August
The Fitness Inclusion Network is excited to host “TRAID on the Trails” on Saturday, August 7th. The event will highlight resources offered by AccessCNY’s Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities (TRAID) Center. Featuring MoveAlong’s large fleet of adaptive cycles, Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion’s Mobile Monday Mile, and Our Ability; the team that cycled across New York State via the Erie Canalway Corridor. These groups and more will be taking part and kicking off the 1st Mile Challenge at Cedar Bay Park in Dewitt.
https://www.localsyr.com/bridge-street/traid-on-the-trails-event-highlights-importance-of-inclusive-fitness/
April
Arise Adaptive Design joins David’s Refuge alongside Fit IN to take the Family Fun Series to the next level. Director of AAD Connor McGough and Lead Builder Tracy Flemming join hosts Rory Lawrence and Peyton Sefick to explore adaptive design through cardboard construction. https://youtu.be/RpKO0G3T7go
March
The Family Fun Series takes the activities indoors while we explore DIY sensory pathways with therapists Lisa Neville and Christine Pelis. Play is work! Hosted by Rory Lawrence and Peyton Sefick. youtu.be/6WC14o4MZQ0
February
Fit IN has teamed up with David’s Refuge to bring our collective communities together with a series of talks on adaptive recreation, sport, design, and much more! Here is our first Family Fun Series conversation on Winter Family Fun with Geoff Pepple and Dr. Tim Davis. Hosted by Rory Lawrence and Peyton Sefick. youtu.be/GenV7H9NhIA
December 6, 2020
The Fitness Inclusion Network welcomes Helena Schmit as our Social Media Manager!
Helena is an accomplished advocate for herself and others. She is a senior in high school and will be graduating in January. She plans on attending a four-year college where she hopes to continue advocating and working with individuals with disabilities.
Be on the lookout for Helena’s posts on all Fit IN’s media outlets!
July 2, 2020
Throughout the 2020 summer, the Fitness Inclusion Network’s very own Rebecca Alexander will be uploading different breathing exercises and techniques in a short video format to help get in touch with our collective breath.
Rebecca has been involved with Fit IN since she co-authored our Unified Yoga guidebook in 2017. She is a physical therapist at SUNY Upstate and certified yoga instructor, continuing to do unified yoga programs in collaboration with Syracuse Parks and Recreation. Check out Rebecca’s relaxing videos on Facebook and Instagram!
June 15, 2020
Our friend Bobbie is Under Armour’s newest Apparel & Footwear Design Intern! Congratulations Bobbie!!! We are so happy and excited for you.
Bobbie is a gifted designer and has her own clothing brand, Brekyclothing (brekyclothing.bigcartel.com). The term BREKY stands for “Being Real Extraordinary Kool Youth”. The vision of the brand is to inspire individuals to embrace their uniqueness and creativity. The motto is “Be Awesome. Be Creative. Be You!”
Last year Bobbie led our adaptive winter sports project based around the BREKY concept. Our aim was to promote adaptive winter sports & unified recreation in Syracuse schools and parks.
April 2020
Covid-19 Stay in Place Quarantine: Fitness Inclusion Network’s Peyton Sefick provides virtual tours of accessible outdoor recreation areas to kids and families via telehealth visits at the Golisano Center for Special Needs.
February 14, 2020
Team IMPACT and Coach Boeheim sign Mason, a 6 year old with Spina Bifida as an official (non-playing) member of the Syracuse University Men’s Basketball athletic team.
WCNY Public Broadcasting “Cycle of Health” features Mason’s Story:
https://video.wcny.org/video/masons-story-qyovie/
Team IMPACT is a national organization that promotes inclusion via college athletics.
January 23, 2020
Fitness Inclusion Network, Onondaga County Healthy Communities Initiative, SUNY Cortland Adapted Physical Education Department, and Arise Independent Living Center host a community workshop on “I Can Do It You Can Do It!” program with Dr. Jayne Greenberg, District Director of Physical Education and Health Literacy at the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Dr. Greenberg assisted the US Department of Health and Human Services in the development of “I Can Do It, You Can Do It”, a physical activity program for youth with disabilities. In 2011, she was appointed by President Obama to the President’s Council for Fitness, Sports, & Nutrition and was selected to serve on an Institute of Medicine Committee in 2012. She has received numerous awards including National Physical Education Administrator of the Year from NASPE/AAHPERD.
December 2019
Peyton Sefick joins Golisano Center for Special Needs full time as Community Mobility/Inclusive Recreation Specialist.
Aside from Fit IN’s community outreach, Peyton is an accomplished power wheelchair soccer athlete. He plays for and has captained CNY United in Syracuse for over 10 years. He has also played for the United States National World Cup Team, both in 2011 and 2017. Peyton has used his experience on the soccer court to travel the world, coaching and learning from other disabled athletes in Australia, Asia, Europe, and South America.
November 1, 2019
“From Albany to Buffalo: Mapping Inclusion Along the Erie Canal” Fitness Inclusion Network hosts seventh annual Fit-In Conference at Port Byron Erie Canal Visitor Center.
October 2019
The Upstate Foundation announced today that it has received a gift of $3 million from Paychex founder and philanthropist Tom Golisano to establish a center for special needs at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. The Center will offer an array of developmental services, including the Fitness Inclusion Network.
September 2019
Project Dream at SUNY Cortland connects college mentors from the Physical Education Department with students with disabilities from the community on like-minded fitness and lifetime activities goals. Sample activities include weight training, yoga and even Irish step-dancing.
June-August 2019
Fitness Inclusion Network teams with the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program at SUNY Upstate Medical University/SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry. Sean Velasquez, a senior at SUNY Binghamton’s poster presentation is entitled:
Mapping Inclusion: Neighborhood Disability Rates and Accessibility of Municipal Parks in Syracuse
May 11, 2019
BREKY project is presented at One Voice Conference in Rochester, NY.
Heard B, Kim C, Locastro M, Santiago S, Sefick P, Dosa NP. Being Real Extraordinary Kool You (BR3KY): Promoting Adaptive Winter Sports and Unified Recreation in Syracuse Schools and Parks. American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry One Voice Conference, Rochester, New York, May 11, 2019.
February 15-21 2019
Fitness Inclusion Network hosts sixth annual Fit-In Conference at Sunnycrest Park. The format this year is a scavenger hunt that highlights inclusive Winter recreation opportunities in Onondaga County during February Break.
December 2018
BREKY = Being Real Extraordinary Kool You
Fitness Inclusion Network recognizes Bobbierre Heard for launching BREKY brand clothing to support inclusion of children with disabilities in sports.
October 29, 2018
Fitness Inclusion Network’s Nienke Dosa MD presents Community Centered Spina Bifida Care at the Second Annual Complex Care Center Conference: The Future is Today: Transforming the Care of Adults and Children with Pediatric Onset Health Conditions. University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, October 29, 2018.
June-August 2018
Fitness Inclusion Network teams with the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program at SUNY Upstate Medical University/SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry.
Serena Schmitt, a senior at Emory University, summer research project is entitled: The Effects of Providing Early Power Mobility to Children with Spina Bifida: A Pilot Study.
May 2018
Hillbender Bike Race raises funds to buy a trailer for Ainsley’s Angels Charriots.
February 2018
Fitness Inclusion Network’s Annual Adaptive Winter Sports Day at Sunnycrest Park includes a DIY Adaptive Toboggan workshop with Geoff Peppel and Tim Davis.
Fitness Inclusion Network donates 2 adaptive Nordic Sit Skis to Sunnycrest Park, Syracuse, New York.
January 2018
Fitness Inclusion Network’s adapted dance program, Ballet For All, began it’s sixth season with training for seventeen volunteer dance assistants. These Syracuse City School District high school students learn to support the bodies and participation of each of our 10 dancers while creating a welcoming community.
October 11, 2017
5th Annual Fit-IN Conference
SENSATIONAL INSPIRATIONAL MOVEMENT SEMINAR!
SIMS Lab, Department of Physical Education
SUNY Cortland, Cortland NY
September 2017
Fit-In publishes a Resource Directory of inclusive fitness opportunities for young adults aged 18-25 years. This project was part of the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council’s “Inclusive Fitness Initiative”.
August 2017
Fit-In publishes Unified Yoga guidebook in collaboration with Syracuse Parks. This inclusive yoga program was launched by Joy Papazides at the Southwest Community Center and Rebecca Stella and Anne Marie Abt from SUNY Upstate Medical University’s Physical Therapy School.
June 2017
Inclusive Fitness Initiative and the Spina Bifida Center of Central New York sponsor Adaptive Gardening Pop-Up event at Thornden Park.
May 2017
Inclusive Healthy Communities video developed by Lakeshore Foundation for the National Association for Chronic Disease Directors includes an interview with Peyton Sefick discussing Monday Mile loop at Kirk Park.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLmGuUZOV94&feature=youtu.be
April 2017
Walks and Talks Video shared on social media: https://vimeo.com/186005441
March 2017
Fit-In brings Unified Drumming to the Fayetteville YMCA with funding support from the Madeline Cote Fund.
February 2017
Fit-IN’s annual Adapted Winter Sports Day at Sunnycrest Park in Syracuse includes sled hockey, snowshoe art, and adaptive Nordic ski.
January 2017
HealthLink on Air Interview: Landscape Design student Sam Guillaume discusses the Walks and Talks project. http://media.upstate.edu:81/pod_content/hloa/1-4-17-Dosa.mp3
October 2016-April 18, 2017
4th Annual Fit-IN Conference: WALKS & TALKS
Collective Access and Critical Design With Landscape Architecture students at SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry using Go-Pro cameras in various parks and at the Aloft Hotel, Inner Harbor, Syracuse NY
September 2016
Fit-In publishes Accessible Geocaching guidebook to highlight accessible trails in parks, forests, fishing launches and nature areas throughout Central New York. Many thanks to Fit-In intern Mady Locastro for maintaining our geochaches! Find out more at Geocaching.com.
August 2016
Walks & Talks video created and later shared on World CP Day “We are here” map. Many thanks to videographer and photographer Bob Gates. Find the video on Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viNBLEeIU0s
June 2016
Syracuse University hosts an Adaptive Design workshop with Alex Truesdell. Rockers and other custom made designs promote movement for children with multiple disabilities.
May 2016
Fit-In provides gym membership and personal fitness coaching to high school students enrolled in Project Search at SUNY Upstate Medical University.
April 2016
LaWanda Cook and David Filiberto from the K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability
at Cornell University visit adaptive sports facilities at SUNY Cortland’s Student Life Center.
March 2016
Prof. Tim Davis’s SIMS lab provides cross-disciplinary Sensory Integration training and research opportunities to faculty, community members, and students majoring in Physical Education, Exercise Science, Speech Pathology, Special Education, Therapeutic Recreation and related areas
February 2016
Fit-IN hosts launches Adaptive Winter Sports event at Sunnycrest Park in Syracuse. Move Along Sled Hockey participates in Open Skate at the Sunnycrest Rink.
January 2016
Dr. Luis Columna launches SU Fit Families for Children with Autism with funding support from the J. Henry & Martha E. DeBoer Fund at the Central New York Community Foundation and the Boeheim Foundation.
October 9-11, 2015
3d Annual Fit-IN Conference:
Adaptive Design Charrette at Syracuse University’s Collaborative Design Studio
Nancy Cantor Warehouse, Syracuse NY
September 2015
Fit-In’s Inclusive Fitness Initiative grant helps to bring Move Along wheelchair basketball to McChesney Park in Syracuse.
August 2015
Fit-In publishes How to Launch and Inclusive Walking Club in collaboration with SU’s Monday MileCampaign.
July 2015
Anne Marie Abts Physical Therapy Students and Tim Davis’s Adapted Physical Education students organize field games at Jamesville Beach Park for the Mainstream Program at Syracuse’s Southwest Community Center.
May 2015
Fit-IN receives Green Family Foundation grant to purchase PUMA and OASUS partial weight supported harness systems Lisa Neville’s Ballet for All program at Jowonio Preschool.
April 30, 2015
Fit-IN to participate in the 2015 Syracuse Sport Summit on April 30 at Drumlins Country Club.
April 2015
Hermin Garic, push rim marathon wheelchair racer with Utica’s Sitrin Stars speaks at Spina Bifida Group Visit Program.
March 2015
Chloe Crawford brings adapted climbing clinics to Cortland, Ithaca and Syracuse with the help of Paradox Sport. Huge success!
February 2015
Fit-IN launches Inclusive Fitness Initiative at SW community Center with Dr. Anne Marie Abt’s physical therapy students from SUNY Upstate College of Health Professions. Inclusive Fitness Initiative is funded by the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council. It is a pilot program for young adults ages 18-25 years who have developmental disabilities. Inclusive Fitness Initiative uses collaborative goal setting, PhotoVoice and Instagram to identify and map inclusive fitness venues in Central New York.
January 2015
Dr. Luis Columna and co-authors Monica LePore and Lauren Friedlander Litzner publish textbook: Assessments and Activities for Teaching Swimming (Human Kinetics)
December 2014
Fit-IN receives Green Family Foundation grant to purchase PUMA and OASUS partial weight supported harness systems Lisa Neville’s Ballet for All program at Jowonio Preschool.
November 2014
Peyton Sefick selected to Team USA Power Soccer.
October 10, 2014
Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion at SU’s Maxwell School are co-sponsors of our Second Annual Fit-IN conference: Activating Communities: Grassroots Inclusive Fitness in Central New York. The conference takes place at WCNY Building on Syracuse’s Near West Side. Keynote speaker is Eli Wolff.
September 2014
Fit-IN hosts Yochai Eisenberg PhD from University of Illinois for a workshop on the Community Health Inclusion Index with Fowler High School students from Syracuse’s Near West Side. Staff from City of Syracuse Department of Parks and Recreation join our walking tour of Skiddy Park.
August 2014
Peyton Sefick and Fit-IN Summer interns introduce accessible geocaching to Central New York.
July 2014
Fit-IN joins Monday Mile initiative of the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion at Syracuse University.
July 1, 2014
Fit-IN’s Fit Families Group Visits workshop presentation at the annual conference of the Spina Bifida Association of America, Anaheim California.
June 2014
Sensory Integration and Motor Sensory (SIMS) Exploration Center offers interdisciplinary research opportunities at SUNY Cortland’s Department of Physical Education.
May 1, 2014
Fit-IN’s Ballet for All program at Jowonio Preschool is featured in Central New York Magazine.
May 1, 2014
Upstate Medical Alumni Article features Fit-IN projects
April 28, 2014
Premiere of Changing Sports, Changing Lives documentary made by Syracuse University students at the Falk School of Sport and Human Dynamics and ESPN producer Dennis Denninger. Fit-IN projects and Central New York athletes are featured in this hour-long documentary:
April 27, 2014
Dr. Columna’s Physical Activity Program for Families with Children who have Visual Impairments.
April 9, 2014
Fit Families Group Visit Spina Bifida Center of Central New York
Location: Institute for Human Performance, SUNY Upstate Medical University Time: 5:30-7:30 pm
Topic: Fitness Stations
March 30, 2014
Fit-IN participates in Orangeability Expo at Syracuse University
March 30, 2014
Dr. Columna’s Physical Activity Program for Families with Children who have Visual Impairments.
Location: Sibley Pool, Women’s Building, Syracuse University Campus.
Time:10:00 am to 2:00pm
Topic: Aquatics
March 19, 2014
Fit Families Group Visit
Spina Bifida Center of Central New York
Location: Institute for Human Performance, SUNY Upstate Medical University Time: 5:30-7:30 pm
Topic: Family Fitness
March 18, 2014
Field Initiated Demonstration Grant Awarded to Fit-IN by New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council
March 14, 2014
Fit-IN’s “Ballet for All” program featured in video and magazine article:
The Healing Powers of Love and Ballet in Syracuse, NY
March 5, 2014
Fit-IN Unified Wheelchair Basketball Demo with Boys/Girls Basketball Teams at Nottingham High School. Many thanks to athletes from Sitrin Center, Move Along and Rochester for their participation and for bringing extra chairs. We also wish to thank Mr. Christian Hodge, head of athletics, Syracuse City School District, Mr. David Maynard, Principal, Nottingham High School, Mr. Greg Jones, boys basketball coach, Randy Wright, Nottingham’s girls coach, and Nottingham FACES committee.
February 12, 2014
Fit Families Group Visit, Spina Bifida Center of Central New York
Spina Bifida Center of Central New York
Location: Institute for Human Performance, SUNY Upstate Medical University Time: 5:30-7:30 pm
Topics: Inclusive Recreation Resource Center, Winter Sports. Speakers: Deanna Moore and Sarah Olear, SUNY Cortland; Bob Balk, para-athlete
October 11, 2013
First Annual Fit-IN Conference: New Paradigms for Assistive Technology and Inclusive Fitness