The programs of Abilities Unlimited promote a sense of value and belonging in our community. Differences in the participants are accepted and individual needs are met. Interaction with the general public is encouraged. Participants are offered opportunities to regain and improve life skills, mobility and independence. Abilities Unlimited wishes to serve the entire family by building a network of friends during our many demonstrations and outreach programs.
Exceptional Student Program - Abilities Unlimited serves students with a range of disabilities fromlocal public and private school system (middle to high school age). Many of these participants are not involved in Special Olympics. We also have programs for students with emotional and behavior problems. All of these students are transported by their school system to our off campus program. The program serves as physical education and progressive exercise for these students who would otherwise get little to no organized exercise. This enhances range of motion, ease in wheelchair transfers, continuing mobility, functional fitness, feelings of success, and a dramatic change in self-esteem. It also promotes daily life skills and socialization within a community. Abilities Unlimited programs are also available to this population following their graduation from school or as an after school activity.
Progressive Exercise Program– Our children and adult classes provide specific strength andconditioning,for people who have had strokes, closed head injuries, paralysis from accidents or surgeries, and birth defects. Many of the participants have been in physical therapy before and subsequently been denied care when their insurance discontinues payment. These participants are forced to stop short of their personal goals due to lack of funding for therapy. As with any exercise program when the participant stops they quickly lose any gains that may have occurred. As a result of a need in our community we have created this program to offer them continued fitness to maintain gains and in many cases improve their level of fitness regardless of their disability. Each person progresses at their own pace and the program is available to them for as long as they would like to participate. Our team of experts have created unique and exciting exercise regimens that are not available in the hospital setting. Most of the adults in this program come from nursing homes or assisted living facilities. The children’s program is held after school and serves as a therapy transition program. All of these activities promote daily living skills and, in some cases, job skills to aid the participant in becoming a valuable part of the community.
Special Olympic Powerlifting - Our Special Olympic Powerlifting Program is offered weekly. This program is for the mentally disabled.Powerliftingincludes: 3 lifts, bench press, deadlift and squats. Special Olympics requires participants in this program to be of age 16 or above. Abilities Unlimited, Inc. has a junior division for those below 16 years of age. A Special Olympics medical form is required for comptetiions.
Olympic Weightlifting Program - This program is made up from participants that are involved in one of our other programs that expressed a desire to achieve more. Olympic Weightlifting is just what it says it’s an Olympic event. The two competitive lifts are Snatch and Clean and Jerk. Both of these lifts are over-head. Snatch is one lift from the floor, Clean and Jerk is two lifts; from the floor to the collar bone and then a jerk (not press) to an overhead straight arm position. These lifts not only take strength but also great balance and technique. Our organization Abilities Unlimited allows participants to achieve what many other organizations can’t believe!
Paralympic Training - We currently aregrowing in our knowledge of this organization and their programs,one of our coaching certificationsthroughBlazesports America. Weare training athletesto participate in bench press/powerlift as well as training for track and field,basketball and tennis. We welcome all athletes to strength train for any Paralympic sport they are currently involved in or become involved in bench press/powerlift. Abilities Unlimited travels to championships several times a year and host eventsmany home events for our participants. These events give the participants and their families the opportunity to socialize and expand their network of friends throughout the community.