The March of Dimes welcomed community members for a conference on accessibility in east-Windsor Friday.
Opening Doors for Accessibility Windsor addressed issues for people living with a disability and those who support them. Unstoppable Tracy Schmitt was the keynote speaker for the event. She was born a 4-way amputee, but that hasn't stopped her from writing a best-selling novel — Unstoppable You.
Schmitt has climbed mountains, sails, skis, and participates in dozens of aquatic and wheelchair sports. She tells AM800 News the March of Dimes brought everone who can help others be just as active together under one roof.
"There are adapted vehicles, there are adapted wheelchairs, there's housing options, there's walkers and there's canes," she says. "There are people that are in the network that know about employment, housing, transportation and adaptive aids."
She says the disabled face many challenges, and while things continue to get better, there are two key obstacles to overcome.
"Transportation is huge for folks that aren't able to be employed and afford getting an adapted vehicle," says Schmitt. "Employment is still a really massive gap."
Without organizations like the March of Dimes, Schmitt says she wouldn't be where she is today.
"It never would have happened without March of Dimes modifying my vehicle so that I could become a road warrior driving from regatta to regatta and if my home wasn't modified so that I could live independently," she says.
The day wraps up with Rock for Dimes at Average Joe's Sports Bar, an annual charity concert that's raised $27,000 for March of Dimes Canada — the show starts at 8pm.