Illinois Parks & Recreation
Volume 29, Number 5 September/October 1998

Recreation Stories

Profiles of five people with disabilities who say sports and leisure activities play an inspirational role in their lives

By Michael McNicholas

Recreation professionals work very hard to ensure that all persons, no matter what their abilities, have an opportunity to experience recreation. We strive to find activities, sports and events that will increase quality of life, and create a lifelong path on which people with a wide range of abilities walk. We can find that it can be hard to always deliver our message and service with a smile. Therefore, it is important to hear about the successful delivery of our message. There are many wonderful stories and examples of the impact of recreation in the lives of different individuals. The following stories exemplify how recreation has stoked the fires of inspiration for five Individuals.

Brenda Bessie

Brenda Bessie is an engaging, high-spirited woman and a role model. In 1981, at age 23, she was involved in a combine accident that caused her to become an above-the-knee amputee. This did not break her spirit nor did it quell her competitive drive.

"The impact of my story has been incredible," says Bessie, a native of Whiteside County.

"I never expected people to call or write about what I've gone through and what I am doing. Losing a limb is as great a loss as losing a loved one. But I just couldn't wallow in the dark side of life. I had to play again. So in that way, I guess I can be an inspiration."

Bessie has always worked hard and played harder. Throughout her childhood, she belonged to a 4-H and her family owned a herd of 100 purebred Angus cattle and breeding stock. In her free time Brenda played sports.

Says Bessie: "My two brothers would always play games with my sister and I. We'd play ball, run game drills... the whole family would get involved."

She was a star softball and basketball player in high school and college, but the game she worked the hardest at was golf.

"My whole family loves to golf," says Bessie. "I am just more competitive about it. I wanted an answer for my competitive drive."

That is why she got a NovaCare sports leg in 1989. Her parents, Joe and Millie Bessie, brought home a set of Tommy Armour graphite clubs and told her it was time to start playing golf again. She struggled with the lack of prosthetic advancement, until she discovered the NovaCare Research facility based in Oklahoma City, Okla.

"The flexible Fabolich socket offers the ultimate in stability and comfort," says Bessie. "The College Park TruStep offers excellent absorption and the surest footing available. The sport leg I have now has better mobility and only weighs 5.5 pounds. So having a prosthetic leg is no longer a burden.

"It has been hard to work through all the fittings, changes and comfort issues that one goes through in this process. But the trips to the pool on my days off are very therapeutic." Bessie goes to her cousin's pool in the summer. Swimming in Geneseo Park District's facility in the winter is also a big favorite.

She has come back in true champion fashion. She has won more than 30 golf invitationals and opens in the past seven years and has continued her torrid pace this summer becoming Ladies Champion at the Brickyard Classic Speedway in June, the Michigan State Invitational in July, and the Wisconsin Invitational in August.

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"It has been a great run," says Bessie. "I couldn't have done it with out the wonderful support of my parents. I consider myself fortunate to have lived through, but the other half of the battle was won due to my huge support base. I think my parents are the cat's meow."

Bessie considers her childhood to be perfect, and she is humble about her circumstances.

She says: "In college I thought I had the world by the tail. But since then, I have become more aware and sensitive to people with disabilities. My personal injury made me tune in to people who were less than perfect. People I would have missed the opportunity to meet."

At a recent golf outing in Coal Valley, 111., a PGA tour stop called the Quad City Classic, she spent time with Casey Martin.

While Bessie is not a "politico," she did have this to say about the Casey Martin situation: "I know of no way to scientifically determine if the use of a golf cart would provide an unfair advantage. However, there are other solutions than simply refusing someone the opportunity to compete because they have a disability. We need to remember that this is a civil rights issue. Times have changed, and attitudes must change with the time. Individuals must be judged on their assets, rather than their deficits. I hope this situation can be viewed as an opportunity to learn from Mr. Martin and not as something to fear!"

Summer is Bessie's busiest time of the year. She competed in three tournaments in July and three in August. Since she has become involved in the purebred cattle business again, fall will also be busy.

Last fall she purchased a share in the Sybil syndicate, a Brown Swiss, which sold at the Royal Harvest Sale in Elkhorn, Wis. This year the syndicate acquired several additional show heifers that are wintering at Tierra Verda in Greenville, Tex. This endeavor has taken Brenda to state fairs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Arizona, Texas and The World Dairy Expo held annually in Madison, Wis. These heifers have showed for top honors.

Brenda would stand for nothing less. ž

Louie Lopardo & Dolly Lyons

Brother and sister Louie Lopardo and Dolly Lyons share more than their family ties, a home in Cicero, and challenging visual impairments that developed later in life; they have a deep and personal appreciation of recreation.

"Dolly and I always loved to be active," says Lopardo. "Dancing and roller skating were a big part of our lives for so long. It was hard to find new activities to replace them."

That is when West Suburban Special Recreation Association (WSSRA) had the joy of beginning to serve Louie and Dolly. WSSRA has provided special recreation services for the sibling duo since 1980. It was then that the two were in a camp for persons with visual impairments.

Says Lopardo: "We heard from a friend at the camp about an exercise program that had just started with WSSRA. We could take a cab to the basement of a church, and the program seemed to balloon from there."

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The pair soon found many friends to join the little group. Louie says that "Recreation staff soon found that blind people can really do a lot"

Lyons adds: "The staff members have always helped us try new things and listened to our ideas. Sandra Gbur and Marianne Birko have been an inspiration. If it wasn't for their ideas and efforts to listen to our ideas, where would we be?"

"We have been very grateful for the chance to get out and do things," says Lopardo. "It isn't easy to get transportation to go out and do things."

Lopardo has been retired for 12 years and was never married. Lyons moved in with him after her husband passed away, and they have been living together ever since. The couple reside in the Clyde Park District, and enjoy a wide variety of the district's programs.

"We've done so many activities over the years, it gets hard to remember them all," says Lopardo. "My week is usually quite busy with activities. It is important to me."

Every week, the two have a full schedule of WSSRA activities. On Tuesdays they participate in a walk and dine program at nearby Proksa Park. On Wednesdays, they play cards in preparation for the quarterly Uno tournaments. On Thursdays, they go to the Norridge Center to hear a band or learn to make bread, candy and cheesecake. They really get active on Thursday night when they go out ballroom dancing.

Lopardo says: "I love to help the new people learn how to dance. It is great to help young people take interest in things I have always loved to do.

"I love going swimming on Friday morning because I get to enjoy a long soak in the hot tub. I may not be able to do the whole routine the instructors had in mind, but I love that hot tub!

"It is hard, being totally blind, to do things and set up transportation, so I really appreciate WSSRA and thank God for all of their hard work."

Lyons echoed her brothers sentiment and added: "Those young people really seem to enjoy the dancing and helping that they do with us."

She also remains very actively involved in recreation. Aside from the programs she shares with Louie, they used to do a 5 K walk in every June. Lyons says: "We tried ice skating and it was really hard, but I could never have done it without WSSRA. The specialists, and guides gave us the opportunity to do these things. They are what makes it possible."

Lyons has also become a bit of a card shark. "I never played cards before WSSRA. A recreation specialist helped me to get involved. I have won WSSRA Uno tournament two times and Louie and I have a card club of our own."

Aside from the weekly routine, they annually attend an overnight trip in September. This year they'll go to Mackinac Island. Sounds like another adventure for the dynamic duo. ž

David Zoellner

It is a very hot day in mid-July, and Dave Zoellner has just come home from a long day at his job at the Weber Grill Plant in Palatine. He is very tired but excited, because he's taking a phone call about his involvement in Special Olympics, his passion.

Zoellner was a great Special Olympic athlete, competing as a swimmer for the Northwest Special Recreation Association (NWSRA). In 20 years of competitions and Olympics, he has won more than 100 medals for his efforts.

"I have won so many medals, I don't know where to put them all," says Zoellner. "I have no room left in the boxes in my closets or on my walls."

At age 44, Zoellner no longer swims in competitions. He is still an active swimmer, however, and active in Special Olympics and as a coach.

Zoellner, who moved in with his Uncle Ernie and Aunt Shirley when he was five years old, says: "Their son Tom is just like a brother to me... I love them very much."

He took up competitive swimming at age 20 and found a natural talent for it. For the next 20-plus years he competed and trained and learned all about swimming. Then, about four years ago, he walked away from the competitive side of it.

"There was no competition really...I was always beating younger kids," says Zoellner. "This one time I was competing against some really little kids. I just thought that was wrong."

So he made a change. He went out and tried to help others find the experiences he had enjoyed in his years as an athlete.

"My new emphasis was to find success for others to achieve what I have had in my years as an athlete."

Zoellner began to learn how to be a good coach from Glen Anastacio from NWSRA. He is now one of their volunteer coaches and sometimes a paid staff.

Says Zoellner: "I love volunteering and being a coach, but, yeah, I like to get paid.

"I have been coaching now for about four years. I've learned a lot and I have some great memories. This year I was coaching down at state with this swimmer, Kelly. I told her to dive in with her fingers up so she wouldn't dive in too deep. She ended up taking first place...! was shocked!"
When asked about practices, he says: "We start with a 50 Free exercise, ten laps, backstroke, breast stroke and warm down. It is very regimented, but also fun."

When asked about how he motivates a swimmer who just doesn't seem to want to swim hard, he says: "I never came up with that one yet...but I keep trying!"

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Hard work and effort are staples in Zoellner's life. The job at the Weber Grill plant is long and hard, starting at 4:30 a.m. and working until 2:30 p.m. around metal and fire. He describes his workplace as follows: "It's hot in that place! You have to burn the iron out of the casting so the paint sticks. It's a lot of walking around and hustle, hustle. They want you to do everything."

Zoellner has also signed on to be a Global Messenger for Special Olympics.

" Basically, if there is a show or competition, I go and try to recruit volunteers and kids with disabilities," he explains. "Our goal is to increase the number of kids by 30 to 40 percent."

He is dedicated to Special Olympics and finding recreation opportunities for kids. He made a special trip, with Northwest Suburban Special Olympics area director Karen Milligan, to Normal, 111. It was here that he lobbied and voted for more sports like tennis and cycling to be included in what Special Olympics sports offer persons with disabilities.

Dave continues to help people to understand the message about the benefits of Special Olympics and recreation.

"I just like helping," he says. "I like to give them a little of what I have got."

And maybe a little more. ž

Matthew O'Boyle

Matthew O'Boyle is a 22-year-old with a lot going for him.

He lives at home with his family and is attending Oakton Community College as a Presidential Scholar. The thing he is most proud of is being a camp counselor at his boyhood camp in the Main-Niles Association for Special Recreation. He loves to work with kids with physical disabilities, and kids just like him.

O'Boyle has cerebral palsy and uses crutches to get around. While some people might see this as a barrier, he thinks of it in a positive light: "I think it is important that the kids have someone to look up to. Someone who they can talk to who really understands what they're saying."

O'Boyle works in camp doing art projects, games and all the other things that counselors do to help kids enjoy their summer. However, he offers a special ability to the kids at camp: the ability to relate.

"I know I relate better to the kids, especially the physically handicapped kids," says O'Boyle. "I know how it is to be in a camp with a disability."

Nancy Detloff was the director of the camp when Matt was growing up and again in 1997. She encouraged him to become a peer buddy and then a counselor this summer.

Says O'Boyle: "Nancy is very supportive and advocates strongly for me and the other kids."

When he is in camp he has a role to play, and he does his job well. He likes to be put in charge of keeping track of the smaller kids because they are a little more fun.

"My favorite part of camp is the social aspect. The kids some times don't find time to really bond with the counselors. It is nice that I am able to make time for the kids to express themselves and say what is on their minds."

O'Boyle has always been a successful leader. At Maine Township High School, he won a grant for a job: the one person selected from three different high schools. He was captain of his wheelchair floor hockey team and involved with bowling. He feels that it is important to be involved.

"Floor Hockey was very important to me because it gave me a contact sport of my own," he says. "An arena in which I can play and be a big part of the team, and feel legitimate about it."

This is the same type of feeling that he tries to purvey to the campers: the feeling that their feelings are indeed legitimate and acknowledged.

In his spare time, O'Boyle likes to get together with some of his other friends and go bowling a few times a year, but the thing he truly cherishes is fishing.

"My family and I go [fishing] all the time. It is kind of a tradition. I have been to Lake Erie, Bangs Lake, Wauconda, Star Lake Wisconsin, the Pacific Ocean in Mexico, and the Wolf River in London, Wisconsin.

"I caught Spanish mackerel off the coast of Puerto Verde, and another time I caught a Sturgeon on the Wolf River. It was great!"

The support that he receives from his family is tremendous. He is grateful for his whole fam ily and particularly his brother Mike.

"Mike is so good to me. He comes home from law school and takes me out to see Chicago Wolves games and other events that are fun to get out to see.

"My family is very good at listening to me and helping me do the things that other people get to do. In that way the recreation activities that we have enjoyed together have been inspirational and instrumental to making me the person I am today."

As for role models outside of his immediate family, he has appreciated the guidance of job coordinator Mike Socha and DORS counselor, Diane Starkey. Socha has helped to guide O'Boyle through the in's and out's of doing a great job, while Starkey has helped guide him through the changes and adjustments that come with major life changes.

All of these people have made him into a strong healthy young man with a good idea of how to enjoy life. He is very modest about calling himself a person to look up to.

"I don't want to talk big about myself," says O'Boyle. "I think I have done a pretty good job of being supportive of the kids at camp. I am a good listener and have helped provide friendship. I have always helped out with the games and those things, but I am really great at relating to the kids.

"In that sense I am a role model."

He is indeed a role model. Not just for kids with physical disabilities, but for everyone who supports recreation opportunities for all people, regardless of their abilities. ž

MICHAEL J. McNICHOLAS
is a recreation specialist for SEASPAR

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