inMotion Magazine

Shine 27 just asked. Living in Clarinda I have asked, and individuals didn’t just hear me they listened. The pride I have in The Clarinda School District, The City of Clarinda, and Clarinda Regional Hospital are unmeasurable. I worked with our high school on adding a seating area for those where the grandstands were not accessible. I have had the privilege of seeing not one, but two accessibility seating areas at our local football field constructed. Previously there was no handicapped seating available! The students at our high school, as part of a class, built them. My grandson being one of those students. I have also had many conversations with the city administration on correcting and adding handicap parking stalls in our business district. They are now beginning to redo some of the parking stalls with one complete, and others in the planning. Just in this last year, the city has added over 100 brand new accessibly access ramps on the sidewalk entrances. This was not all my doing, as most were part of a large paving project, but I had many conversations about the need. I have helped a couple of other local agencies over the years. There are so many needs. I always have a list of needs for others and those who want to help. I am a firm believer people will help if the need is known. We have the Clarinda Amputee Support Group, which has 135 members worldwide. This was started with the intention of meeting at the hospital once a month, then COVID entered our world. We now have Zoom meetings twice a month. Amputees can speak a language no one else understands. I am also a member of the Amputee Coalition and will soon be certified as a Certified Peer Visitor. However, I am currently already performing those services now, as a CHI Immanuel Medical Center amputee support person. I worked with Clarinda Regional Health Center to become a Hospital Partner of the Amputee Coalition. I also started a local amputee support group with CRHC as a sponsor. Like most groups, when COVID- 19 arrived it was no longer feasible to meet in-person. So, I developed an online support group using Zoom to facilitate our meetings. To date we have 135 amputees in the group, with members throughout the country and internationally as well. Having a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Human Services, working with people in this type of environment is my passion. I have been asked [and gladly accepted] by Clarinda Regional Health Center to serve on a committee to address the revolving needs of patients’ quality of care, from the parking lot to discharge. I feel honored that I have been able to have productive conversations with the Clarinda School System, City of Clarinda and Clarinda Regional Health Center, and not only was I listened to, but positive changes were made to improve accessibility for all! As an above the knee amputee, I deal with handicap issues daily, with mobility being one of my biggest challenges. As I began this journey, I quickly realized that I, along with most others, had limited knowledge of what the needs are of physically disabled individuals and their families. Reality is, if you don’t live it, you really don’t know. By volunteering I have learned so much about the needs of others, as well as myself. God gives us only so many days, so I choose to do what I can do to make a difference. Volunteering has taught me patience, humor, and moderation. Humor I have, but you must always have goals, and I am working on patience. The advice I would give is to get out of your own way. Look around with open eyes, and really look. Ask the questions why and why not because it can just be the start of the ripple effect of making the difference. -Lori Veach Lori seen here with CEO of Clarinda Regional Health Center, Superintendent of Clarinda school district, and City of Clarinda administrator.