ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 24, 1997 TAG: 9704240088
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-11 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Have You Heard?
Richard Rhett learned to ski recently.
Normally that wouldn't make much of a story, but this Roanoker is unusual in the world of skiing.
Since 1977 Rhett, who suffers from open-angle glaucoma, has lost all but 10 percent of his vision. What he has is blurred, and he has no peripheral vision at all. Rhett requires a cane to safely feel his way down unfamiliar sidewalks.
But the 56-year-old Navy veteran took up the challenge to learn to ski with about 300 other disabled veterans from across the country, including Michael Doyle and Reginald Scott of Salem, at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic. The event was held March 23-29 at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Colo.
Rhett had the aid of a guide who skied in front of Rhett backwards, occasionally looking down the slope over his shoulder, shouting commands for him to follow.
"After you get confidence you don't have fear anymore," he said. "It's all about conquering the hill. I felt sure of myself."
Rhett took the week's challenges in stride. "It's about having fun and learning," he said of the clinic.
"You get to meet people and socialize and share ideas. I met a guy [at the clinic] I haven't seen since boot camp in 1962 in California. I tell you, man, it's something else. It's a good feeling. I'm doing more now that I'm disabled than I was when I was able-bodied."
GLENN T. DONALDSON, son of Linda C. and Gary L. Donaldson of Roanoke, recently graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
CPL. ROBERT C. SMITH, son of Wanda G. and Robert C. Smith Jr. of Buchanan, recently was promoted to his current rank while serving with Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, Calif. He is a 1991 graduate of James River High School.
2ND LT. DWIGHT D. MINNICK recently was commissioned to his present rank after graduating from Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Ala. He is a 1981 graduate of Cave Spring High School and a 1996 graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
ARMY PVT. JOHN C. RIDER, son of Robert F. Rider and husband of Kandys T. Rider, both of Roanoke, recently graduated from basic combat training at Fort Knox, Radcliff, Ky. |COMMUNITY| THE AMERICAN RED CROSS recently announced volunteers with the Roanoke Valley Chapter who received citations for their service to the organization. The recipients are: Jean Watts, blood services volunteer; Wes Nelson, blood services and Pheresis donor and disaster volunteer; Betty Dogan, financial development volunteer; Lucy Walker, water safety, Learn-To-Swim and lifeguard training instructor; Diane Swann, CPR instructor, Health and Safety volunteer and financial development volunteer; and Reba Thomas, disaster volunteer and financial development volunteer.
Awarded the Red Cross "Good Neighbor" award for their support of the Red Cross in the past year were: Roanoke City Parks and Recreation, First Christian Church, Allstate Insurance Co., F&W Management and Debbie Trout, town clerk of Troutville.
Submit items to Jon Cawley in care of the Neighbors section by mail at P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010, by fax at 981-3346, or by e-mail at jonc@roanoke.com
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) 1. Richard Rhett. 2. Donaldson.by CNB