Events For People With Special Needs

EVENTS FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lewiston, Idaho - The Idaho State Police announced today that they will be hosting a special opportunity for school-age children who are blind or visually-challenged.
The Climbing On Stuff program is one of Courageous Kids Climbing's programs that supports people with special needs. Climbing On Stuff is intended to provide opportunities for children who are blind to "look" at things that they might normally have the opportunity to look at. The program has been occurring in Boise for several years with the kids having the opportunity to look at a fighter jet, Army helicopter, smokejumpers and race cars. The program was extended to Lewiston two years ago when the kids spent an afternoon with the Nez Perce tribe.

Idaho State Police Trooper Tauna Davis said, "We heard about the program and what it was doing for the kids who are blind. I knew immediately that this was something that the Idaho State Police needed to be involved in. I took the idea to our leadership and they gave me the go-ahead to make it happen!"

The adventure will start with the kids holding various size toy police cars while the troopers talk about them. The toys will help the kids generate an image of what a police car looks like. Then the kids will be taken out to look at the real thing!

In addition to police cars, the kids will also have the opportunity to look at other tools and equipment used by the State Police.

And the concept is growing! Trooper Davis added, "Word got out about our plan and we were contacted by the Lewiston Police Department. Our colleagues in Lewiston will be supporting our event with some of their equipment. We may wear different uniforms, but we all work together."

Jeff Riechmann is the Executive Director of the McCall-based nonprofit Courageous Kids Climbing. When asked how the idea for Climbing On Stuff came about, he said, "The Idaho Air National Guard supported one of our climbing events in 2015. They were so impressed with what we were doing with all of the kids with special needs, especially the blind kids, that they invited us to bring some kids to visit their air base and checkout one of their fighter jets."

The adventure is free to any school-age child who is blind or visually challenged. The adventure will be held on Saturday, October 2 at the Idaho State Police district office in Lewiston from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Reservations are required to participate and can be made by contacting Riechmann at courageouskidsclimbing@gmail.com.

When asked why the Idaho State Police was hosting this event, Trooper Davis replied, "The purpose of the Idaho State Police is to protect and serve everyone in our great state. This includes people who are blind. This event will provide us with not only an opportunity to serve our fellow citizens, but to gain a better understanding of the challenges that people with visual challenges face on a daily basis. With the knowledge that we gain from this event, we will better be able to serve our fellow citizens with visual challenges."