Every year many people approach United Spinal about starting a new chapter where they live, and every year many of those same people discover that getting a new chapter off the ground is no small feat. Even with the support of the parent organization and a fervent desire to help the local SCI community, the logistics of making it happen and making it successful can be tricky. Erin Gildner learned that first-hand as she worked to start the Arkansas chapter.

“It has been frustrating,” Gildner says. “There are a lot of moving parts to get this done. Our state is very rural and we don’t have a model spinal cord injury center.”

Gildner, a paraplegic, began to see the need for a new organization when she started working in state government as a grant coordinator in 2009. “I just became very interested in public health and the lack of participation and employment for people who have disabilities, especially those who use wheelchairs,” she says. “I was going out and working with all these people in state government and it was such a novel concept to them that somebody with a disability was working. It started to really get under my skin, and I started to do a lot of research about what I could do.”

Arkansas has a Spinal Cord Commission that runs an SCI registry and helps low income people with spinal cord injuries, but Gildner sensed that the local SCI community needed more. “There are so many people and organizations all over the state that are doing good work, but they’re not connected and there is not a unified voice,” she says. “We haven’t really had a forum that’s a safe place for all the groups to meet and to network. That’s where I am thinking the chapter can bring a novel approach and give them that space to be able to interact and know where we want to go and what we want for our state.”

Gildner first contacted United Spinal’s director of chapter relations, Nick LiBassi, about starting a chapter in 2012. On the heels of her first advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., she and an Arkansas friend started discussing the holes in the state support system and brainstorming how they could address them. But as it often does, life intervened. Finishing graduate school, raising kids and having difficulties finding the right professional to work with kept delaying the chapter’s launch. The whole endeavor nearly fell apart this year when Gildner’s family almost had to move because her husband took a new job.

Luckily the family stayed put and Gildner recently found the medical professional she felt the chapter needed for its board. “Finally having that piece of the puzzle and having her on board, I think now we’re going to take off,” she says.

Gildner has already built a successful online community on Facebook for Arkansas women with spinal cord injuries, and she hopes to expand on that. She is also looking at offering adaptive sports and assembling a registry of accessible parks. Her biggest focus is helping bridge some of the gaps in state services. “The transition from pediatric to adult health care and the community supports around that are very, very weak, and there are a lot of families that don’t realize that life can be just as fulfilling as an adult with SCI as it is for anyone else,” she says. “There are low expectations a lot of the time.”

Gildner hopes to have the chapter off the ground and running by the time this article is published. “I’ve met with lots of family members and doctors and they’re just so excited for the potential,” she says. “We call ourselves a chapter and we are, but we’re just emerging.”

To start a United Spinal chapter or support group where you live — or to find out more about the organization or if there are chapters or support groups around you

---

Spotlight: Little Rock

By Erin Gildner

My Take

Little Rock is not usually the first choice when thinking of a vacation destination or a city to move to, but I feel it is unjustly overlooked. I wasn’t planning on living here permanently when I moved to the city in January 2002 from Florida, but I quickly fell in love with the city’s beautiful scenic views, rolling hills and friendly people. I also liked that I didn’t have to spend hours on the interstate during rush hour and that it seemed as though everyone knew each other, despite it being the largest city in the state. I didn’t live here long before my life-altering injury occurred, but I already felt at home and wanted to stay. This is a great place to raise a family and the city is continually making changes to the built environment to become more inclusive for all residents, no matter their age or abilities.

Skinny on the City

With approximately 200,000 people calling it home, Little Rock is the most populous city in Arkansas. Since it is also the capital, it was once the home of former President Bill Clinton, when he was governor, and you will find his presidential library and museum situated right on the Arkansas River bank.

Getting Around

I am blessed to have a car with hand controls so I’m able to get where I want to go, but visitors or residents without access to adaptive vehicles have a much harder time getting around the city. It’s best for visitors who use wheelchairs or mobility aids to stay downtown since it’s easier to travel by chair or bus from this area. The Central Arkansas Transit Authority does have accessible buses (and some inaccessible trolleys downtown), but not all bus stops are accessible, and to my knowledge the routes don’t cover all parts of the city. LINKS Paratransit is available, but you must submit an application, provide proof of disability and call a minimum of 24 hours in advance. There is an option to rent accessible vans, however, through www.wheelchairgetaways.com, which has partnered with a local business, Accessibility Specialties.

Places to Go

Many different areas are worth highlighting, but the most accessible area is the vibrant River Market district in downtown Little Rock. You could spend your entire stay in this area and never run out of things to do. The neighborhood is home to amazing locally crafted beers, unique restaurants, and lots of fun shops and art galleries. You can visit the Museum of Discovery, the Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center, William J. Clinton Presidential Center & Park, and also the Heifer International headquarters and Heifer Village. Street parking can be difficult to find, but plenty of small parking garages and lots are located close to the action with accessible parking. The sidewalks are fairly easy to travel and curb cuts are located everywhere, although not always in the best shape. At the farmers’ market, open every Saturday from May to October, you can shop for Arkansas-grown produce, locally sourced products and meat, and handmade local arts and crafts.

Two must-see bridges located along the scenic 15-mile Arkansas River trail in the River Market: the Junction Bridge and the Clinton Presidential Park Bridge. Junction Bridge, spanning from River Front Park to the Verizon Arena in North Little Rock, is a 100-year old “lift span” bridge transformed into a pedestrian/cyclist bridge that has an elevator. The Clinton Presidential Park Bridge is a very accessible ramped multi-use trail that closes the loop on the River Trail.

Must See, Must Do

Flying Fish of Little Rock: This dining establishment almost always has a line out the door, but it’s worth the wait. The fried catfish is some of the best I’ve ever had, and you can also get delicious healthy grilled options.

William J. Clinton Presidential Center & Park: One of the largest presidential library archives in American history also has a full scale replica of the Oval Office. The surrounding park showcases native wildlife and river life of the restored wetlands habitat.

Big Dam Bridge: This pedestrian/cyclist bridge is beautiful at night, when it is illuminated by LED fixtures with 16 million possible color schemes.

---

Support New Mobility Wait! Before you wander off to other parts of the internet, please consider supporting New Mobility. For more than three decades, New Mobility has published groundbreaking content for active wheelchair users. We share practical advice from wheelchair users across the country, review life-changing technology and demand equity in healthcare, travel and all facets of life. But none of this is cheap, easy or profitable. Your support helps us give wheelchair users the resources to build a fulfilling life. donate today