Daring Within Reach:
Living on Cabin Time
“It was a chance to get away. You’re on your own time, doing what you want to do.”
W
e’ve all been there—sometimes stepping outside your
day-to-day routine is exactly what you need. Six years ago,
members of LADD’s Independent Resident Council (IRC)
decided they wanted an opportunity to travel somewhere new
and get out into nature. Coordinator Faith Maynard searched
for the perfect spot and discovered the wheelchair-accessible
cabins in Southern Indiana that the retreat has returned
to every year since. Offering a getaway accessible to
people with different physical abilities and support
needs, the hope is that everyone can experience a little
wanderlust.
voyage, “It’s a framework to talk about their relationship with
disability.”
Dan had some solid advice for others who may be nervous to
try something unfamiliar like this retreat: “Get the experience
of something new—you’ll feel nervous at first, but once you try
it it’s not so bad. Go ahead and you’ll be glad you did it.”
Dan’s trip this year was his first with the IRC Retreat, and
he looks back on the experience with a smile. In fact, as
he reflects, the vacation seems to inspire Dan’s inner
poet, “The breeze is gentle, very peaceful—you’re not
overloaded. It’s nice to not have to worry about going
to work. I’m glad I went and got the chance to go—I got
to be somewhere different than the places I know.” Dan
doesn’t travel very often, but truly savored his days at the
cabin, which are situated on the Ohio River. “The water
is gentle, the way it flows. It’s not like someone nagging
you or anything. It’s where you can think, relax,
do whatever you want, really.”
Dan takes the wheel on the Ohio River.
In addition to relaxing river-side or in a hot
tub, the retreat groups visit around the town of
Derby, Indiana and have built relationships with
locals who may not otherwise meet people with
disabilities out in the community. “It happens
every year that people remember us and seek us
out to share their stories,” explains Faith, who has
facilitated this trip every year since its maiden
11
WINTER 2015
ISSUE 2
David at local restaurant in Derby.
Alex, Jake, and Allyson enjoy
a boat ride on the Ohio River.