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4- The Oakville Beaver, Friday September 1, 2006 www.oakvillebeaver.com Still time to get on board Cruise for A Cause By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Cruise for a Cause will sail out of Oakville Harbour on Sept. 7 and there are only about two dozen tickets left. It's a chance to support a good cause while enjoying dinner and dancing aboard the Wayward Princess. The ship departs Oakville Harbour Pier at 7 p.m. and will return by 11 p.m. Hosted by Nautical Adventures on behalf of Oakville-based CharterAbility, tickets cost $60. Cruise for a Cause is organized by Stephen Cull, a quadriplegic who created CharterAbility, a non-profit organization that was incorporated in 2003. He plans to build a barrier-free, fullyaccessible power catamaran that can work the harbours of the GTA. There are ways for physically-challenged people to sail, O CE CE % but it involves them being taken out of their wheelchairs, where they are most comfortable and feel most secure. Cull hopes to provide a means for people to enjoy, or at least experience for the first time, the recreation leisure activity without taking them out of their comfort zone. CharterAbility is creating a vehicle where 10 to 14 wheelchairs, scooters and people with mobility impairment, can get out on the boat to fish, take photographs, have parties, picnics, corporate functions, and more. Cull, who was born and raised in Mississauga, broke his neck in 1991 while tobogganing on an inner tube with friends. He seriously damaged his fifth and sixth vertebrae and it left him in a wheelchair with only limited use of his arms -- and feeling lucky given all the pain that there is in the world. A rehabilitation nurse at Lyndhurst Hospital in Toronto instilled in Cull one of the philosophies he continues to live by -- that everyone has a disability, his is just more prevalent because he has a wheelchair. At this fall's Cruise for a Cause -- two cruises are held annually, the fall cruise leaving Oakville Harbour and the spring sailing from Port Credit, North America's only wheelchair-accessible limousine will be showcased on the pier. That will be along with Cruise for a Cause's traditional treats on the pier --hors d'oeuvres from Julia's Ristorante, oysters from Big Daddy's Oyster Shack and Bar, samosas courtesy of The Rude Native and sushi from Nikko Japanese Restaurant. The 325-passenger Wayward Princess boasts large, panoramic windows on two enclosed decks with walkout balconies and an open air third deck, for a range of vantage points from which to dine, dance or take in the view. The cruise will also serve a three-course meal prepared on board and decadent desserts. "To go on a boat, I get lifted onto the boat. I don't get lifted into my bank. I don't get lifted into my bedroom or bathroom," said Cull. Typically each of the six cruises to date have raised $5,000-$10,000 and provide what Cull calls the "seed money" for the development of the boat. However for the cruises to fund the boat -- which could cost anywhere from $100,000 to $1 million, depending on how it's built -- it would take a good many years. Once a boat is on the water however, Cull said the popular cruises could raise funds to put disadvantaged people on the water. And he envisions removing all possible barriers, not just those for the physically challenged, but for everyone from abused women to nursing home residents. For more information about CharterAbility, visit www.charterability.com. -- Angela Blackburn can be reached at angela@oakvillebeaver.com. OFF ad 374 4 OVER 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE!!! INSURED When you take 8000 steps a day... fit matters! Dunham is a New Balance Performance Brand 8000 Windsor Waterproof Milled Leather Oxford · Since the average person takes about 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, this shoe provides enhanced cushioning and comfort in all the right places · The ultimate in comfort and value, the 8000 combines the latest technologies to create the perfect blend of comfort and performance · Available widths: Men`s B­6E · Women's comparable model: 5953. Available widths: 2A­2E 5 9 LE IDD ER M AST UPPROAD E The largest selection of New Balance apparel, accessories and footwear in multiple widths. 8 403 TH Oakville . W E. Q. TH E LIN E LIN Upper Middle Rd E & 8th Line 905.337.9393 www.newbalanceoakville.ca