'Happy Beyond Measure':  Disabled People Enjoy Day at Kennesaw Skate Park

KENNESAW — Wheelchair users of all ages took to the skate park at Swift-Cantrell Park in Kennesaw on Saturday.

Life Rolls On, an organization that serves to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities through adaptive surfing, skating and fishing, presented the event for the ninth year in a row.

“What they do is they bring these adaptive events all over the country to show people with disabilities that we can still do stuff,” said Clint Cook, executive director for Life Rolls On Atlanta. “We can still all show up to a skatepark on Saturday morning and have a day to skate.”

Cook said there were nearly 60 people in wheelchairs skating, which he said was the most they have had since the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, he said, they had as many as 70 skaters.

Skaters and their families came from all over metro Atlanta and beyond to take part.

“We teach them how to adapt to the world, because the world’s not going to adapt to them,” said Cody Appleton of Calhoun, Kentucky, who helped push wheelchair users up and down ramps. “They think they’re out there having a good time, but they’re really learning.”

Appleton was helping Jacob Lee of Griffin grind his wheelchair down a rail, a popular trick done by skaters.

“He’s helping me pull off a lot of (stuff) that I didn’t think I’d be able to do, so I’m already exhilarated and happy beyond measure,” Lee said.

Lee said he was going to master the art of grinding the rail before the end of the day.

“It’ll help him with mobility throughout the world,” Appleton said. “Not everywhere is accessible.”

Not far away, Savannah Reid of Kennesaw was working up the courage to roll herself down a ramp.

“It’s fun for me,” Reid said. “I’ve been doing this three years now. It’s scary a little bit, but it’s fun.”

Helping her out was Caitlin Jones of Marietta, a physical therapist who leads the spinal cord injury program at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

“It’s amazing just getting out here and helping people push to what they’re capable of and beyond,” Jones said.

Cook summed up the attitude of the day’s festivities.

“Just because you’re disabled doesn’t mean you have to sit around the house all day,” Cook said. “You can come out and be part of life.”