Charge Me Up

When I’m ready to take off for the day, my scooter needs to be fully charged to keep up with me!

I rely on my scooter for mobility, and if the battery goes dead, I’m stuck. It’s supposed to last up to eight hours a day, but when you’re on a roll as much as I am, that may not be enough. Just to keep it real, I’m a woman of a certain age, and don’t have a curfew. Sometimes I like a night out on the town, and that may not kick off until 9 p.m. If I’m on my scooter all day, the battery is drained or very low by then.

This is also an issue when I go on vacation. My idea of a getaway is not sitting in the hotel room. I want to experience everything a new place has to offer, which means moving around a lot. The minute I wake up, I hit the ground rolling. I visit all the exhibits and fill my day with as many activities as I can. By about 6 p.m., my scooter power is getting low. So, what’s a girl to do?

Most restaurants are willing to let me charge while I’m dining, which is a nice perk and demonstrates great customer service. But it would be great to see charging stations dedicated to charging mobility devices everywhere.

Making mobility device charging stations accessible to the public seems like a reasonable and helpful accommodation. Malls, airports and other establishments have dedicated charging stations for cell phones, laptops, and computers. Why not scooters?

The universe must have heard me ask this question, because I just learned about some new mobility device charging stations! My cool peeps at the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities’ (OOD) Accessible Ohio Program recently announced a partnership with Portage County Board of Developmental Disabilities to install device charging stations at two locations. OOD is looking for additional partners, too, so I expect more charging stations will pop up all-over Ohio soon.

I must give a shout out to the City of Vandalia for its design of Robinette Park, an all-inclusive playscape that features paved sidewalks, accessible play structures and swings, a wheelchair charging station, communication board, and a height-adjustable universal changing table (thanks to my peeps at Montogomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities). I’ll be checking the park out soon!

As the world turns, let us take notice of things big or small that will help all to be included in everyday life. Mobility charging stations will help your girl continue to go along way!