2019 Ms. Wheelchair Texas!!

Being a contestant in the Ms. Wheelchair Texas pageant seemed only fitting for Lauren Taylor since being in a wheelchair is all she has ever known. Lauren was born with Congenital Muscular Dystrophy, and had her 1st power wheelchair at the age of 3.

Lauren has been an inspiration to many throughout her younger years. She did graduate with her Bachelors from UNT in Rehabilitation Studies in Dec 2018. She is currently continuing on to get her Masters in Rehab Counseling where she plans to get her LPC as she wants to be a counselor specializing in people with physical disabilities. She will graduate in May 2021.

While in Houston earlier this month for the 2019 Ms. Wheelchair Texas Pageant for platform speech was the Universal Design as the solution for inclusion. Making places usable for everyone rather than separately accessible for a few. What an awesome platform! Her favorite part of the competition was getting to learn and meet everyone’s different backgrounds, and their own advocacy ventures. She definitely made some lasting friendships and wonderful memories while there. Out of the other contestants who were there competing for the title she won !! There was never any doubt in my mind!

She is planning to introduce Universal Design to places and people across Texas in an attempt to help people see how something so simple can make a world of difference for people with disabilities. She want to change people’s mindsets on what a disability is and looks like you. She wants to inspire change in our environments and communities. She plans on visiting our governor and state legislators to help solidify more specific guidelines and for new infrastructure to include a design for disability 1st and will so that these commendations won’t have to be made later on.

Ms. Wheelchair America 2019 will be held in Little Rock Arkansas on July 1-6!! She is so excited, and cannot wait to interact with the many powerful women! Hopefully she will be bringing the crown back to Texas! Good luck Lauren!!

Rolling on, Stephanie

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAMP CRAIG ALLEN!!

12 years ago today(I am drafting this the day before, so in case that date is wrong I am meaning Fri., March 22) Camp Craig Allen was founded. If you do not know the story about how this camp was 1st thought of sit back and I will fill you in! There was a young gentleman named Craig Allen Cruzan. When he was around 13 years old he came home from a wk. worth of summer camp through the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He had a form of MD and used a power wheelchair. He had came home frustrated that summer after getting back from camp. He spoke to his little sister Dawn about it. He told her about all week it rained and how there was no accessibility to go anywhere besides stay in his cabin. So he told her that when he gets older he is going to build a camp with complete accessibility and so that any age can come with a physical disability! So right then and there on notebook paper Dawn and him made out the blueprints of what they thought that camp should look like. So they ended up putting the notebook paper away. At 21, Craig aged out of MDA summer camp. At 22, Craig sadly passed away with never getting to see his dream become a reality. Years later Dawn was going through a hope chest she saw the blueprints that her and her brother had made long ago of the camp, and she thought, “I am going to make his dream a reality!” And the rest is history… Camp Craig Allen was founded in 2007 as a 501(c)3 Organization!  I get goosies every time I think about that or here the story!Organization ! I get goosies every time I think about or hear this story!

Rolling on, Stephanie

Free workshop for ages 14-17 with a physical disability!

I know that it has been a while since I have checked into this blog to give Camp Craig Allen happenings going on. During the winter months a lot of us with physical disabilities stay close to home in the warmth due to poor circulation, and to keep from getting illnesses (colds, flu, pneumonia). Spring will be here soon, and so will Camp Craig Allen!

Wanted to be sure that everyone knew about a FREE workshop program for teenagers ages 14-17 with a physical disability? Please register at http://www.campcraigallen.org! More details on this flyer!

Don’t forget to be sure to change the clocks Sun, Mar 10 as we spring ahead!! We may lose an hour of sleep that night, but I will be happy to sacrifice that for it to stay lighter longer and get warmer!!

Rolling on, Stephanie