Title IX turns 40...

If you are one of the tens of people who either subscribe to this blog or stumble upon it while looking for something better on the web (i.e., a high quality, professional blog or web site of substance and content), you know from reading that it’s not too often that I write about anything worthwhile and meaningful here. Sure, there are the periodic and incredibly creative top 10 lists, inspirational videos and witty posts about things like “The Price is Right” (that might appear funny on the surface but has the potential to transform and improve lives) but when it comes to outright substance, this blog falls short. I’ll admit it. "How I Roll" usually doesn’t go deep. C’est la vie.

No more.

When I recently read about the upcoming 40^th anniversary of Title IX, I began thinking. And remembering. And appreciating. Then I started writing…

In my lifetime, sports have offered an equal playing field to both boys/men and girls/women. I grew up with the opportunity to try almost every sport imaginable and so did my two sisters. Hundreds of thousands of others did, too.  There was no discrimination. Women weren’t locked in the kitchen. Dolls weren’t duct taped to the fragile hands of little girls. It was OK for everyone to get dirty and it was acceptable for girls to sweat.  And when a girl beat up a guy, well, it was even cooler.

There was an equality that we all enjoyed. From youth sports through high school, college, semi-pro and even into adult life, everything was right there for us. All four seasons. Any time we wanted. It didn’t matter if the athlete sported a mullet, flat top, French braid or pony tail.

But things weren’t always that way. When I first started racing Boston in the late 80’s, I learned how a runner named Katherine Switzer was almost wrestled from the course when officials found out the athlete registered as “K. Switzer” was a woman (see photo above). The first athlete I ever met near Boston's starting line was Jean Driscoll and she is about to be inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame. I faintly remember how big a deal it was when a confident Billie Jean King faced off against a certain gentleman athlete in a celebrity tennis match that meant so much more. And I remember how a team of female Yale rowers made a bit of a statement by lettering themselves in a human “Title IX” billboard demanding equal treatment when it came to facilities and treatment from their university.

These women were pioneers and their efforts forever changed the playing field of sports. They broke down barriers and changed perceptions. So did athletes like Diana Nyad, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Tracy Caulkins, Chris Evert, Ann Meyers and Nancy Lieberman.

In 1999, I sat glued to the television alongside my two sisters watching a team of USA soccer players pack the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on a weekend afternoon and beat China in a World Cup final that was one for the record books. The Yanks, who won on penalty kicks, were women (see SI cover above). The three of us celebrated their accomplishment. We didn’t care that they were women. Neither did America.

A year later, while participating in a global sports symposium at Tufts University, I had the chance to spend time with a woman named Patsy Mink. No, it wasn’t Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain or Julie Foudy but because of Patsy Mink, athletes like Hamm, Chastain and Foudy were able to score goals, rip off their shirts (see Newsweek cover above) and be loud.

I remember Patsy Mink telling me one afternoon that in over twenty-five years, no one had ever invited her to sit on a panel about women in sports, She had flown from Hawaii just to sit on the panel and she seemed more generally appreciative of the gathering then did those around her. It was surreal to me.

Have you ever heard of her?

Representative Patsy Mink (D-HI) was the woman who drafted and introduced the 37 word bill known as Title IX to Congress. “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Simple. Effective. Game changing. President Richard Nixon signed it into law on June 23, 1972. I was four at the time. My sister, Marybeth, was three and my sister, Missy, was almost one.

What has happened on the playing field since that day? Four decades ago, 294,015 girls competed in high school sports. By last year, the Women’s Sports Foundation reports the number had ballooned to 3,173,549. It’s still growing.

Four decades of Title IX have produced some tremendously memorable moments across all of sports. Think Janet Evans, Cammi Granato, Mary Lou Retton, the Williams sisters, Dara Torres, Joan Benoit Samuelson and Bonnie Blair. Think the 1999 Women’s World Cup USA soccer team. Think about the millions of girls and women who play every day and never get the glory. Think about your sisters, cousins, aunts and moms. Think grit and determination.

Title IX turns 40 very soon and because of Representative Mink’s 37 game changing words (along with President Nixon’s signature) millions of dreams have become a reality.  

It’s amazing.

When I drive home from work late in the evening, I pass a lighted field on which young boys and girls play everything from soccer to lacrosse nearly every night of the week. They don’t know who Patsy Mink is and they probably don’t know what Title IX is either. In 2012, that’s just fine. What they do know is how important sports are to life and living. That’s more important.

When I see these young athletes living out loud, and I think about how that same pattern is being repeated on thousands of other playing fields all across the country at the exact same time, I know there will be millions more moments to come.

Happy Birthday Title IX.

Bye.

A New Car!!!!!!!!

When I was a kid, there were two great things about staying home sick from school.

Great thing #1 was my Mom's TLC. No matter how sick I was feeling (or how much I was faking it) my Mom always came to the rescue. After the bus passed the driveway and I knew school was out of the question that day, my Mom would spring into action. Mornings meant a thermometer, a warm blanket, cough medicine, a bowl of chicken soup and a nap. Totally awesome TLC.

When I woke up from my morning nap feeling better, that's when great thing #2 came into play. Watching The Price is Right. Yes, by 11 AM EST, I'd be well enough to prop myself up in bed as "the first four contestants on The Price is Right" were announced. I'd be the invisible-playing-at-home-for-all-the-sick-kids-5th contestant every single round. I'd wager my teddy bear or blanket on whatever item rolled on stage for the pricing games and I’d always win. Once in a while, I'd even be cocky enough to wager just $1 to let the other contestants know that I was an elementary school master shopper who knew the exact price of the item and just wanted to rub it in their faces that they all overbid. When it came time to spin the “big wheel,” I'd always win $10,000 with my two spins and when it came time for the "showcase showdown" I'd always pass the first showcase to the other unlucky contestant and then bid within $100 on my showcase and walk away with BOTH. In my mind, I was The Price is Right sick-kid-playing-at-home grand champion. Bigshot. Forget quizzes and tests, I was a TV winner. In fact, I think I still have a few unused Hawaii, Jamaica, Grand Canyon and Florida trips tucked in a drawer somewhere.(Pictured above, the closed curtain that is about to whip open and reveal "A NEW CAR" and a happy guy winning the showcase showdown on The Price is Right but in reality, that was always me.)

Sure, the "showcase showdown" was cool but that wasn’t the highlight of the show for me. My highlight usually happened once or twice each episode. When it came time to walk up on that stage after bidding $1 to win my 120th sofa and recliner, kitchen appliance set or luxurious lady’s watch and jewelry set, I'd be playing it cool on the outside standing right next to Bob Barker but the reality was I would be on the edge of my sick bed with sick kid excitement when I saw a closed curtain in front of me. I just knew I was gonna hear Bob say, "Mike Savicki, you could win this --- *curtain opens quickly* --- A NEW CAR!" Those very words would send me into orbit, cure me from whatever I was feeling (or faking) and make me run around my bedroom like I was crossing a path of hot coals or was walking barefoot on thin ice. Yeah, I wanted that Chrysler, Dodge, Ford or Chevy and I was ready to take it home, elementary, junior high or high school illness be damned. (Yeah, I just might have faked it in high school once or twice.)

It didn't matter if it was Plinko, Danger Price, Half Off, Hi Lo or One Away, that car was mine. Hole in One? Range Game? Shell Game? Poker Game? No biggie, it didn't matter, I would always win. In fact, had I actually been playing, I'm sure I would have exactly 143 new cars in my garage even today. Yes, I was sick (or faked it) a lot.

Have I mentioned the getting or faking sick thing too much? Sorry. Feels good to come clean after all these years.

Now think about this. What if 1 new vehicle would change your life? Let's forget The Price is Right for a moment and get serious. Disability has a keen way of making us all serious, doesn’t it? Here’s the reality --- vehicles are expensive. That's why people go absolutely nuts when they win one on game shows and that’s why I went nuts on my sick bed years before I even had my learner's permit.

But some of us are in wheelchairs so let's add the cost of a necessary wheelchair lift or ramp, hand controls and swivel seat to the price tag. Low effort steering? A few thousand bucks. Kneeling system? Even more. Cha ching.

Here's another situation. You don't drive and, as a passenger, you don't want to go through the windscreen? A set of wheelchair tie-downs run at least $150. Add that cost, too.

As expensive as standard vehicles are these days, accessible vehicles are even more.

Here’s more reality. Last time I checked, The Price is Right doesn't give away free accessible vehicles. So we have to pay. And we all know from experience that securing funding for an accessible vehicle that fits our needs remains a challenge. For some, it's impossible.

All those realities together mean driving and mobility remain major uncertainties.

That’s why I was so psyched to hear about NMEDA’s Local Heroes program. What is it? It’s a component of National Mobility Awareness Month that's coming up in May. If you haven’t yet heard of the project, here's the scoop --- three customized accessible vehicles (a Toyota, Honda and Chrysler) are up for grabs to three deserving “Local Heroes” from anywhere in the country. How do you win? Make a video, upload it to www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com and get all your friends and family members to vote for you. You aren’t video inclined? Upload your story plus a photo and get votes rolling your way. Get creative. Go viral.

The contest is open to seniors, adults, kids, veterans, non-profits, churches, schools, you name it. Yep, anyone AND everyone who needs a vehicle can enter. But you can’t win if you don’t get people to vote for you. Voting is vital. Share your story and get votes. Got it? Good.

There is one more month of voting to go so if you want a vehicle then you NEED to stay at it every day. Try remembering this mantra --- “Accessible vehicles aren’t cheap BUT getting votes to win one is priceless.” OK, that's corny but you catch my drift.

Getting from Point "A" to Point "B" is expensive and difficult for everyone but when you have a disability it's even more of a challenge. There are a lot of things in life that Mom’s TLC will cure but the price of accessible vehicles isn’t one of them. And last I checked, Drew Carey and The Price is Right still isn’t giving away kneeling vans with ramps and tie downs. So make it happen on your own. Enter and start advocating for yourself.

Good luck!

Bye,

Mike

National Mobility Awareness Month And The Local Hero Contest - Help Someone You Know Win A New Accessible Vehicle

The photos above show the actual 2012 Honda Odyssey that will be given away in May to a Local Hero as well as yours truly on stage with NMEDA in Phoenix recently to announce National Mobility Awareness Month.

Dear Friends –

Here’s my request short and sweet. Do you know someone in your organization or network who needs, deserves or has earned the right to drive an accessible vehicle but might not be able to afford one? Could receiving a fully customized Toyota, Honda or Chrysler accessible mini-van change the life of someone you know? As part of the first ever National Mobility Awareness Month which kicks off this May, three Local Heroes will each be awarded a new vehicle from the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA), the non-profit trade association of mobility equipment manufacturers, dealers, driver rehabilitation specialists, and other professionals dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities and assisting with driving independence using wheelchair accessible vehicles. It’s a brand new program and contest so I’m asking you to help spread the word about National Mobility Awareness Month and the Local Heroes Contest in your organization, get the website in front of a veteran, senior, family or individual with a disability you know who might be interested in entering or perhaps nominate someone you know and help improve a life.

It’s that simple.

Here are the details. It’s all at www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com. National Mobility Awareness Month will be celebrated this May throughout the U.S. and Canada. The goal is to teach seniors, veterans and people with disabilities how to live an active and mobile lifestyle through the use of wheelchair accessible vehicles and adaptive mobility equipment. From now until May 13^th, online nominations are being accepted for the Local Heroes Contest. Entrants can either submit a short personal video or write a story that explains why they believe they should be awarded a vehicle. Then it’s up to friends, family members and everyone they know to vote for them to win. Nominations opened this weekend, voting begins April 1st and the contest ends May 13^th. Winners will then be selected and awarded their vehicles in May. It’s happening fast. The vans have all been donated and they are waiting to be customized to the specific needs of their new owners. There’s no cost to enter and the chances of winning are fantastic.

So please visit www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com, get someone you know entered to win a new vehicle, get the votes going, learn about awareness month and improve a life.

Thanks for your time and all my best to you,

Mike Savicki

National Spokesperson

National Mobility Awareness Month

www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com

What I have learned (ver. 7.0)

Here's the latest and greatest update in my periodic "What I have learned" entries. Enjoy.

1. How you dress plays an important part in how you feel. Sweats and running shoes are just fine in some circles but there’s a reason why jackets and ties are required in others.

2. Yes, I’m from the Northeast. That pretty much guarantees two things. First, it’s going to be really hard for me to let you finish a sentence without interrupting. Second, I’m going to tell you how I think it should be done.

3. Listen more than you talk.

4. When things go wrong, which they will, learn from it and move on.

5. Resist the urge to tell your side of the story.

6. Make yourself necessary.

7. Good intentions often have unintended consequences.

8. Don’t be boring.

9. Dogs and cats have uncanny abilities to get you to do what they want.

10. If you are in it for the money then you are in it for the wrong reason.

11. Real courage is beginning every new day with hope, love and optimism.

12. A good friend recently told me that every piece of music ever written uses the same basic seven notes. What he was trying to tell me was that when you feel like you have run out of ideas, you need to think a just bit harder.

13. If you want to explore the world and discover new places, start by rolling out your back door.

14. I never want to draw attention to myself but that’s what I do.

15. When everything else is stripped away, doesn’t it really come down to a smile?

16. I learned a shitload about life in high school. I learned how to live with that knowledge in college.

17. Stories and jokes are amazingly powerful tools.

18. Lazy people work twice as hard.

19. I really, truly despise “what have you done for me lately” people.

20. There is a word in a print that hangs on the wall above the desk in my office. Imua. It’s Hawaiian and it means to move forward without the fear of failure. How’s that for a powerful four letter word?

21. The right things happen when they are supposed to.

22. I can picture more sunrises than sunsets.

23. 43 was a tough year for me physically. Maybe the toughest. OK, wait, I broke my neck at age 22 shortly before my next birthday so maybe 23 was the toughest year so far. Whew, I’m relieved.

24. Respect is earned, not given.

25. I keep saying I want to learn yoga and meditation but can’t seem to slow down to make it happen. There’s a lesson in there somewhere.

26. Don’t take anything for granted.

27. Some people like to sing, dance and draw. I like to organize, plan, and execute. Then sing. Badly.

28. I admire passion, not power.

29. Just when you think there are no more surprises…

Bye.

What is your passion?

In the last few years, you may have read about my friend, Diana Nyad. She made the news when she put into motion what she calls her "Extreme Dream." Her passion is swimming and her goal was, at age 60, after being away from the water for over three decades, to swim from Cuba to the United States. That's over 100 miles and it would take days - yes, DAYS - to complete. She fell short in her first two attempts but in this TED talk, she discusses how the fire continues to burn, what she has learned along the way and what she still hopes to do. The lessons here are too numerous to list but each and every one is positive. We can all make something of our lives if we simply try. A dream is something personal, unique and our own. Make the most of the time we have. Decide for yourself if crossing the finish line really the ultimate reward for an action. There's more in this talk, too. I think it's worth a look.

Bye.

Mike

11-11-11 and the Cornelius Veterans Monument

Shortly after 11 AM on Veteran’s Day – 11/11/11 - as the jet aircraft vapors from the military flyover still lined the sky overhead, the mayor of my small town stood and proudly made a proclamation. To the hundreds of gatherers, including veterans from wars and conflicts dating back nearly a century, our mayor dedicated my town’s veterans monument to the community. It was one of those “I remember when…” moments to be sure. Sitting amidst a collection of veterans old and young, I could not have been more proud.

The monument includes the names of more than 1,100 veterans, living or deceased, who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, received an honorable discharge and live or have lived in Cornelius. The purpose of the veterans monument is for the Town of Cornelius to show its appreciation and to pay tribute to those who served, or are presently serving, our great nation in the defense of its freedoms. A 31/2-foot by 51/2-foot granite panel balances six white pillars. A stone podium and flagpole sit at the northern edge. It is a beautiful site.

A former mayor came up with the idea several years ago after an old veterans plaque was lost during the construction and relocation of the town hall. When he approached town administrators to upgrade the replacement to something that might stand in perpetuity, they agreed to contribute $50,000 if the community could raise the remainder. Citizens, town leaders and staff, business owners, police and fire fighters joined together in the fundraising efforts that spanned more than one year. Efforts included two poker runs, a gala, a charity softball game, a bar-b-que lunch, individual donations and more. Serious small town fundraising. Amazing community spirit. The effort got a significant boost when three area Rotaries joined together and donated the remaining $15,000. The final bill for the Cornelius Veterans Memorial Monument at Rotary Plaza was $186,000. Nice upgrade.

On that crisp and clear morning, I thought about what it means to have served. I remembered the day I raised my right hand and swore to defend the Constitution. I remember the weight of my commitment I felt the first time I was saluted as an officer. I remembered the exhilaration that pulsed through my veins after my first flight in a fighter jet. And I remembered how, after my spinal cord injury, I unwillingly became a member of a community I was not yet ready to enter.

Being a veteran is a privilege that I am now, 20 years later, just beginning to understand and appreciate. I didn’t fight in a war, soldiers alongside me did not die or lose limbs and I never felt the horrific terror that comes with staring down the barrel of an enemy rifle. I was never a prisoner of war and I don’t belong to one of those veteran organizations where you wear a certain medal, colored blazer or pointed hat. Very seldom do I gather with other veterans and share war stories over a cup of coffee but I am a veteran nevertheless. I am proud one, too.

And now, in Cornelius, North Carolina, on the shores of a lake I have called home for 17 years, I have a place where I can go to think, reflect, cherish, learn and remember. I have a place where I know I belong. As a citizen. As a member of a community. As a veteran.

During the Thanksgiving holiday a few weeks ago, I took my wife, Sarah, and my parents, Bill and Helene, to visit the monument. Our dog, Carly, came, too. I was happy we all visited together. I know everyone appreciated it. My Dad is a Navy veteran and we shared a sense of pride. Sarah and my Mom found my name immediately. And I think Carly had fun, too, even though she appeared to be more interested in barking at the motorcycles that drove through downtown.

Here are a few photos from our visit.

The monument is worth a visit. If you happen to be driving up or down I-77 just north of Charlotte, head east off exit 28 and continue straight about 2 miles. The Cornelius Veterans Memorial Monument at Rotary Plaza will be on your left just as the road ends. Pull off and park behind the town hall. Give yourself a few minutes and stretch your legs. I might be there thinking, writing or reflecting. Today is the 70^th remembrance of Pearl Harbor and I’m there right now. In the rain.

We, as Americans, are lucky to have the freedoms we enjoy. We all know that freedom isn’t free but sometimes we either forget or take it for granted. Maybe that’s just one reason why there are monuments like this. They help us remember.

And they will help future generations learn.

Bye.