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If you’re looking for a cheesy Hollywood tale of an inspirational wheelchair user, you won’t find it in Chelsea McEvoy and Ryan Tebbutt's upcoming documentary.
The Kelowna filmmakers are preparing to produce a documentary following the lives of active wheelchair users in the city after being awarded a $50,000 grant from Telus Storyhive.
“Kelowna is going to be shocked when they get to know the Okanagan’s wheelchair community,” laughed McEvoy.
“They approach accessibility using humour, they’re upbeat and love to be in the middle of the action.”
After starting out as a Facebook group, Accessible Okanagan is now a non-profit organization that includes over 300 chair users from across the region.
Those members support each other by participating in everything from sledge hockey to accessible wine tours and activism.
"What's great about this group is that they don't complain, they raise awareness by getting out there and enlightening establishments and businesses about accessibility," explained McEvoy.
"Kelowna has become a global hot spot for people in wheelchairs, which is a cool aspect of the city not many people are aware of."
According to McEvoy, who was introduced to the local wheelchair community through her partner and president of Accessible Okanagan James Hektner, stigmas still exist including that chair users don't get out of the house, that they don't go out for beers together and someone in a wheelchair should serve as an inspiration to the able-bodied.
"The documentary will work to normalize spinal cord injury because it can happen to anybody at any time," said McEvoy.
"They're people first and in a wheelchair second."
Accessible Okanagan is also throwing a backyard bash this Saturday, Aug. 24, with local band Lucky Monkey to raise awareness for the group.
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