Rick Hansen - "Man in Motion" World Tour

The Rick Hansen Foundation website explains that, "... Inspired by the dream of creating an accessible and inclusive world and finding a cure for spinal cord injury, Rick Hansen set out on a journey that would make history in 1985—the Man In Motion World Tour. For 26 months, he and his team wheeled over 40,000 km through 34 countries raising awareness about the potential of people with disabilities, creating accessible and inclusive communities, and finding a cure."

In December of 1986, he was wheeling through the Canadian winter on his way home to Vancouver. Recognizing that his journey would be along the Trans-Canada Highway, we began the process of inviting him to stop overnight in Espanola so that the community could welcome him and offer their assistance towards his fund-raising goals. In the beginning it didn't look likely that we would be successful. Rick's organizing team were reluctant to divert off the Trans-Canada and felt that Espanola was too close to Sudbury, and if they were going to meet their target distance for the day he needed to push on further before stopping. In the end they changed their minds and the A. B. Ellis gym was chosen as the venue for the community to host the event.

Prior to his arrival, the school and other community groups set about fund raising and by the time he arrived we were able to present him with a cheque for $5,000. Recognizing that Christmas was just around the corner and that once again they would celebrate it on the road, we also gave him a number of gifts. This included a small, decorated, artificial Christmas tree to put in the motor home; and a Chicago Blackhawks' hockey shirt with the number of Al Secord (a Chicago player who attended A. B. Ellis as a child) and Hansen's name on the back.

Host for the night was Dana Freeman, grade 8 student at A. B. Ellis. In front of a gym packed to the doors with enthusiastic townspeople, she handled the event with what appeared to be calm authority. At the piano was Marilyn Laplant, another grade 8 student, who welcomed him into the gym by playing the theme from St Elmo's Fire, that had been adopted as the theme music for the tour.

One of the conditions set by the Rick Hansen team was of course that the venue be wheelchair accessible which our school wasn't. The Espanola Board commissioned the construction of temporary but well built ramps both outside and inside the school for the event. After Hansen moved on, the school pressed the Board to make the school permanently accessible which it did by building a ramp on the Park Street entrance. During the event a young child with spina bifida rolled up on stage to present Rick with her own donation. Her name was Joleen and in the spirit of Hansen's goal to improve accessibility she went on to be the motivation for the school to become ever more accessible. Jolene started school at A. B. Ellis and her presence in the school and her changing needs led to further modifications to the building including the installation of a lift so she could access all floors.

Early the following morning a group of Espanola resident gathered out on Highway 17 to wish Rick well as he prepared to set off on his way to Sault Ste Marie.