BRIDGMAN — If you see Bridgman resident Joan Arnold around town, whether she's on foot or on her bicycle, you may not be able to tell how much determination and will power she has put forth over the last decade just to be able to get around.
Arnold can no longer drive. While working as an occupational therapist in Colorado, she suffered a stroke during an angioplasty in preparations for open heart surgery. While describing the stroke as "dumbfounding and saddening," Arnold credits the tough time in her life as the inspiration for writing a program for people suffering similar physical setbacks.
A year after the stroke, Arnold began rehabilitating at the barrier-free Ridgway State Park. There, she re-learned how to walk, ski, hike, kiyak and ride horses among other physical activities recent stroke sufferers don;t usually partake in. She became involved with several therapy programs in Colorado.
"It was tough," she said of the rehabilitation process. "But being an occupational therapist was an absolute blessing. It saved me because I knew what to do right away. I lost some of my capabilities, but I never lost my knowledge."
"The therapeutic program I was involved in made me see that there are opportunities out there for disabled people."
Her experiences in rehabilitation at Ridgway State Park led her to suggest that they set up a handicap program. But park officials told her they didn't know anyone who would organize it. That's when Arnold took it upon herself. She spent the next three years writing a handicap program for the state of Colorado.
"It was quite a long project," she said. "Since I was involved in similar type programs in Telluride, Colorado after my stroke, I am very passionate about doing this for disabled people."
After presenting her idea to the state, Colorado accepted it, but equipment still needed to be purchased.
"We needed the equipment and since the economy was in terrible shape, we were never able to get it off the ground," she said.
Arnold left Colorado three years ago and after living with her daughter in New Mexico for a year and a half, she moved to Bridgman to be closer her son Bill and near her home town of Stevensville.
And since she already has the idea for a handicap program and a proposal that has already been accepted by one state, she would like the program to finally get off the ground here in Michigan. She has already met with the Bridgman Lions Club about the idea and they agreed to support the plan.
"Since we have Lake Michigan we can do kayaking and swimming," Arnold said. "We're also going to look into camping, fishing, biking, arts and crafts and therapeutic gardening. If we make it a district program, Lions Clubs across Michigan can support it."
For lack of funding, the program never got off the ground in Colorado. But Arnold's friends in Harbor Country could make the program a reality in Michigan. Bridgman resident and kayak renter Jack Nordgren has already agreed to provide kayaks for the program should it take off. Nordgren is also Arnold's Pastor at South shore Fellowship, a church group that meets every Sunday morning at 10 a.m. at the Weko Beach House.
"Joan is an inspiration to the people of our church and the people of Bridgman. We see how she keeps a positive attitude through everything and gives all of us hope," Nordgren said. "I've never done anything like this before, but I'd love to be a part of the program by donating kiyaks and gathering volunteers."
Nordgren would be a volunteer himself, and also conduct surf lessons and other beach activities for the program. The kayaking would take place at Weko Beach, with Warren Dunes as another possible site for non-beach activities.
Arnold is in the midst of perfecting the proposed plan and is working on a few funding issues before presenting it to the state for approval.
Although only having lived in the town for less that a year and a half, Arnold is a recognizeable face in Bridgman, often seen walking or on her bike going to the grocery store, at church, or at the Weko Beach House participating scrapbooking classes.
Pam Campbell has been a good friend of Arnold's since they met at church a little over a year ago.
"It's an inspiration to talk to Joan and get her perspective," Campbell said. "We're the same age and have a lot of similar interests. And even with this disabling stroke, she was able to move on and be independent."
Campbell is another proponent of Arnold's program idea and is confident she will be able to get it off the floor in this area.
"I think she can pull it off," Campbell said. "She already has a support group helping her. She is great with groups of people and has the knowledge and preservation to do it."
For six months following her stroke, Arnold lived in Ann Arbor with her son John and grandson Maxwell. She says spending time with her grandson is what motivated her to ensure she continued to live an active life.
"After the stroke I went in to a terrible sadness," she recalls. "But seeing my grandson motivated me. He wondered why I couldn't pick up toys and play with him. That is really what motivated me to rehabilitate and continue to be active."
Arnold also credits her faith as motivation. "My friend Linda in Colorado said I was the saddest thing she ever saw in the months following my stroke. So she introduced me to a Pastor who invited me to a Thanksgiving Day service. Right after that my faith kicked in."
Arnold's faith and determination in her own personal recovery efforts could go a long way should her proposal be accepted in Michigan. She has already proven that the right attitude can be a huge difference for one individual, but she hopes that same attitude can make a difference for an entire community.
Photo: Joan Arnold, of Bridgman, makes her way around town, often via her bicycle, despite suffering a stroke some 10 years ago.
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