CRIS Adaptive Travel

07/16/2023

We went and had a great time last weekend with our good friends Sara and Steve at Adaptable Outdoors in Pincher Creek Alberta at their adaptive paddling and fishing weekend on Beauvais Lake.

11/01/2022

Thank you to Boyd's Tire and Auto Service for providing us with timely service for our adaptive equipment. .com

08/24/2021

As the leaves begin to turn and the evening air gets cooler, the Rempel Family prepares for their 3rd Annual Rempel Builders AWE Hunting Trip.

The Rempel Builders Family and Accessible Wilderness Expeditions (AWE) program are partnering again, and searching for one lucky individual who lives with a disability to join them in a fully sponsored 4-day inclusive and accessible hunting trip in beautiful Grand Forks, BC.

Reg Rempel, Owner and President of Rempel Builders states, "We got involved with CRIS in 2019 in sponsoring a wilderness trip, which we attended as avid hunters. We were so impressed with the professionalism and overall impact of the trip that we've come on board as a major sponsor of the AWE program, ensuring that year after year, there are no barriers to accessing the wilderness."
For those who are not familiar, the Accessible Wilderness Expedition (AWE) program is a program that is part of a non-profit organization called Community Recreational Initiatives Society (CRIS). Since 2001, CRIS has provided adapted sport and recreation to individuals in the Okanagan and beyond.

AWE enables their clients to reach new limits in the wilderness and get back to doing what they love! These trips are real; they challenge all aspects of thinking and all perceptions of ability. Removing physical and psychological barriers to outdoor recreation is not a small defeat. AWE trips have the power to change perspectives and change lives!
Last year’s trip participant and AWE Ambassador, William McCreight, shares his experience, “It was my first time getting back in the wilderness since my spinal cord injury. It was a trip of a lifetime and a memory I will hold forever. It’s difficult to put it into words, the feeling of getting back onto my journey of where it all began.”

If you are, or you know someone who has a passion for hunting and lives with a barrier to participating, please consider submitting an application for this year’s hunting trip of a lifetime. Please email your application to [email protected] before the deadline of Sept 3rd, 2021. For more information about the AWE program, visit our website at www.accesswilderness.ca

Adventure is waiting for you!

Image description: a photo collage with ripped paper with text segments of the above information. The photo in the corner is stylized as a taped Polaroid with a picture of a man with a black beard, sitting in an UTV with a rifle. Behind him is a snowy landscape.

08/11/2021

07/20/2021

We are hiring permanent positions! Do you want to start an amazing career in the non-profit sector and be a part of an incredible team, read on!

Program Coordinator
Do you thrive in a customer service environment? Do you have some experience in a clinical coordinator/scheduling position using databases and people management software? Perhaps have experience managing or scheduling volunteers? Do you love the outdoors and have experience cycling, hiking, paddling, snowshoeing or cross country skiing? Do you have experience supporting persons living with disabilities? Sounds like a great combination of skills and if you have these, we want to talk to you. Our team is growing! We are looking for a full time Program Coordinator to join our amazing team (ask anyone) to support our growing organization. CRIS provides supported and independent outdoor recreation and sport opportunities up and down the Okanagan Valley to persons of all ages living with disability. Your role would be to move our clients and programs forward by providing outstanding and highly organized customer service and using your above average administrative abilities in our Kelowna office and be the glue that holds it all together. We are offering a competitive compensation package, including access to a Self Directed extended health & dental benefits plan. If you have your career goals set on making a significant difference in the Okanagan and you want to be on a team that cares for each other and our communities, we encourage you to apply to [email protected] before July 30 with your resume and your cover letter. Please no phone calls. www.adaptiveadventures.ca

Equipment Coordinator
At CRIS, our adaptive equipment is not only unique but very much in demand in our independent and supported outdoor sport and recreation programs. We are searching for a highly mechanically capable person to help us with our fleet of adaptive cycles, kayaks, SUP, trail riders and Ebikes. If you have experience with basic maintenance and are a bit of an outdoor enthusiast yourself; are very organized and a great communicator; you want a Full time position; and you want to help keep the largest fleet of adaptive equipment in the Interior of BC fully functional and supporting our hundreds of clients and volunteers...we want to talk to you!! The successful candidate will ensure that our fleet stays in great condition, is available where and when its scheduled and work as part of our fabulous team to deliver life changing programs. Training is available. Competitive wages and a Self Directed extended health & benefits plan is also available. We are a dynamic and fast paced service provider of adaptive outdoor recreation and sport supporting people of all ages living with disability and our fleet needs your care and attention to ensure we can keep providing these outstanding services in communities in the Okanagan. Please send your resume and cover letter to [email protected] before July 30 to be considered. Please no phone calls. www.adaptiveadventures.ca

07/14/2021

Today is international non-binary day. Sport should be inclusive and access should not be limited to a person's gender. Come and join us, and be part of a sports organization that recognizes you for you!

07/06/2021

We are so lucky to have access to beautiful British Columbia backcountry wilderness areas! Our AWE team is in the midst of planning our trips to BC Parks this fall, including Cathedral Lakes and Gladstone. Check out this link to BC Parks Backcountry Visitor’s Guide to help keep our beautiful backyard safe and protected!

https://bcparks.ca/visiting/backcountry-visitor-guide/

06/30/2021

A huge thank you to our participants, special guests, volunteers, staff, and BC Parks who braved the heat and made our kayak demo day in sw̓iw̓s Provincial Park, Osoyoos an amazing day! We had so much fun in the water and showing off our equipment and knowledgeable volunteers. We hope to see you all again!

06/17/2021

There are still a few spots open! Register today!

There are still a few spots available for our South Okanagan demo day on June 26th! Sign up now by emailing [email protected]

ID - Two pictures - one has a woman and two young children in a tandem kayak with pontoons, she is wearing a hat and being handed a paddle. The kayak is on the shore. The second picture is a man using a trail rider - and adaptive hiking chair on the shoreline being balanced by a volunteer. The captions read "Adaptive kayaking and hiking demo day. sẁiẁs park, Osoyoos
June 26
10am-4pm
Pre-registration required

To register email:
[email protected]"

06/14/2021

12 days away! Sign up now for available spots! Email [email protected]





ID - A poster with the CRIS and AWE logo. Below them is the title: CRIS’ Accessible Wilderness Expeditions presents: Adaptive Kayaking and Hiking demo day. There are two pictures, one is two figures in a tandem kayak with pontoons on the water, and the other is four figures hiking down a forrest path; one is using a trail rider. Further caption reads: sw̓iw̓s Park, Osoyoos. June 26, 2021. 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Pre-registration is required. Limited space available. Current BC Provincial Health Orders will be followed. Register by emailing: [email protected]. We want to acknowledge that we will be gathering on the traditional land of the Osoyoos Indian Band and the syilx people. We honour their connection to the land and respect the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within this land.

06/09/2021

We rebranded our instagram account! Check us out

instagram.com/AccessibleWildernessExpedition/

Image description: A drawing of a smart phone open to an Instagram gallery. The profile picture is the Accessible Wilderness Expeditions logo. The gallery is all photos from various CRIS trips including hiking, fishing, paddling and cycling. Above it is the caption “We have a new name. New look; same mission”.

06/08/2021

CRIS Adaptive Travel has rebranded into Accessible Wilderness Expeditions! Follow us over on our new page for all our upcoming events including this demo day!

We will be doing an adaptive kayaking and hiking demo day in the south Okanagan! Join us June 26 at sẁiẁs park, Osoyoos from 10-4 for some mini trips to try out some of our adaptive equipment!

Pre-Registration required. Limited space available. Current Provincial Health orders will be followed.

For more information or to register, please email [email protected]

Image description: Three kayaks on the water. The tandem kayak in the foreground has pontoons attached to the back. The background is rolling green and brown hills and blue skies. The image includes the BC Parks logo as well as the Accessible Wilderness Adventures logo and the above event information.

06/03/2021

Are you following us over on AWE - Accessible Wilderness Expeditions yet? We have some great events and trips lined up for the summer.

Adaptive Travel is migrating over to our new name so please follow us over there!

Are you following us over on AWE - Accessible Wilderness Expeditions yet? We have some great events and trips lined up for the summer.

06/01/2021

05/28/2021

Sign up and come on down to Sw̓iw̓s Provincial Park on Saturday, June 26 for a day of fun! Accessible Wilderness Expeditions (AWE), as presented by CRIS, is working with BC Parks and Accessible Okanagan to raise awareness of the adaptive equipment and types of programs we run in the Okanagan. We are still looking for volunteers to assist in the set-up and take-down of the event. Contact Laura at [email protected] if you're interested in participating or volunteering! ☀️🚣🌲

Image description: Caption reads: "Osoyoos demo day.
In partnership with BC parks and Accessible Okanagan, CRIS is offering a series of mini hiking and kayaking trips to residents of the South Okanagan to experience our adaptive equipment. Saturday, June 26
10:00am-4:00pm
@ Sẁiẁs Park. The image includes a picture of two people paddling in crystal blue water and the AWE logo."

05/26/2021

We need some general CRIS program volunteers and paddle trip leaders to help us out at our Osoyoos demo day! Come help us out on what is sure to be a blast in the South Okanagan!

05/20/2021

Win a free bike rental to cruise around Kelowna this long weekend by entering on the Kelowna Bike Rentals facebook or instagram page!

05/17/2021

ISO gently used wet suit donations.
if you could please help get the word out, we would greatly appreciate it.

As our adaptive paddling season kicks into gear we are hoping that there are people or organizations out there that would consider donating gently used wetsuits to support our training efforts.

With the water still being quite cold, we are hoping to increase the value of our comprehensive training for our volunteers and team members by having wet suits that they can wear during the 8+ hours they spend in the water.

CRIS trains our entire team on everything from basic skills to rescue and adaptive techniques and all of this takes place in the water (did we mention how cold the water still is). Warm volunteers are happier volunteers! Of our summer activities (cycling, hiking and paddling) our paddling program here at CRIS is our most popular summer activity and we have a waitlist of volunteers lined up to take the training. Our existing few suits are in a sad state currently and we could really use more in general but certainly to replace these that we do have.

Once trained our volunteers help to get 100's of clients with a wide variety of abilities and ages to get out on the water safely and ensure they have an amazing experience on our beautiful lakes and waterways in the Okanagan.

Anyone willing to donate any gently used sport type wetsuits can contact us at 250-979-3941 or email us [email protected]. Thank you for your support!

03/23/2021

Please follow us on our rebranded page: AWE - Accessible Wilderness Expeditions ! CRIS Adaptive Travel page will no longer be available as of May 31, 2021.

Accessible Wilderness Expeditions (formerly Adaptive Travel) has launched! Our website is still UNDER CONSTRUCTION so please BEAR with us as we keep you entertained by wilderness puns! We are sure you will be AWEd. In the meantime, we are sure you will BEE AWEstruck by our new logo. We are hoping it will PEAK some interest!

Thank you so much Rempel Builders

03/19/2021

CRIS Adaptive travel has rebranded as Accessible Wilderness Expeditions! Please follow us over there for AWEsome new content!

This CRIS Adaptive Travel page will be deleted on May 31, 2021.

Accessible Wilderness Expeditions (formerly Adaptive Travel) has launched! Our website is still UNDER CONSTRUCTION so please BEAR with us as we keep you entertained by wilderness puns! We are sure you will be AWEd. In the meantime, we are sure you will BEE AWEstruck by our new logo. We are hoping it will PEAK some interest!

Thank you so much Rempel Builders

03/09/2021

A new rental concession will operate at the base of Knox Mountain this summer, offering standard and low-barrier bike rentals, as well as adaptive equipment rentals.

01/07/2021

Whats on your bucket list?

We’ve all got a

Is it an outdoor adventure, or an urban escape?

What’s on yours?

01/04/2021

CRIS Adaptive Adventures

It's a new year and a great time to !
We at CRIS want to encourage you to engage in outdoor recreation in 2021, so we're having a contest for the month of January.

Share a picture of you and your family getting active to be featured on the CRIS page and be entered to win an awesome prize at the end of the month!

We are are here to support you and your outdoor recreation goals this year, so contact us today to see how we can support you to in 2021.

12/08/2020

CRIS Adaptive Travel is on Christmas break until January, gearing up for 2021! We hope to see you out in the frontcountry or backcountry next year on our fully accessible excursions! Check out our website for some visuals of past multiday trips for people with any ability!

Big or small?
A quiet crackle, or a loud roar?
One that you sit around alone, or one with friends?

Personally, one shared with friends after a long day enjoying the backcountry and all its pursuits, filled with stories hits the spot.

Oh- and some toasted marshmallows.

What's your perfect campfire?

#

12/03/2020

According to the World Health Organization, 15% of the world’s population live with a disability. Though the majority of the population will experience disability at some point in their lifetime, even if temporary.

Today is the International Day of People with Disabilities and the 2020 theme ‘Not All Disabilities are Visible’ reminds us that this day of celebration is about spreading awareness and understanding of disabilities that are not immediately apparent, such as mental illness, chronic pain or fatigue, sight and hearing impairments, brain injuries, learning differences, and many others.

Everyday the Outdoor Recreation Council works so that all British Columbians have access to diverse and abundant opportunities to enjoy outdoor recreation experiences. Today we wanted to take this opportunity to shoutout some of the great initiatives and programs throughout BC providing opportunities for those with disabilities to experience outdoor recreation: Power To Be, BC Adaptive Snowsports, CRIS Adaptive Adventures, Cowichan Independent Living's Adventure Recreation Programs, Whistler Adaptive Sports Program & more.

And of course all other organizations that are creating programming for all abilities. Tag any other organizations who provide awesome & diverse outdoors programming!

📷: Northern BC Tourism/Marty Clemens

12/03/2020

CRIS Adaptive Adventures

CRIS Adaptive Adventures

Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It is a day focused on bringing awareness to the issues faced by persons with disabilities and the role we all have to play in to promote inclusion, accessibility, and respect for everyone.

11/30/2020

It's the season to give.
Giving isn't just about fundraising, you can give in many ways including your time, skills, or resources. You can and give the gift of inclusion and accessibility by supporting CRIS.

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It's the FINAL COUNTDOWN...⁠
⁠
Tomorrow is December 1st! A day we have all been preparing for and one of global unity and generosity! It's also the kickoff to the holidays... t'is the season to give! ⁠
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No matter how you choose to give back this year, we want to hear about it and share your stories! Be sure to tag us and use the hashtag in all your posts!⁠
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We can't wait to see and share how you are changing the world with your generosity! 🌎❤️

11/13/2020

make memories that last a lifetime

Ever notice that one memory triggers another and you end up reminiscing, a smile on your face for a reason only known to you?

The smell of fresh bread sparks a memory of grandma, or fresh clipped grass makes you remember jumping through a sprinkler?

Perhaps the sound of a horse gallop brings you back to that time you first jumped on the range with grandpa.

Connect to those special times and those spaces that truly make an impact.

It’s funny how memories work.

Who knows what will happen inside your heart in 25 years or so when the spring breeze blows.