Charter Ability
By Louise Chatterton Luchuk
July 27, 2009
OAKVILLE, ON// Stephen Cull's passion for helping people and making the world a better place is infectious. Cull is the founder of Charter Ability, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing barrier free, accessible charter boat service for people of all ages with disabilities or mobility impairment. Through the generous donations of individuals, organizations and community groups, Charter Ability provides powerboat cruises along Sixteen Mile Creek, a tranquil wildlife sanctuary in Oakville, Ontario.
Once a heavy equipment operator, Cull spent 38 days in intensive care and 11 months in rehabilitation after a tobogganing accident at age 28 left him a quadriplegic confined to a wheelchair. "I have had two separate lives," says Cull. "But I am a way better person and I've learned more in the last 20 years than I did in the first 28. I am the luckiest guy in the world. I've been able to turn my terrible accident into something special. I'm healthier and my energy is focused on helping other people."
"Why not?"
In the summers following his accident, Cull often found himself sitting by the lake, watching people enjoy the exhilaration of sailing. Reflecting on the absence of people in wheelchairs got Cull thinking...why not? Why couldn't people with disabilities experience the pleasures of boating? That idea stuck with him. A year later he found himself at a cottage with some friends, one of whom had a pontoon boat and a specially constructed dock, both wheelchair accessible. Cull invited his 85-year-old aunt along for a ride but she declined. Having sailed most of her life, she knew that she would have to climb into a boat and no longer felt able to do that comfortably. When Cull mentioned that he would be rolling onto the boat in his wheelchair her eyes lit up. The look of pleasure on his aunt's face was the resolve Cull needed to seriously look at how he could provide the same opportunity for others.
Cull is quick to point out that there are many sailing programs for people with disabilities and Charter Ability often gets confused with these adaptive sailing programs. In fact, Cull participated in adaptive sailing as part of his rehabilitation 20 years ago and "it was a blast but sailing programs for the disabled involve being taken out of your wheelchair. My comfort zone is my wheelchair. When I went sailing, I was tied into the boat. I'm not comfortable with that." Conversely, with Charter Ability, people stay in their wheelchairs and can be easily wheeled straight on to the boat.
What it means to provide an accessible boating experience
Providing a barrier free sailing experience means having an accessible boat, an accessible harbour and an accessible dock - all in an accessible location. As Cull explains, even when the harbour and the dock are readily accessible by wheelchair, boarding the boat rarely is and accessibility usually remains a problem because of the width and incline of the gangway or ramp. There are both safety and dignity issues. As part of his feasibility study seven years ago, Cull visited every harbour between Oshawa and Hamilton before choosing the Oakville location. "All I found was a little ramp here and there but nothing that provided true accessibility. A wheelchair on a dock is a very precarious thing," comments Cull.
A snapshot of... |
Who: Charter Ability
Mandate/Mission: Creating accessible docking. boating & fishing opportunities for people with disabilities and mobility challenges. CharterAbility's goal is to open the door to recreational boating for people who have been deprived of the opportunity by virtue of their physical limitations or personal circumstances – and, thereby, enhance the quality of their lives.
Location: Oakville, ON
When established: 2003
Number of staff: 0
Number of volunteers: 75
Budget: $25,000
|
|
|
For the last few years, Charter Ability (executive director Alan Tonge along with Cull) and Wendy Perkins of Wai Nui O Kanaka Outrigger Canoe Club in collaboration with the Town of Oakville have focused their energies on creating an accessible dock. This dock is complete with barrier free washrooms and other amenities to faciiltate ease of boat access for those with various physical and mental challenges. As far as the PARDners (Partners for Accessible Recreational Docking) know, the dock they created in Oakville is like no other dock in Canada and Cull fields more and more calls about this dock. "Every single harbour or boat club is looking to make their docks accessible because their members are getting older. Our PARDners dock in Oakville could be easily duplicated," promotes Cull.
Looking to the future
With the dock in place, Cull can return his focus to the accessibility of the actual boat. As you can well imagine, he has lots more ideas. For one, he'd love to have a boat worthy of sailing on Lake Ontario, a choppier body of water requiring a bigger boat. The current boat is small and can only take eight people without wheelchairs or two people with their wheelchairs. However, a boat large enough for the choppier Lake Ontario waters would cost several hundred thousand dollars. Cull is philosophical, though, about the situation: "Our challenge is to build a boat to go out on the lake. We've taken a step back, built the dock. Last year we only did 15 accessible cruises last year but we're ramping up to do 40 more this summer. We lease a boat right now. Next year we'll be looking to own our own boat and do more."
Fundraising is always a challenge but Cull is a firm believer that a good endeavour can always find funding. "If the passion is there, the need is there and you're helping people, you'll uncover that rock," he remarks. And, of course, there is his infectious enthusiasm. The Cruise for a Cause is the signature annual fundraiser for Charter Ability and Cull enthuses, "If I phone 100 people, 99 will happily get involved." He adds, "You know why we don't have a big boat on Lake Ontario? Because we've never asked for one. With the proper planning, builder and the proper ask, we'll have that boat. This isn't just about Stephen Cull. A lot of people bend over backwards for Charter Ability." In other words, there are a lot of people out there who Cull has infected with that enthusiasm of his!
Louise Chatterton Luchuk provides research and resources for organizations that want to strategically move forward. She is a freelance writer and consultant who combines her love of writing with experience at the regional, provincial and national levels of voluntary/non-profit organizations. You can reach Louise at info@luchuk.com.
Have you -- or your organization -- experienced a stunning success or spectacular failure? How are you creatively and innovatively making your mark? These are the stories we want to capture. Help make the nonprofit sector stronger by sharing your story and the valuable lessons you learned along the way. Email us today at editor@charityvillage.com.
