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A Leap of Faith: The Fish-Abled Foundation O By Peggy Werner ne man’s decision to change his life is impacting a whole community of disabled people as well as volunteers who, like him, have discovered the joy of service. Eric Fishe, founder of the Fish-Abled Foundation, a local faith-based nonprofit, organizes monthly social outings for people with mental and physical disabilities. As a driver for Rockford Paratransit for 19 years, he noticed that most of his passengers were only attending doctor appointments. The simple social events that most of us take for granted, like a dinner out or a baseball game, eluded them. It wasn’t until Fishe shored up his own faith life, however, that he found the courage to do something about it. He was entrenched in personal problems and playing in a heavy metal rock band, when one of his regular riders invited him to
attend her church. He stubbornly refused, but she stubbornly kept asking. She challenged him about his belief in God, his purpose on earth and where he was headed – all questions he had been asking himself. “She prayed for me, encouraged me with God’s words and my life was changed,” he says. “I quit going to bars, left the band, and started going to church every Sunday. Eventually, my wife and kids joined me.” As his life improved, he wondered how he could bring some fun and meaning into the lives of his passengers. One day, he invited a 40-year-old blind man to go with him on a Mississippi River fishing trip. The man hadn’t fished since before losing his sight at age 16. “We were catching fish like there was no tomorrow,” Fishe recalls. “He was
so ecstatic and having the time of his life. I knew I had to do more outings with him and others and so I started reaching out.” Thus, the Fish-Abled Foundation was born. Fishe organized a cookout in June 2012 for about 25 people. Last year’s picnic was attended by more than 150. They enjoyed eating grilled food together, listing to live music and taking part in wheelchair races, bingo, and other games and contests. There have been trips to apple orchards, Chicago Cubs games, the Shedd Aquarium, Medieval Times, Katie’s Cup, the Festival of Lights, various concerts, and annual events like a Super Bowl party, a Thanksgiving banquet and a bowling fundraiser. A quarterly newsletter goes out to about 300 people. Upcoming outings will include an
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Smart Living Weekly
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