply keep adding to the Games. The announcement for which sports will be included could happen any day now, and we are certainly hoping that surfing will be one of them!
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Access Trax & On The Mend Medical Collaborate
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Last year we had the privilege of working with On The Mend Medical to help a family who was on a time crunch. They needed to create an accessible home entrance for a loved one getting discharged within days from the hospital.
On The Mend Medical used their expertise to gather the right tools for the job including Access Trax for flat access over grass to the step-free back door entrance. We are glad to be a resource to families and other businesses working to achieve the same mission!
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Meet HAL: Hybrid Assistive Limb Device
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Meet HAL, the Hybrid Assistive Limb device. This device is designed to improve mobility and quality of life for those with spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, stroke, and other progressive neuromuscular diseases (such as ALS, MS, Parkinson's, etc.). It works by detecting faint bio-electrical signals from the wearer and assists with movement in order to re-establish neural pathways between the brain and muscles. HAL is the only FDA-approved exoskeleton for ambulation improvement.
RISE Healthcare's San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles clinics are the first providers in the United States to combine HAL technology with our unique 1-on-1 approach to physical therapy. Please check out this informative video at www.risehealthcaregroup.com and give them a call at (949) 590-9350 to learn more.
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AZ Family Enjoys Mission Beach Together Using Access Trax
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Kelly had the pleasure of renting Access Trax to a family from Arizona last summer. It turns out the family has been vacationing in San Diego for many years by tradition. The husband uses a wheelchair for mobility, so unfortunately the beaches outside of their vacation home weren't accessible for the whole family. With the rental of Access Trax, it opened up the possibility for many more experiences together. We look forward to seeing them again this summer!
"My husband has Muscular Dystrophy and relies on a power wheelchair for mobility. We were on vacation in San Diego this past summer - Mission Beach specifically - and our family wanted to have a birthday celebration on the beach near the home we were renting...I came across Access Trax and reached out to Kelly right away. She was really easy to get ahold of, super helpful with bringing the mats to our rental home, and overall easy to work with! My husband was able to drive his power wheelchair onto the beach for the first time ever - after 15 summers of visiting the beach with our family - and participated in our nephew's birthday celebration! It was an amazing moment to see everyone's face light up when he joined everyone on the beach! We will absolutely be using Access Trax every summer when we visit SD!"
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Do you need Access Trax for your upcoming adventures or events? Don't wait until a few weeks before you need your Trax to order for the spring and summer- due to continued supply chain lead times, we may sell out intermittently and don't want you to miss out. Typically, orders under 50 mats can ship within a few business days. Those larger orders take more time to manufacture and prep for shipping. Our CEO Kelly personally preps and ships each order with care!
Planning to rent Access Trax for an event any time this year? Rentals are first come-first served and we book up quickly. Reach out today to let us know your needs and we are happy to work with you!
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Kelly on Lead With Who You Are Podcast
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In her podcast, Lead With Who You Are, host Dia Bondi dives into what it means to leverage the power of your own strengths and break the status quo by leading as your truest and most aligned self. Dia has over 2 decades of experience in executive coaching, helping leaders prepare for and open up to critical communication moments in their careers. You might call her a communication catalyst!
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