May, 2001

Meet the Phenomenal Organization
By Renee Martinez

In 1976, while working as a professional skating instructor in Buffalo, NY, Elizabeth M. O'Donnell had the unique idea of teaching people who were blind how to ice skate. Initial success led to the formation in 1977 of the Skating Association for the Blind and Handicapped(SABAH), Inc., a Buffalo-based not-for-profit educational corporation. Soon after its initial efforts, SABAH expanded to include children, youth and adults with all types of disabilities. For more than 22 years, SABAH has taught 9,000 Western New Yorkers who have physical, cognitive, or emotional challenges, to ice skate. This past year, locally-raised funds provided instruction to more than 800 people with disabilities each week. SABAH provides to its' skaters weekly adaptive ice skating lessons, adaptive skating equipment, intense volunteer support, and the opportunity to perform in an annual skating spectacular.

In fact, SABAH is on the ice seven days a week at six sites in Erie and Niagara counties to serve "handi-capable" skaters from six Western New York counties. SABAH works to improve clients' balance, coordination, endurance, and strength, as well as to their self-discipline. It puts meaning behind SABAH'S motto, "I can do it, I can skate!" More than 30 skaters have taken their first independent steps as a direct result of their efforts in the program.

One such skater is Molly Keenan. A 25 year-old challenged by Cerebral Palsy, Molly embodies the motto, "I CAN DO IT, I CAN SKATE." Looking at Molly today, it's hard to imagine her battling the winters struggling to get around in her wheelchair. This was how you would have found her only three years ago, while attending Buffalo State College to complete her Master's Degree in Speech Pathology. "I'd always dreamt of skating, but I was resigned to the fact that it was something that I would never be able to do," said Keenan. "When I heard about SABAH through my Aunt, I went to Elizabeth O'Donnell to ask her if it's something that I could do. Without hesitation, she said, 'yes, I know you can do it', and that changed my life forever." Molly no longer uses a wheelchair. She walks with braces and continues to increase her muscle use everyday. "No can say that I can't skate now - I'm a SABAH Star!" says Molly. "There are so many things I want to do, like bicycle, rollerblade, and tap dance. SABAH has improved my strength, balance and given me a sense of confidence that I never had before. Elizabeth [O'Donnell] is my angel." Like many other SABAH Stars, Molly uses specially made skates and walker to make her dream reality. The walkers are used to aid stability and allow beginning skaters or those with physical disabilities to safely start learning on-ice skills. They assist the skaters in maintaining balance and assuming the proper skating posture. SABAH uses three models of walkers. Another piece of adaptive equipment that SABAH uses is a harness. There are five sizes of harnesses that have been developed to aid the skater in attaining the proper posture and balance and to provide support for skaters who have physical disabilities or limitations in their ability to bear weight on skates.

Through SABAH's training, skaters challenged by disabilities have developed a process of goal-setting and goal-achieving that can be mirrored in other life activities. They experience success and develop an "I can do it attitude." For most, it becomes an established approach to new challenges that impact their lives off the ice and SABAH helps the skaters to acquire better overall health and wellness including: muscle strength, fine and gross motor skills, coordination, social skills, and self esteem. The joys and lessons learned in the rink translate into skaters' life situations.

Goal-setting and achieving, cooperation, courtesy, recognition, and empathy are only a few of the lessons that SABAH provides and encourages. SABAH works with people ages 16 months to 72 years, inclusive of those with challenges of all types and severity, including:

cerebral palsy	muscular dystrophy
mental retardation	hemophilia
developmental delays	emotional/behavior disability
down syndrome	learning disabilities
hearing impairments	multiple sclerosis
scoliosis	epilepsy/seizure disorders
speech impairments	heart transplant
neurological impairments	congenital myopathy
vision impairments	amputation
william's syndrome	congenital heart defects
spinabifida	cancer
autism	multiple disabilities

SABAH has is proud of the active participation of volunteers. To SABAH, their volunteers are their strength. Volunteers show up with smiles on their faces and skates in hand to encourage, cajole, teach, practice and befriend their SABAH Stars. This past year, more than 500 volunteers worked directly with skaters on the ice, and another 700 worked behind-the-scenes, filling invaluable roles in fundraising, networking, planning, and making the annual Ice Show a success. To SABAH, Buffalo is truly a community that cares.

Last year, instruction was delivered to more than 800 people with disabilities, each week. SABAH organizes, choreographs, and costumes an annual ice skating spectacular, featuring the accomplishments of SABAH Stars; this year, 1,400 performers - 800 with physical, mental and emotional challenges - were showcased in "SABAH Skates Hollywood" ice skating spectacular, with more than 10,000 in attendance. These same shows consistently attract skaters of national and international renown to perform in Buffalo, last year Brian Boitano skated in "SABAH Skates the Century."

SABAH has trained and supported 15,000 volunteers to work in multiple programmatic capacities over the past two decades. Today, more than 24 years from its' inception, SABAH continues to grow. O'Donnell plans to expand the program nationally. There are already chapters in Erie, PA, Rochester, NY, and Glens Falls, NY with one in Ohio projected to start this fall. If you are interested in learning more about SABAH or making a contribution, call 716-675-7222. Check out their webpage at: www.sabahinc.org.