WV AgrAbility provided disability awareness to 650 youth during the Wood, Tyler, and Tucker County Progressive Farm Safety Day. Students were engaged in discussions on "people-first language" and why "handicapped" should not be used to describe a person with a disability. Students were also asked to imagine what it would be like to try and build a house using only a screwdriver - which is what it would be like for an individual with a disability if they did not have specific assistive technology. Then students participated in a "hands-on" activity where they tried to guess various types of assistive technology and what disability it would assist. A weighted spoon, retractable handle bowling ball and tactile dominos were among the highlights. Students were also asked whether an individual with paraplegia could be a teacher, play sports, go to the movies, or be a farmer, and then what special "tools" each profession would need to be successful.
WV AgrAbility staff also provided a session on lawnmower safety at the Tyler County Progressive Farm Safety Days.
The fifth annual WV Urban Ag Conference was held on the campus of West Virginia State University May 11-12. West Virginia AgrAbility provided information to 75 conference participants and demonstrated various ergonomic gardening tools at the AgrAbility information booth. The highlighted tool was the Stand n' Plant where participants were able to practice planting plugs using that ergonomic tool.
Submitted by Inetta Fluharty