National Wheelchair Basketball Championships, Denver CO, March 18-21

Due to the start of our first annual kids ski camp this weekend, we had to cut our wheelchair March madness short and catch only two of the four days packed with b-ball games of all divisions, sex, and ages. Thursday we saw the bracket break down quick; the Arizona girls creamed our Denver Nuggets, but double elimination kept them alive until later that night. The mens' league were big, tough, and downright nasty; the toughest matchup we saw Heat-Thunder.

Friday brought no less excitement or talent with the junior leagues squaring off for some intense basketball as well. Word on the courts was that the Dallas teams were going to be the ones to beat... we'll see!

We were incredibly dismayed to skip out on the finals, so you can guarantee we'll be down there next year for the excitement as well. Our GADA Belts were a hit, and we found that this event was the most comprehensive brainstorming session we've had, with hundreds of types and sizes of chairs to look at for additional designs; we hope to have those ready soon!

Wheelchair Basketball has been around since Tim Nugent (in photo with Craig and former NBA Nuggets coach Bill Hanzlik) founded the NWBA in the mid-1940s. This was the largest representation of teams in their 61-year history at the National Championships, with 82 teams all under (mostly) one roof at the new Gold Crown Complex off Alameda and Sheridan. In the past, the event was split into several locations. This year only a few Thursday adult games were played at the Metro College Arena while the junior bracket was played.

In addition to the intense, great games we were able to see, the highlight of our two days at this event was meeting Mr Nugent himself, who has been present at every single Championship since its inception. In addition, three Denver Nugget players showed up on Thursday to sign autographs for the juniors, some of who were also being offered recruiting deals from several universities present such as Oklahoma State.

The NWBA is currently revamping and reorganizing its enormous website, but hopes to get video streams up this year from the event. Wheelchair b-ball rules and adaptations can be found on their site as well if you're intrigued!

We have posted more pictures on Flickr as well.

And now on to our kids camp! What a week!

The New Color Coding in Faucets

This came to us from Mountain Living Magazine's Blog:

"If you’ve ever burned your hand by putting it under the faucet to test the water temperature, then you’ll appreciate this kitchen faucet from Blanco. As stylish as it is functional, the faucet includes light-emitting diodes that colors the water jet to indicate the water temperature: red for hot water, blue for cold. Available in polished chrome and stainless, the faucet’s contemporary design makes it a stylish addition to any kitchen."

But what isn't mentioned is that this is a great idea for people with disabilities who have sensory, touch, or temperature loss as well!

For more information visit blancoamerica.com.

America's Most Rollable Cities

In a recent post we showed you our two favorite online communities for PWD interested in travel. This week one of them is hosting a poll for our collective opinion that we'd like your input on!

Based on an article our friend and colleague Craig Grimes saw titled "America's 10 Most Walkable Cities" from The Daily Green, he began to ponder if the 10 most walkable cities are also the most accessible for people with disabilities, and asked us to help get the word out...

Grimes intends to post a poll for Europe as well next week, so please weigh in on your thoughts about the US for us in the meantime. You have to sign in to post your vote, so if you choose not to do that, post your comments here instead and we'll pass them on. However, please keep in mind that this online community was created by your peers just for travelers with disabilities with a growing wealth of information to share, so we encourage you to join!

The poll is posted here:
http://community.accessible.travel/profile/CraigGrimes

Continental Airlines Disability Advisory Board Updates

Hello from Houston!
We have immediate news from the start of this 2-day meeting with Continental Airlines' Disability Advisory Board and their progress over the last six months since our first meeting in October. We're very excited to bring their update to you, as they have indeed taken our advice to heart and brought forth some excellent changes in their day-to-day operations in handling customers with disabilities.

We hope that you will begin to pay attention to the progress and improvements that companies like CO and direct your future business accordingly!

1. Now on Continental.com customers with disabilities can create a personal profile which includes all their special needs so they do not have to enter them for each and every reservation they book

2. Continental has beefed up their disability awareness training through an awareness day and the upcoming changes to the DOT regulations with the addition of 14 CFR part 382, which is an entire subject in and of itself, but is a wonderful new tool and benefit for PWD and their rights when flying.
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/rules/382short.pdf

3. Continental is developing a mobility device plaquard, which we have written about before, that will clearly spell out the simple operation and stowage needs for power wheelchairs and scooters. We'll post that as soon as it's ready!

4. Starting April 1st, lead flight attendants will finally be recognizable by a lead agent ensignia on their name tags so that customers with special needs can address their needs to this agent directly.

5. Starting May 13th, in conjunction with the release of the 382 document, passengers using Emotional Support Animals will be required to give 48 hours notice to the airline in order to prevent the increasing amount of fraud in this area. Note this does not apply to service/working/guide dogs, just psychological assist animals.

6. Also starting May 13th, additional FAA-approved respiration devices will now be accepted. Aside from the currently accepted BAC, ventilators and respirators will be accepted.

7. At many hub airports such as Houston, Cleveland and Newark, TSA has begun to expedite customers with service animals to a ''relieving area'' outside, through security and back, to help PWD meet their connections and therefore book shorter connections. Secure-area (plane side) relief areas are still being studied, but we still hope to help create those someday!

Again we are excited to bring these updates to you from Continental Airlines; please pass them on and stay tuned for more as we continue to progress with this board and its relationships with partners in the air travel industry! Congratulations, Continental!

China Business Opportunities Discovery Trip

Shanghai Spring Tour USA Co is thrilled to offer a unique opportunity to travel to China to find more business opportunities by attending the 6^th China International Textile & Apparel Trade Fair in Shanghai, April 20 to May 1st.

You will visit memorable sites, both ancient and modern and enjoy a multitude of unforgettable experiences. During the trip, we will have two days for you to attend the big textile trade fair where you can meet the Chinese, Japanese and Korean manufacturers to talk about the tour business, beside this one we will arrange another day to visit a Chinese commodities whole sale market – Yiwu where you will visit many vendors of different products in the market and have the business talks with the Chinese businessmen and learn how the Chinese business system works.

This trip is designed to help you find many new business opportunities in China!

Please do not wait too long to decide, space is limited. Price: $1800 plus tax.

The 6^th China International Textile & Apparel Trade Fare on April 22 – April 24:
http://www.apparelchina.org/

Yiwu – a city to find your business opportunity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brs777fdA2A&feature=related

For more information, please contact Jimmy Deng at Spring Tour:

800-627-0886
jim58jim@gmail.com
Website: www.spring-tour.com