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Diveheart Partners with ADA (Active Divers Association) at Ocean Fest in Florida to Educate Divers About the Opportunities in Diving for People with a Disability 

Diveheart volunteers and ADA members worked the Diveheart booth at this years OceanFest SCUBA trade show in Fort Lauderdale, FL  to spread the word about the possibilities for children and adults with disabilities in the sport of Scuba Diving.  The team worked Friday through Sunday and gathered over 60 potential volunteer prospects and spread the word on diving for people of all abilities.

Diveheart and SDI (Scuba Diving International) team up to bring disabled dive training to more children and adults with disabilities  

Diveheart President Jim Elliott joins instructors from around the country and around the world as they participate in SDI Instructor training in the state of Maine.  Pictured from L to R Kei Shimada (New York), Jim Elliott, Mark Roth ( South Carolina), & Matt Montebello (Malta)

This year Diveheart's Military Division (DMW) has already certified Navy Seal and Navy diver instructors and divers in San Diego through the SDI "Scubility" program.  At the conclusion of the SDI intructor training program in Maine, Diveheart hopes to bring more instructors into the Diveheart family and grow disabled diving around the world

Diveheart Military Wounded (DMW) conducts its latest Discover Scuba Event Sunday, April 13th

Octavia is totally at piece diving with her full face mask with communications during a recent DMW discover scuba experience program at Oak Lawn High School Pool in Oak Lawn Illinois

Diveheart buddy in training Justin (Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago volunteer) is focused on buddy breathing during his recent Diveheart disabled dive training
 

Diveheart instructor Dan is practicing tactile signals while he is simulating being a blind diver during his recent Diveheart disabled dive training

Diveheart Conducts Diveheart Disabled Dive Training for Instructors and Dive Buddies in Toledo, Ohio

  The dive team from Aqua Hut Dive shop take a break from their Diveheart disabled dive training April 5 & 6.  Aqua Hut is the largest Dive shop in Toledo Ohio and the team is excited about getting a program going to serve disabled children, adults and veterans.

Aqua Hut Instructor (Greg) takes direction from his buddy (Kathy) during their training

SSI course director & Aqua Hut proprietor, Jeff does a front roll entry while simulating a paraplegic diver as his buddies, instructor Tom (left) and Zach help him in
  

RIC Trains for its trip to the Florida Keys

Maricella moves underwater in ways she could never move on land due to her CP.  But, as part of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago & Diveheart scuba program, she can not only experience new freedom, she can call herself a diver.

Diveheart instructor Bob Hemedinger ( rt ) and buddy Andy Ferraro work with Terrell as he experiences the underwater world thru the lens of his full face mask.

Diveheart Travels "Down Under" to Work with Disabled Divers
Diveheart founder Jim Elliott works hand in hand with Mike Letch, founder of the Disabled Divers Association of Australia.   Letch’s non for profit organization works with children and adults with disabilities helping them build confidence and independence thru scuba diving and snorkeling activities.

Oliver takes to the water and to the full face AGA mask like a fish to water…..watching Oliver was like watching a young sea lion pup in the water said Elliott.   Once he got out of his wheel chair and in the water….he was home

Diveheart Thanks Marianjoy Rebilitation Hospital in Wheaton, IL.  for the use of their facilities to Conducts Disabled Dive Training for Instructors and Buddies.    

Ray (top) is preparing to give Brian a simulated rescue breath while he tows him thru the water.  Ray is a Life scout and Brian is an Eagle scout.  Both  where part of a team of divers and instructors who participated in Diveheart’s disabled dive training in early March.

Retired Marine Sergeant Andrew Ryal simulates being a right arm amputee while he replaces his mask during Diveheart’s recent disabled diver training in Chicago.

Vicki & Chad simulate being blind while orally inflating their BCD’s after controlled emergency swimming ascents during Their recent Diveheart disabled dive training.

Ciara became a certified diver two years ago while on a Diveheart scuba adventure trip with children with disabilities from the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.  This Month Ciara is going through the Diveheart disabled dive training to become a buddy for disabled diver.  Here Ciara is simulating being blind while her buddy John (instructor from Michigan) guides her through the pool.

Navy divers and Navy Seals take part in Diveheart's  disabled dive buddy and instructor training in San Diego, California as part of an effort to help veterans with disabilities build confidence and independence through the sport of scuba diving  They participated with an eye to giving back to members of the armed forces wounded in the line of duty.  Ten participants were successfully certified as SDI (Scuba Diving International), Scubility trained.

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RIC Holds its First
Discover SCUBA of 2008

Diveheart buddies and instructors from all over the Chicagoland area help children with disabilities from the RIC (Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago) as they experience an introduction to SCUBA diving on January 23rd in the pool at was generously made available by ICRE (Illinois Center for Rehabilitation and Education). Many of the RIC kids will be participating on a life changing week long scuba adventure trip to Key Largo, Florida this June.

RIC participant Marisela is limited to her wheelchair on land due to her Cerebral Palsy but underwater she is free to fly with help from her primary Buddy Dave and her Diveheart team.

GOOD MORNING MIAMI :
Diveheart hits the ground running as the new year begins with  an instructor and buddy training class in conjunction with Shake A Leg, Miami.  The Diveheart, Shake A Leg partnership will enable scuba diving instructors and dive buddies the opportunity to learn to work with children, adults and veterans with disabilities, as well as opening up the underwater world to many individuals with a wide variety of disabilities.
In the Diveheart class pictured below (from L to R  standing) is instructor Casey Hawthorn (New Mexico), instructor Tinita Hughes (Michigan), Shake A Leg Dive coordinator Ryan Hamlet, Connie Crowther (Active Divers Association), Roy Wasson (Active Divers Association), Instructor Mike Kaufman.   Sitting (L to R) Instructor Blair Hughes (U.S. Virgin Islands), Diveheart president Jim Elliott, Shake A Leg Board member Kerry Gruson,  Shake A Leg volunteer Jordanna Heywood. 
 

Below are pictures of Kerry (who is a quadraplegic) with her dive trainers.  Real life opportunities during Diveheart HSA trainings help to enhance the experience for buddies and instructors.





  DMW

Once again the incredible DMW ( Diveheart Military Wounded ) volunteers saved the day as they braved six inches of new snow to serve veterans with disabilities during the December 16th DMW discover scuba experience program at Oak Lawn High School in Oak Lawn, Illinois.

 Pictured above is Iraq Marine veteran Greg (wearing full face mask) who is buddied up with Diveheart instructor Bob Hemedinger (lower left) and buddy Philip Kommer.  Greg has the goal of taking part in a Diveheart life changing scuba adventure trip this spring.  Photo courtesy of Bo Harper    

Dive Trip to Cozumel

Diveheart Diver Kiel Brown (in Santa hat) enjoys his first wreck dive in Cozumel, Mexico during his Diveheart scuba adventure trip.  Diveheart brought a military veteran and other divers with disabilities on a recent trip to Cozumel, Mexico.  

DMW (Diveheart Military Wounded) at DEMA

Veterans with disabilities from around the country join Diveheart Military Wounded at the Diveheart booth during the recent DEMA (Dive Equipment Manufacturers Association) show in Orlando, FL

  

Diveheart Works with The Cody Unser First Step Foundation to Offer a Scuba Adventure in Cozumel Mexico

  
Cody Unser’s wheelchair gets secured to the deck during her scuba adventure trip to Cozumel, Mexico.  She traveled there with other divers with diabilities from New Mexico to join specially trained scuba instructors .   The Cody Unser First Step Foundation worked closely with the Diveheart Foundation to bring the trip together. Diveheart trained the instructors for the CUFSF and accompanied the group to help them fine tune their skills.

Complete freedom and independence is one of the reasons Bethany Winkler enjoys her dive on the Cody Unser First Step Foundation / Diveheart scuba adventure trip.  On land, Bethany uses a wheelchair, but in the water she is totally free.

Matt Johnston is Making History and Paving a New Path

History…..in the making….His team is prepared, secure, anticipating every event …….

His dream is to dive……..Our lesson is to live….as he lives……

One day at a time…..living life to its fullest…..Facing  challenges with the intrepid spirit of a Spartan……
 
It is an honor to know Matt Johnston……..

 Diveheart Presents at the Annual ADPA Symposium

Disney’s Epcot Living Seas was the background for this years ADPA annual symposium. ADPA is made up of Aquarium Dive Safety Officers from aquariums around the U.S. and Canada ( They are responsible for all dive operations in the aquarium )   This year, Diveheart president Jim Elliott ( L of Mickey ) was invited to present to the ADPA membership about how to facilitate a dive program at their aquariums for people with disabilities.

Diveheart will spend the remainder of the week at the DEMA ( Dive Equipment Manufacturers Association ) show in Orlando, Florida where Dive professionals from around the world will visit the Diveheart booth and learn more about how to change the lives of those with disabilities through the sport of scuba diving

     HSA Training in Utila Honduras

Newly trained Diveheart H.S.A. instructors celebrate in Utila Honduras in early October after their Diveheart training.  The instructors came from several shops around the island of Utila for the specialized disabled dive training. Pictured L to R bottom row…. Miguel Ruiz ( Bay Island College of Diving ), Walter Hegmans (Bay Island College of Diving ), Julio Gutierrez ( Utopia Dive Center ), Michel Wouterse ( Course Director Bay Island College of Diving ), Back Row Angel Moya ( Course Director Cross Creek Dive Center ) Goretty Alvarez ( Cross Creek Dive Center ) Jim Elliott ( Diveheart President & H.S.A. Instructor Trainer ), Albert Stubbs ( Utila Dive Lodge )

Diveheart Golf Outing a Huge Success  

Chicago Bulls legend Norm Van Leer (center) joins Diveheart golfers at the 2nd annual golf outing.