Member Spotlight: Kurt
How are you involved with self-determination? Why did you join the SD Network?
Kurt’s interest in self-determination largely stems from sports, recreation, leisure, pastimes, hobbies, and therapeutic activities. “From that, I work hard to culminate a better position by leaders and decision-makers to the regard of disability ministries; for mine, I call it ability ministry,” he says. He believes that it is all about lifestyle development and letting people be at the best version of themselves. Kurt joined the SD Network in consideration of his ambition to help the disability networks and organization be closer to people at home, and for the sake of letting folks determine more for themselves what they want their days to look like.
Tell us some good news - what's the most exciting thing happening for you (or in Wisconsin) in terms self-determination?
Kurt is very involved in adaptive water skiing. He would like to share that if individuals determine for themselves that they want to water ski, watch water skiing, or be involved other opportunities around water skiing, that there are some fantastic programs out there. He explains that five years ago, Wisconsin had five inclusive programs to water skiing; today, there are 27. Kurt hopes to convert that number to 72. He says, “my commitment is that I am reaching out to a million people in Wisconsin to see that in the year 2020 that there will be a sit ski available out of every county of Wisconsin - 72 counties.” It is collaboration with other sports/rec. options out there like Access Ability Wisconsin is doing with Action Track Chairs.
What tip or resource would you like to share with people who want to be more self-determined?
Kurt believes that self-determination can easily miss one's aspiration with church. “It is so important that if someone wants more spiritual experiences that we help each other receive more of what we intend for ourselves on a faith level,” he explains. Kurt wants to join together to see what we can do to make membership to community groups more realistic, achievable, and welcomed. He thinks that clubs such as Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, and Optimist are big examples of community groups that tend not to really organize around the plausibility of people with disabilities being in their membership. He believes that there are some exemplary exceptions to that observation, but it would be great if it were the norm. He explains that we need to think what we can do in education from kindergarten to doctorate degrees, what we can do to prepare the workforce, professionals, volunteers, and so forth to play a role in integration like never ever before. He also believes that we need to find out more ways that community can respond to individual interests when it is not as available by agencies. He thinks that all off this needs to connect more to the labor force and with employers to bring great increase to inclusive hiring; all individuals are a vital component in this as it is with reaching legislators.
What message would you like to share with the members of the SD Network?
Kurt wants everyone to remember that people with disabilities are the largest minority group, and no other minority group is excluded from the disability minority group. He explains that people with disabilities represent the only entirely/completely inclusive group on Planet Earth. He encourages everyone “to work towards claiming the clout deserved by every individual with a disability in the numbers of the minority group that carries the enormity in getting it right with every single individual with a disability.”
What are some of your hobbies?
Kurt enjoys water skiing and volunteering with disability organizations. Currently, he’s Vice-Chair of the Wisconsin Council on Physical Disabilities, a board member of Snappin' Ministries, a board member of Madison Spinal Cord Injury, a board member of Water Skiers with Disabilities Association, and Vice-President of the Lynzay Legois Free Water Ski Club.
Kurt wants spread the word about the U.S. Wake Sports Festival in Janesville August 15th to 19th. There is a specialized program and welcome to water ski for people with disabilities August 15th and 16th. For all who don't have interest in the water skiing, he welcomes them to come to the Festival anyway to be a spectator and have a chance to make new friendships.
***We love hearing the views and opinions of Network members. We need to mention that the views and opinions expressed on this site are those of the person who is sharing them. They do not necessarily reflect InControl Wisconsin or any of our supporters and funders.
