Mike Savicki
No Barriers USA Board Director
No Barriers USA Festivals
Festival 2009
No Barriers Festival 2009 at Shake-A-Leg Miami was even more inspiring and exciting than anyone could have imagined. There were so many wonderful people with incredible stories. There was dolphin riding, an amputee pony with a prosthetic leg who enjoyed a relaxing pontoon ride, sailing lead by a blind man using talking GPS as his guide, SCUBA diving for people of all ages and abilities, a dog paddleboarding (standing beside him was his owner who had a prosthetic leg), and opportunities of a lifetime to cycle for people who thought they'd never ride again!
The technology present at Festival 2009 was truly amazing. Dr. Hugh Herr (No Barriers Board Director) demonstrated his own pair of prosthetic legs with computerized ankle joints... wait...there's more... he controlled them using his cell phone! We also saw a video of a young boy who with the help of Cochlear Implants could finally hear the world around him.
Festival 2007
For five very special days, an amazing collection of individuals assembled at Squaw Valley USA, in California near Lake Tahoe, to participate in a festival unlike almost any other. Bringing their diverse personal and professional backgrounds together, six hundred individuals successfully came together to share the cutting-edge techniques and technologies which enable people with challenges to live as actively as possible and break through their own personal barriers.
Each festival day was about sharing, partnership and discovery. Each night was about inspiration, exploration and accomplishment. No Barriers Festival 2007 replaced our perceptions about disability with renewed belief in what is and will be possible in the future, In the eyes of every participant, family member and volunteer, the Festival became a joyful exercise in proving what can be done rather than what cannot.
Festival 2005
No Barriers/Dolomiti 2005 was held in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy 14-18 July, 2005. This event for the benefit of disabled persons was unique in that it combined a variety of programs and activities.
The three-session Technology Meets Physical Disability Symposium brought together leading scientists and technologists to present their latest initiatives and developments in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation – from neuroprostheses to artificial limbs. A session on Accessible Tourism and the opening of the Fiames trail addressed ways the Cortina region is making its outdoor environment available to people with disabilities. The hands-on excursions and clinics allowed disabled attendees to learn new skills, use adaptive equipment and expand their horizons. Additionally, The Sledge Hockey Tournament featured teams vying for positions in the 2006 Torino Paralympics.
Festival 2004
No Barriers/Dolomiti 2004 was conceived as a forum to promote sports and outdoor activities for disabled persons. Particular attention was given to the mountain environment, its services and infrastructures. The event featured the Symposium “Sharing Experiences,” an opportunity for associations and professionals who work with the many aspects of diversity and disability and the disabled to learn and share ideas and experiences. Additionally, there were a number of sport demonstrations performed by world-famous disabled athletes.
