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THE OAKVILLE BEAVERB2 Photo courtesy of 'On Wings Like Eagles' Tour Stephanie McClellan takes a break with one of her team members, cyclist Chris Arthur. Back To The Books SIDEWALK S A L E ! Aug. 16th to Aug. 22nd ^JO G G E R S '5* (§ SPORTS AfFKfNO \ > K ( f f CHECK * SEEWHAT YOUR DOLLAR V*. --WHAT YOUR DOLLAR V CAN GET YOU 1 2 5 C r o s s A v e . (across from the GO Station)start off the school year on a positive note. Be sure to see the O akville H orticu ltu ra l Society F a ll Show Sat., Aug. 21st. Wednesday, August 18, 1999 'On Wings Like Eagles' Tour brings disabled cyclist to Oakville on Friday By Wilma Blokhuis BEAVER FOCUS EDITOR "We're having a blast," says Stephanie McClellan, who is riding a three-wheeled, hand- cranked bicycle from Vancouver to Ottawa to promote accessibil­ ity for people with disabilities. She's peddling, by hand, an average of about 100 kilometres a day. "I go for three days, then take a day off," she explains, reached in Brantford last week during a lunch break. McClellan, 26, will be in Oakville at St. Cuthbert's Anglican Church, Maple Grove and Oakhill, on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. for an interactive work­ shop on disabilities and access. The workshop will be similar to others being offered along the route. McClellan expects to wheel into Oakville this Friday between 3:30 and 4 p.m., travel­ ing eastbound on Lakeshore Road. She will cycle through town and up Maple Grove Drive to the church at Oakhill. "I've ridden through rain, hail and snow. We had snow in British Columbia going through the mountains, hail on the prairies, and rain with heavy thunderstorms off and on. It's been fun. "The workshops are going very well - they're excellent," she says, adding "I've got a workshop practically every night. "It's great because people are changing their attitudes towards people with disabilities, and their language when talking about us." Most of her workshops are being offered in churches, how­ ever some are held in communi­ ty centres. Having become suddenly disabled due to severe illness, McCellan, a devout Christian, feels the church is "my life­ line," and the Bible verse inspir­ ing her tour as "giving personal encouragement." A candidate for the ministry in the United Church of Canada, McClellan has taken the name for her cross-Canada trek, 'On Wings Like Eagles,' from Isaiah 40:29-3, "He gives strength to the weary . . . those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles." She left Vancouver on May 30th and hopes to reach Ottawa by the end of the month, cover­ ing a distance of over 5,500 kilometres. Raised in the Niagara area, she graduated from E. L. Crossley Secondary School in Fonthill as an Ontario Scholar and enrolled at the University of Guelph to study towards an education degree which would qualify her to teach physical education to the deaf. However, six years ago, at age 19, her life changed dramat­ ically. During her first year in university, McClellan devel­ oped sudden adult onset rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. Within a week, she went from being an able-bodied ath­ lete to physically disabled requiring assistance. The disease went undiag­ nosed for seven weeks. Once the diagnoses was made, she spent five months at the Chedoke- McMaster Hospital's Rheumatic Disease Unit in reha­ bilitation. While there she con­ sidered becoming a hospital chaplain. McClellan returned to the University of Guelph and com­ pleted her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1996, and got involved with wheelchair sports - particularly basketball - and its Centre for Students with Disabilities. She received the Gilmore Award for her contribu­ tion to campus life. She has played in an interna­ tional tournaments for two years with the Twin City Spinners in Kitchener and is currently a member of the Division 2 Provincial Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team in British Columbia. She moved to Vancouver shortly after her graduation from the University of Guelph. She is currently attending Regent College in Vancouver, studying towards her Masters of Divinity. McClellan is travelling with a five-person support team. For more information, check the On Wings Like Eagles web site at: www.pz.com/on-eagles- wings Swinging Sports Day countdown to Millennium Celebrate as Oakville counts down to midnight at the tum-of- the-century. The official Oakville Countdown to Millennium Eve will begin on Sunday at the Oakville 2000/Oakville Beaver 'Swinging Sports Day' at Coronation Park, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. It starts at 9 a.m. in the band shell with Jeannie Jelly Beans and her YMCA family. Then on stage every hour, there will be aerobics, Tai Chi, belly dancing, yoga and swing dancing demon­ strations. Visitors will be invited to workout with the performers or they can join pickup basketball, or enjoy Special Olympians and the Ontario Volleyball Association demonstrations. Meet representatives of the Oakville Sports Hall of Fame and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. The Bronte Creek Provincial Park petting zoo and inflatables will be available for children, and all ages are sure to enjoy the tug-of-war between Halton Regional Police and Oakville Firefighters at noon. Finally, there will be three ticketed attractions - a rock- climbing wall, adventure golf and a bungee run. Overflow parking for Coronation Park will be avail­ able at Hopedale Mall and Hopedale Presbyterian Church. For information or to volun­ teer, call the Oakville 2000 Hot Line at 815-5992 or visit www.oakville2000.com ■z; „»*»»**. u « t t h * c o r e * Jttft i* SSettfl T57W * ■- The Oakville Beaver has been awarded 'Best Sports Section' at the 1999 CCNA Better Newspapers Competition. Drinks are on us To celebrate being named Best Sports Section in Canada a! the recent Canadian Community Newspapers Assoc. Better Newspapers Competition. W E A R E G I V I N G A W A Y 1 S FR E E W A T E R B O T T L E S T O T H E F IR S T 5 0 O A K V I L L E T E A M S T H A T S E N D IN T H E C O U P O N A T R I G H T ! f h a n k s t o n i l t h # l o c a l t e a m s t h a t m a k e - ( h i k v i l h s u c h , a n e x c i t i n g s p o r t s t o w n ! I 'm W I \N i ;K 11 hj H i k NBWSIHf'l-lt'i i »jv»T*i jffftuw B I S ! S P O R T S I IIVKKACK A 1 £ * 'km'i TEAM SPORTS WATER BOTTLES! the first 50 Oakville teams that return this coupon will receive 15 free Oakville Beaver Team Sports water bottles! Team Name____________________________ Address Phone Contact Name Send coupon to: Team Sports Bottles c/o Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd. Oakville L6K 3S4 or FAX to 337-5568 http://www.pz.com/on-eagles-wings http://www.pz.com/on-eagles-wings http://www.oakville2000.com Aug. 16th to Aug. 22nd By Wilma Blokhuis Jttft i* SSettfl The Oakville Beaver has been awarded 'Best Sports Section' at the 1999 CCNA Better Newspapers Competition. Drinks are on us Team Name Address Phone Contact Name Send coupon to: Team Sports Bottles c/o Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd. Oakville L6K 3S4 or FAX to 337-5568