Doug Skrinski and Candace Richardson plan events for the Fish-Abled Foundation at the Sinissippi Park picnic shelters. (Photo by Lynne Conner/for Chronicle Media)

The Americans with Disabilities Act, a law that is “intended to protect against discrimination based on disability” recently celebrated its 26^th anniversary.

For one local group, this law is just the starting point for helping the handicapped blaze new trails in the community. The Fish-Abled Foundation of Rockford aims to give disabled adults the chance to experience a variety of outings and events while building friendships within the group.

Doug Skrinski, director of multi-media for the Fish-Abled Foundation, said the group started about four years ago when two friends decided to take a disabled buddy fishing.

“Eric Fishe and Virgil Toepfer got together and took a friend who’s blind out to a lake for some fishing,” Skrinski said. “This was something that none of them had ever done before and they all really enjoyed it; so Eric and Virgil thought that it would be a great idea to start an organization that focuses on providing outings for the disabled.”

Even though the group is named Fish-Abled, the foundation’s events and trips are not limited to fishing.

“We usually go to sporting events, we’ve taken the group to museums, the Shedd Aquarium and we’re going to Medieval Times … . Every year, we have two fundraising events for the foundation. In April, we have a bowling fundraiser at Park Lanes and in September we have a sausage dinner at the SM & SF Club,” Skrinski said.

Skrinski, who lost part of his right leg after contracting a MRSA infection, said that being involved with the Fish-Abled foundation is more than going on day trips or outings.

“This has opened doors for me,” he said. “I get to talk with others that have disabilities and find out about resources that I didn’t know existed. It’s also nice to learn how others deal with their disabilities while making new friends. It’s also great to develop relationships with the people who volunteer in our group and those on the Fish-Abled board. We’re sort of like a family.”

Candace Richardson works as a home healthcare provider and is a board member of the Fish-Abled Foundation. She said that the group is always looking for volunteers to help with events.

“We probably have between 40 and 60 people that come out for an individual event and probably have about 100 participants total,” she said.

One of Richardson’s favorite events is the annual River Run which is held in June at Sportscore One.

“We do a big cook-out, we do boat rides, fishing, wheelchair races, bingo games; it’s a big event. We go from like 7 in the morning to 4:00 in the afternoon,” she said.

Being a part of the Fish-Abled Foundation has prompted both Skrinski and Richardson to actively recruit new members and volunteers to assist with the group’s events.

“This is absolutely something that many of my clients would enjoy,” Richardson said. “If I thought someone I was working with could benefit from Fish-Abled’s events, I would leave them a business card. I’ve met people in grocery stores and given them cards. I saw a lady at a dollar store one time and she was with her disabled adult son. I gave her a card about Fish-Abled and her son has been to several of our events.”

Skrinski has handed out Fish-Abled informational cards to people in the community who he thinks would enjoy the group’s activities. The foundation’s website is www.fishabled.com and they also have a Facebook page: The Fish-Abled Foundation.

Doug Skrinski points out a possible picnic area to Candace Richardson. (Photo by Lynne Conner/For Chronicle Media)

The need for an organization like Fish-Abled is quite apparent to Richardson and her home health care clients. “Everybody needs to know about Fish-Abled. A lot of disabled people are homebound and they may only get out for doctor’s appointments and nothing fun,” Richardson said. “That is what Fish-Abled is about; getting people out in the community, doing things that are fun activities which a disabled person might not be able to do on their own.”

There is even a special event during the holidays for Fish-Abled members who don’t have family nearby. “Every year in November, we always hold a turkey dinner for members who don’t have families. We get them involved, bring them into the group. We serve them a Thanksgiving dinner; Candace is in charge of the food preparation,” Skrinski said.

Looking ahead, Skrinski hopes to expand the events that Fish-Abled Foundation plans.

“One activity that we would really like to do is out here at the Sinissippi Band Shelter when they have music in the park. The event is free and they do have a section for the disabled. I thought that this would be great because it is free and it would be a nice night out to enjoy some entertainment,” he said.

Skrinski also hopes to get a Fish-Abled outing to see the Rockford Ski Broncs waterskiing expositions during the summer at Shorewood Park.

Beyond the activities, outings and friendships that the Fish-Abled Foundation provides, Skrinski says there is one thing that supersedes the social aspects of the group.

“It gives people hope. Being a part of Fish-Abled shows disabled people that there is something more out there than just staying home or going to doctor’s appointments,” Skrinski said.

Richardson agrees, “People get very depressed just sitting at home all the time, especially when you have a disability. If you have something to look forward to, even if it is only once a month, that is still something to be happy about.”

Richardson shared a story to illustrate her point, “A disabled gentleman I used to work for, who has since passed on, wanted to go to the apple orchard so badly and wasn’t able to go for years because of his disability. We took him to the apple orchard and he cried, he was so excited. He talked about how he finally got that off his bucket list and how much he had wanted to visit the orchard. It’s moments like that that are so fulfilling for us.”

— Rockford-based foundation provides activities, more for disabled —