It was an early morning for Nancy Kirsh and her college-aged son, Andrew Kirsh, but the pair didn’t mind given their eventual destination and the full day of adventure ahead.

“We left at 6 a.m.,” Nancy said, referring to leaving their home in Rochester Hills one humid Wednesday earlier this summer and heading to Interlochen State Park, about a 3 ½-hour drive north. “And although we are absolutely not morning people, it was worth the drive.”

A little over a year after sustaining an injury that resulted in Andrew, 22, needing to use a wheelchair, remaining active and spending time outdoors – in this case, as part of DiversAbility Day held at Interlochen State Park – have become top family priorities.

“We’re trying to get back to doing the things that we love,” Nancy said. “I’m signing him up for everything.”

Andrew added, “It’s really important to get outside”

Prior to his injury in April 2024, Andrew always enjoyed a variety of outdoor pursuits, including kayaking with his dad.

Thanks to events like DiversAbility Day – a collaboration between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and community organizations – Andrew is experiencing numerous outdoor activities that are accessible to people who use a wheelchair and live with disabilities.

Last fall, for example, he took part in Disability Dune Day, an annual event that takes place this year from 2-7 p.m., Sept. 10 at Silver Lake State Park in Oceana County.

“I’ve actually gotten out even more post-injury,” said Andrew as he waited with his mom near the park’s Duck Lake dock for an accessible pontoon ride to begin.

First DiversAbility Day at Interlochen State Park

The DNR has partnered with communities previously on a DiversAbility Day. Maybury State Park in Wayne County also hosts this event annually, this year on Aug. 14.

This was the first time Interlochen State Park played host, along with Wheels in Motion and other community partners. Wheels in Motion is a Michigan-based nonprofit dedicated to creating adaptive recreation events for individuals with physical disabilities.

Several dozen people signed up for the mid-July event, which featured “a free day of adaptive adventure.” This included kayaking, fishing, cycling, pontoon rides and more.

“This event helps showcase the new opportunities for people to be able to come out and enjoy our state parks,” said Christopher Bush, park supervisor at Interlochen State Park in Grand Traverse County. “I’d like to thank the great partners that helped with the DiversAbility Day by providing outdoor opportunities. We are glad to be able to host such a meaningful event.”

Interlochen State Park recently made several significant accessibility upgrades with the help of federal COVID-19 relief funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

This unprecedented investment, which was outlined in Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Building Michigan Together Plan, has been crucial to the state parks system, allowing the DNR to significantly reduce a decades-long backlog of vital repair and maintenance projects.

“I am thankful for the ARPA dollars from the American Rescue Plan granted by Gov. Whitmer,” Bush said, “At Interlochen, we were able to do some major improvements to our day-use area by improving our historical beach house bathroom building – we made the building accessible for everyone. We also were able to pave a path from the beach house down to the boat launch and pavilion.”

Making the outdoors accessible

The state’s Accessibility Advisory Council has helped bring these kinds of events to life, said Michelle O’Kelly, fund and resource developer for the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. The council consists of private citizens, appointed by the DNR director, who demonstrate a clear interest in improving accessibility to Michigan’s natural resources.

The council provides guidance to help the DNR develop, manage and plan opportunities for those of all abilities to enjoy Michigan’s natural resources. The council also strives to educate citizens on the importance of accessibility and to involve citizens in the planning and development of facilities and programs that are accessible to all users.

“We were inspired to start these events after being challenged by the Accessibility Advisory Council to create more inclusive recreational opportunities across the state,” O’Kelly said. “After attending a model event at a metro park in Oakland County, I knew immediately that this was something important – something we needed to bring to our state parks.

“We began by adding events at Maybury State Park and Silver Lake State Park last year, and those locations are returning this year along with the new event just hosted at Interlochen State Park,” she added. “These events offer a meaningful opportunity for our staff to engage with individuals with disabilities and better understand the importance of making outdoor recreation accessible to everyone. We hope this model inspires other parks to host similar events and help expand inclusive programming across Michigan.”

‘This is healing’

Char Anderson was among those who participated in Interlochen State Park’s inaugural DiversAbility Day. A team leader at a Cadillac-based day program for adults, Anderson said she enjoys finding outdoor activities for her group “that I would love to do.”

“Like today, it’s so hot outside, and you just want to be near the water,” she said of the decision to bring a group of six individuals to Interlochen State Park with its beach on Duck Lake.

The group enjoyed the accessible pontoon ride as well as the adaptive kayaks that allowed them to paddle along the shoreline of the blue-green, sandy-bottomed lake.

“This will not be our last DiversAbility Day,” she said as the boat made its way back to the dock.

Interlochen State Park also hosts an adaptive kayak program throughout the summer, thanks to the Lighthouse Neurological Rehabilitation Center. There is no cost for these events – the next one is Aug. 19 – and all equipment is provided. (A Recreation Passport is required to enter the park).

Therapists and team members from Lighthouse Neurological Rehabilitation Center were among the community partners attending Interlochen State Park’s inaugural DiversAbility Day in July.

Feedback from those who chose to enjoy paddling with their adaptive kayaks is incredibly rewarding to hear, said Jessica Stark, a recreational therapist who also serves on the state’s Accessibility Advisory Council.

“‘This is freedom,’” Stark said that one woman, who uses a wheelchair following a spinal cord injury, shared with the therapy team. “(Paddling) was so freeing for her.”

Along with riding the pontoon boat across Duck Lake, Andrew Kirsh also enjoyed using the hand cycle bike that was available to DiversAbility Day participants.

“It was a good cardio workout,” he said.

Just before boarding the pontoon with her son, Nancy Kirsh said, “I can’t tell you how valuable this is. It’s been a long road to get to where he is now. I believe this is healing. Nature is healing.”

If you go: Maybury State Park in Wayne County and Oakland County Parks and Disability Network Eastern Michigan are hosting a DiversAbility Day from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Aug. 14.

The event features free adaptive recreation offerings.

Enjoy lawn games, adaptive cycles, archery, yard games, farm animals, a hot dog lunch and more. Register for DiversAbility Day at Maybury. The registration deadline is Aug. 8. A Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into Michigan state parks.

Learn more about accessible recreation opportunities at state parks, campgrounds, boating access sites, state game areas, trails and more at Michigan.gov/DNRAccessibility.

Check out previous Showcasing the DNR stories in our archive at Michigan.gov/DNRStories. To subscribe to upcoming Showcasing articles, sign up for free email delivery at Michigan.gov/DNREmail.