Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Diveheart : adaptive SCUBA diving : children, adults, and veterans with disabilities : 2011 : Downers Grove, IL

DIVEHEART MISSION STATEMENT:

To build confidence and independence in children, adults, and veterans with disabilities using SCUBA diving as a tool.

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DIVEHEART INFORMATION

The Diveheart Foundation was founded in Early 2001 and is a non-profit tax exempt 501 (C) (3) national organization chartered in the state of Illinois. The purpose of Diveheart is to provide and support educational SCUBA diving and snorkeling experience programs that are open to any child, adult, or veteran with a disability with the hope of providing both physical and psychological therapeutic value to that person.

It is the "CAN DO" spirit that Diveheart hopes to instill in all its participants by giving them the confidence and independence that allows them to face their own life challenges and overcome barriers that before might have seemed insurmountable.
Through SCUBA diving, the Diveheart Foundation supports and facilitates programs that teach children and adults with disabilities to fly. Thanks to the wonder of the water column, the oceans and lakes of the world become the forgiving weightless environment of outer space, giving perfect buoyancy to a child or adult who would otherwise struggle on land.


WHAT DOES DIVEHEART DO?

In our mission statement you discovered that Diveheart helps build confidence and independence in children, adults and veterans with disabilities through the sport of scuba diving... But the Diveheart vision & activities encompass much more…

THE DIVEHEART VISION...
It is our hope to bring the disabled dive industry up to the level of the disabled ski industry by 2020. For example: fifty or more years ago if an individual in a wheelchair rolled up to a ski resort in Colorado and wanted to downhill ski, there were no opportunities. Today, many ski resorts and operators around the world cater to skiers with disabilities, giving them the opportunity to experience the excitement of Alpine skiing. We believe that as individuals with disabilities discover that scuba diving is an activity that they can easily participate in, the tide will rise and the growing demand will necessitate that dive retailers, manufacturers, instructors, operators and resorts recognize and meet the need.

THE DIVEHEART STRATEGY TO REALIZE THIS VISION:


1.FACILITATE NEW DISABLED DIVE PROGRAMS AROUND THE WORLD….
Outreach is an important part of the Diveheart strategy to grow disabled diving worldwide. This is accomplished by training instructors, dive buddies, store operators and support Staff in the ways of not only instructing and working with disabled divers, but by engaging community leaders and local business support to become part of the program in their area.

2.ACT AS A REFERRAL SERVICE TO EXISTING DISABLED DIVE PROGRAMS….
Once Diveheart has helped to facilitate a new disabled dive program either in conjunction with local dive stores, dive clubs or resorts those organizations become the beneficiary of referrals from Diveheart. Both able-bodied instructors and buddies as well as individuals with disabilities wanting to learn to dive are referred by Diveheart.

3.CONSULT, SUPPORT & BUILD NEW DISABLED DIVE PROGRAMS
One of the things that makes Diveheart unique in the world of disabled diving is its ability to provide new Diveheart facilitated programs on the ground support before, during and after Diveheart training that includes free consulting with any and all local community and business partners including service organizations, media, veterans groups & the medical community. It is this unique Diveheart training model that is responsible for successful new disabled dive programs around the globe.

4.PROMOTE DISABLED DIVING TO THE WORLD…
Consumer and professional Dive industry shows, medical & rehabilitation associations & service organizations from coast to coast are attended by Diveheart volunteers who help spread the word as to the benefits of disabled diving both for individuals with disabilities and for the dive industry.

5.SUPPORT OTHER EXISTING DISABLED DIVE PROGRAMS
Another thing that truly sets Diveheart apart from other organizations in the disabled dive industry is that Diveheart acts as an umbrella organization attempting to support, promote & link to other disabled dive programs regardless of reciprocity.

6.FACILITATE DIVE TRIPS & OTHER ACTIVITIES FOR DISABLED DIVERS
Diveheart does not discriminate when it comes to disabilities. Children, adults and veterans with any type of disability are welcome to participate in Diveheart and Diveheart Military Wounded local, regional, national and international dive trips ( with supporting medical authorization ) These trips are supported by incredible Diveheart volunteers who travel from around the world to participate.

# For Diveheart website click headline or go to: http://diveheart.org/

Diveheart
Office (630) 964-1983
Fax: (630) 225-5357

info@diveheart.org
Office location
5100 Main St
Downers Grove, IL 60515

Mailing address:
900 Ogden Ave, #274
Downers Grove IL 60515

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