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Forward Foundation providing Mobi-mats to beach communities
Mark Wilson reports
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Florida has some of the most beautiful beaches in the U.S. but a segment of our population has a hard time reaching the sand.
That's changing now thanks to a private foundation.
One of Melissa Caulfield's favorite things is going to the beach with her family.
"I love beaches. It's so cool," she shared.
Caulfield enjoys the beach but it wasn't always easy for her to get to.
Caulfield, has a hard time getting to the water. She has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair.
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"You can't take a wheelchair on the beach," said Terry Boatner, Caulfield's mom. "So we haven't been able to enjoy as much as we'd like too."
Thanks to the Forward Foundation, getting to the beach has just gotten easier for Caulfield. They are providing Mobi-mats to any beach community for free.
Pinellas County offers Mobi-mats for wheelchair users.
"It means independence," explained Caulfield. "It means freedom like I've never had before."
The mats are non-slip wheelchair beach access mats that create handicapped accessible paths so that people can get to the beach.
"And since we've started, we've installed ten mats throughout Pinellas and Pasco counties," said Ashley Morales. "We've got three more in the works that are being installed this spring in Pinellas County and two that are going through the permitting process now, Honeymoon Island. So when all is said and done, we'll have brought 15 mobility mats to area beaches."
The Forward Foundation is providing Mobi-mats to any beach community for free.
Morales works for Help Us Gather also known as HUG, a grass-root organization that connects people with disabilities to social events and activities.
She says 1 in 4 adults have some form of disability.
"That's a lot of people in our community and a lot of visitors who did not have equal access to the beach before. Now, just like the rest of their family, they can get out, enjoy our world-class beaches and know that this is a welcoming community," said Morales.
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"I'm just grateful that I can come down to the beach and be on the sand and watch the sun set instead of in the parking lot," Caulfield said.
The goal is to help provide independence for people with disabilities. They just put there latest and longest mat at Sand Key Park. It costs about $23,000. To learn more about Mobimats click here.