水上活動 – 國際同濟雜誌

感謝三個同濟分會的協助，特殊需要的兒童與成人得以享受水上運動。

文／茱莉．沙特

美國加州、密西根州與佛羅里達州同濟會善用當地地理位置，支持水上調適運動專案，從兒童到銀髮族，參與者的生命都受到改變。

密西根州大海文市

圖／凱西．塞克斯

每年兩度，分別於五月及七月，一群興奮的年輕人清晨來到大海文市的奇努克碼頭，等著展開冒險。很快地，每個孩子，不論是青少年或年青人，在父母、祖父母或其他監護人的陪伴下，登上專業漁船。清晨六點，船向密西根湖水域出發，年輕人也開始展開活動，比賽誰是三城同濟會釣鮭大賽中最大贏家。

所有參賽者都曾是或目前仍是住院病患。

「有些孩子病得很重，」釣魚大賽統籌，也是大海文市─春湖市三城同濟會員的艾咪．烏立克說。「但多數都是治療即將完成，或已經結束療程的孩子。又或是終身疾患，而非緊急病症。」

漁船可以載運非電動輪椅乘客，因此行動受限者如脊柱裂患者也可以參與活動。

烏立克稱為「貴賓患者」的參賽者，可以將成果帶回家。除了最大魚獲獎外，還以撈上船的鮭魚標籤進行抽獎。

這個活動同時也提供病患的父母、手足或其他親友珍貴的聯誼機會。

Thomas Demink, 10, poses with the pike he caught as his dad, Brett Demink, 39, looks on during the 2018 Tri-Cities Kiwanis Salmon Tournament on Lake Michigan in Grand Haven, Mich., on Thursday, July 26, 2018. (Casey Sykes for Kiwanis Magazine)

Andrews Mathews, 7, poses with his 26.8 pound king salmon, the heaviest catch of the day, during the 2018 Tri-Cities Kiwanis Salmon Tournament on Lake Michigan in Grand Haven, Mich., on Thursday, July 26, 2018. (Casey Sykes for Kiwanis Magazine)

Tournament attendees pick prizes from a table during the 2018 Tri-Cities Kiwanis Salmon Tournament on Lake Michigan in Grand Haven, Mich., on Thursday, July 26, 2018. (Casey Sykes for Kiwanis Magazine)

Andrews Mathews, 7, talks about his day out on the lake during the 2018 Tri-Cities Kiwanis Salmon Tournament on Lake Michigan in Grand Haven, Mich., on Thursday, July 26, 2018. (Casey Sykes for Kiwanis Magazine)

during the 2018 Tri-Cities Kiwanis Salmon Tournament on Lake Michigan in Grand Haven, Mich., on Thursday, July 26, 2018. (Casey Sykes for Kiwanis Magazine)

A man cleans fish caught by tournament attendees during the 2018 Tri-Cities Kiwanis Salmon Tournament on Lake Michigan in Grand Haven, Mich., on Thursday, July 26, 2018. (Casey Sykes for Kiwanis Magazine)