Inclusive Recreation is the Goal of Rochester Accessible Adventures

April 8, 2017

WXXI’s Inclusion Desk interviewed RAA’s Executive Director, Anita O’Brien, as the organization is just over a year old. Understanding our the community can remove barriers to participation in recreation by people with disabilities is vital, and RAA’s mission is to make inclusion possible.

“I love the idea of adventure and that each person is able to choose what that means to them in life. Particularly in RAA it really is focused on recreation, active healthy lifestyle opportunities.”

O’Brien said inclusive recreational activities are often available as specific programs for people with disabilities, and are therefore limited to certain schedules and settings. She said as a community, more businesses should have the resources to be inclusive all of the time.

“I really began thinking that there was a gap in what people were able to access on their own time. That more systemic level of how our community operates with regards to recreation.”

The organization trains businesses to offer their services to everyone whenever their doors are open.

Read the full article by Caitlin Whyte here.