USANEO Chapter Update – Fall 2023
As always, we have been keeping busy over the past few months. We had an incredible time at USANEO’s 2023 Trivia Fundraiser, which featured a wide selection of raffle prizes and had a great turnout. Although it was hard to top last year’s fundraiser, we had more of our Chapter members and fun this year!
2023 Wrap-up
In August, we hosted the United Spinal Association Northeast Ohio Chapter’s second annual Handcycle and Picnic in the Park! We had a blast reconnecting with our Chapter members over hotdogs and hamburgers, getting to know new members, and trying out the handcycles. No need to worry if you couldn’t make it this year – just make sure to keep an eye out for information about next year’s Handcyle Picnic on our calendar webpage. And, if you’re still interested in trying out the handcycles, Chapter members who are able to transfer (or can be assisted with transferring) are welcome to borrow one of the handcycles we own for up to 30 days – email us at unitedspinalneo@gmail.com for more information.
We also enjoyed a beautiful day at Sunny Lake Park in Aurora for the Run, Walk, & Roll Fundraiser hosted by the Center for Stroke & Hand Recovery in partnership with Getting Back Up. Getting Back Up works to improve access to exercise-based recovery programs and adaptable products for individuals with spinal cord injuries. Visit their website to learn more about their work.
Finally (and arguably most importantly), congratulations to our Chapter’s President, Megan Hammond, who got married in September!
2023 Community Event Program
Thank you to everyone who participated in our 2023 Community Event Program. This year, we were so grateful to spend time with our Chapter community at various events, including Cavs and Guardians games, Playhouse Square musicals, and performances by the Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center. We hope the Community Event Program will be an even bigger success in 2024 – please let us know which events you’re interested in attending next year using our Community Event Program Survey!
Monthly Meetings
Have you heard about our virtual monthly meetings on the 3rd Monday of each month? Over the summer, we hosted two social hours over Zoom, allowing attendees to network and get to know one another. In November, we’ll have the opportunity to learn more about the ReWalk Exoskeleton – register here!
Visit our YouTube channel @unitedspinalneo to watch replays of our past meetings, including a recent presentation by the Cleveland Metroparks in October. The schedule and registration links for upcoming monthly meetings are available on our Calendar page, at www.usaneo.org/calendar.
What’s Next
We are still looking for more volunteers to continue serving the spinal cord injury community across Northeast Ohio. If you are interested in volunteering or taking on a leadership role for our Chapter, please email us at unitedspinalneo@gmail.com. With your help, we hope to enhance our services and expand our impact in the community. Let us know if you would like to get involved with our Peer Mentorship Program or the Equipment Lending Program.
Finally, if you know anyone who would benefit from USANEO’s resources – like our Equipment Lending Program and inventory of donated items – please encourage them to sign up as a free member! Feel free to reach out if you have any ideas for how we can improve or build on our services. We would greatly appreciate any help you can provide, in any capacity. We look forward to further developing our membership and leadership team to continue serving the Northeast Ohio community. Thank you!
