A Musical Night

About a year ago, I was on the prowl searching for potential internships and came across this one website, “SPLORE: Outdoor Adventures for People with Disabilities.” I thought to myself, “Okay, this could be the one”. And sure enough, I got the pleasure to intern for SPLORE during the summer season and I could have not been any happier.

Why did I choose to work for SPLORE? The short version would be the statement, “Outdoor Adventures”.

Now for the long version… because I have a (so called) disability myself. Yuppers, you heard me right, I’m deaf. When I was a kid, I was often known as the deaf girl with the strange accent. Frankly, I was sick of it and craved for people to acknowledge other characteristics that I possessed, to look beyond my hearing loss. In my life experiences, it was always during the recreational pursuits where I became known as Cara, the girl who likes to make candles, go beach combing, play capture the flag, and just so happens to have the super power abilities to turn off her hearing whenever she chooses to (with a simple click I don’t have to listen to people’s talking to me anymore, hehe. Seriously, I don’t do that though. Really, I don’t.)


So why am I telling you this? Because SPLORE provides exactly this. Everyone is each recognized for the unique individuals they are (never mind whatever perceived differences they may have), walls are taken down, barriers are broken and people are recognized for their personality and skills they possess.


One fond memory of mine during my internship with SPLORE is from a river trip down on the Colorado River. When we first met the group we would be taking down, it was quiet and there was a sense of uncertainty in the air. As we rode down the river people realized that they were freed from boundaries they may have had, such as their chair, use of social skills, mobility limitations or whatever other perceived differences they may have because there on the river they weren’t recognized as a population with disabilities but rather a multiple mass of unique individuals. Everyone was called by their own and true names and were recognized either as good dancers or comedians, athletes, powerful with the water gun, creative in the arts, incredibly good at UNO, good rowers, and oh, I could keep going but I think you get the idea. I see it happen all the time here and it is just magical to see the barriers come down like dominos being knocked over one by one.

One participant I met on that river trip was Dolores, who has such a bubbly personality that just grew overtime. Dolores and I connected quickly because we both had one thing in common, our deafness. It was arranged that Dolores and I would be in the same raft and I could have not been more thrilled. We spent that day out on the river chatting, swimming and picking water fights with others. I learned what Dolores did for a living, got to know some of her friends and learned more about who she was. I also learned that Dolores was not someone you want to pick a water fight with because once you pick a fight with her, she never grows tire of it! She’s like the little pink energizer bunny with the batteries that keeps going and going and going and goin!… and she keeps going even if her unfortunate victim is already soaked to the skin (and of course these water fights were always welcomed by the other). Dolores was constantly dumping cups of water on us too -yes even us, her own teammates were unfortunate sometimes too! Basically, don’t pick a water fight with her cuz you’ll lose, guaranteed.


That evening on shore, Dolores became so integrated in the community and made a music instrument, made a beautiful tie-dye shirt, and enjoyed a delicious dinner with all of us. When dusk arrived camp-fire songs were played and Dolores was reminded that she couldn’t hear and got frustrated. However, with an invitation to feel the vibrations of the music instruments and to feel the amplitude box connected to the guitar she told me with excitement that she could feel the music. I cannot emphasize how special that moment was for both of us. To acknowledge what it’s like to feel the music and to be able to share that with everyone. From that point on, Dolores pursed a night full of music with everyone and danced the evening away until it became dark with the stars circling us above. I can’t say enough about that day, but that day was definitely a beautiful day.


So the magic of SPLORE? It’s not something that can be defined in a simple sentence or even a paragraph….


When reminiscing on my SPLORE experience I can only smile from satisfaction when I think about how much pleasure Dolores got out of the whole trip as well as myself. But not only her or me, but countless other individuals got to enjoy life with us during the warm summer either rafting, canoeing, or even climbing and each of them, everyone got to pursue a higher quality of life…. And that is the magic of SPLORE.


Cara Frank successfully completed her internship with SPLORE and she is about to graduate from Western Washington University with a degree in Recreation. Cara recently re-joined the SPLORE team as the newest AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer. Cara is the Community Relations Officer and she can be reached at caraf@splore.org.