Is community important? With organizations like ours, building community is so important, otherwise we have no purpose. We have struggled a bit on how to go about doing this, so we ramped up the frequency of our newsletter, sending them monthly. We hold monthly Meet & Greet events in San Diego and working on the Riverside area as well as the Murrieta valley. We are also in the planning phase for a couple of fun outings in 2020 designed for everyone of all ages.

So, who makes up a community such as ours? Our community is made up of a diverse group of people from all walks of life. There are those of us with a SCI/D who use wheelchairs for mobility, our friends and family, physical therapists, occupational therapist, recreation therapist, social workers, rehab nurses and anyone who advocates on our behalf. That's quite a powerful group of advocates if I do say so.

What are the benefits of being part of a community such as ours? The most obvious to me is making new friends. Whether we're getting together for a Meet & Greet, an educational workshop or the Interabled Couples group, it's about friendship, socialization, building a support network and being a part of something bigger than ourselves. Another benefit; we always have a good time.

How can we grow our community? Word of mouth is the most powerful, people that come out and hang with us and have a good time will tell someone else and maybe they'll come check us out and have a good time too. The proverbial snowball. Our events draw people to us and so many times, those same people come to a Meet & Greet and before they know it, they're an integral part of this community.  It's certainly not lost on us that our friends who are rehab professionals, support us all of the time and every step of the way and we can't thank them enough. Well, we can, by continuing to build this community and providing great opportunities to learn about this new way of life. I want to finish off by saying that Spinal Network is not about exclusivity, it's about inclusivity. So come out and hang with us, we're a pretty fun crowd.

What Our Community Has To Say

Tim: "Spinal Network to me has been friendships. I have met some really fantastic people and together we have started some fun and helpful events. I'm looking forward to what we will do in the future."

Nadine: "I am so excited about Spinal Network, looking forward to using my God given talent of service in service to others. I especially want to mentor someone new to the Spinal injury world. I have met some wonderful people who are awesome to work with as well."

Warren: "Spinal - Network has given me a sense of self-worth, hope, and reaching new heights that I did not think possible a year ago. I am so blessed to be able to pass on my story and experience with others that need the same. Thank you Spinal-Network."