This year will be my very first El Tour de Tucson event, and I am riding the 32-miler. I'm really excited because I am doing it for a cause that is near and dear to my heart: access to nature for people of ALL abilities. My goal is to raise $500. All monies raised will go directly to SAAWR to help fund more accessible outings and buy adaptive equipment for those outings.
Everyone who donates will receive a Thank You note with a personalized message in both print and braille. And, if I reach my fundraising goal of $500, I will dye my hair a funky color (maybe purple or pink...or something else?).
Southern Arizona Accessible Wildlife Refuge
At Southern Arizona Accessible Wildlife Refuge (SAAWR), we strive for full accessibility in nature. Through education, outreach, inclusion, and advocacy, we work to ensure the outdoors are welcoming, inclusive, safe, and accessible for everyone, regardless of ability. Our ultimate goal is to create a nature center that is fully accessible to people with access challenges. While SAAWR is open to everyone, our focus is on people with mobility challenges, blindness or low vision, chronic illness, intellectual or developmental disabilities, communication challenges, sensory impairment, mental illness, and those who are neurodivergent, deaf or hard of hearing, or have other health concerns.
Currently, we provide free monthly accessible nature outings in partnership with the Tucson Audubon Society in and around the Tucson area. Through our efforts in the last year, we have provided access to nature to over 100 unique individuals with access challenges!
We are participating in El Tour de Tucson 2023 in support of nature's mental health and wellness benefits for individuals with access challenges. Funds raised will go directly toward providing better accessibility to nature outings. These funds will allow us to provide interpreters for the Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing, transportation vouchers for those who are unable to drive, and adaptive equipment for use during outings.
Start a fundraising page! Get your friends, family, and total strangers to join! We ride in pursuit of better access to nature.
At Southern Arizona Accessible Wildlife Refuge (SAAWR), we strive for full accessibility in nature. Through education, outreach, inclusion, and advocacy, we work to ensure the outdoors are welcoming, inclusive, safe, and accessible for everyone, regardless of ability. Our ultimate goal is to create a nature center that is fully accessible to people with access challenges. While SAAWR is open to everyone, our focus is on people with mobility challenges, blindness or low vision, chronic illness, intellectual or developmental disabilities, communication challenges, sensory impairment, mental illness, and those who are neurodivergent, deaf or hard of hearing, or have other health concerns.
Currently, we provide free monthly accessible nature outings in partnership with the Tucson Audubon Society in and around the Tucson area. Through our efforts in the last year, we have provided access to nature to over 100 unique individuals with access challenges.