Putting The Ability into Disability
May 21st is of course Election Day, an important day for the whole country, but it is also a big day for the Savige Pest Control Ipswich Jets as on the same day it is Disability Awareness Round, with a fantastic sponsor at the helm.
The aim of the day is to create awareness for fans of the Ipswich Jets, and all of those in our community who are living with, or have a family member who is living with a disability.
Joining the Ipswich Jets Family for this day as the naming rights sponsor of the event will be the team from What Ability, an NDIS registered support service that delivers experiences that are truly ‘out of this world’ for its clients.
Founded by former Parramatta Eels player Steve Dresler (who is also the Chief Executive Officer), What Ability has relationships with dozens of sports stars who participate in creating fun, unforgettable experiences.
“We’re all about putting happiness first,” Steve said. “What Ability is an organization that is focussed purely on providing fun experiences through our day programs and our overnight camps.
“On a daily basis we go to work, delivering experiences for participants out in the community, and this could be anything from swimming, surfing, picnics in the park or kicking the footy around.
“If it delivers a smile, then that’s what we are looking for.”
Steve started What Ability after he retired from professional footy, and it was on his down time when he was a player that he might have found his second calling in life.
“During my time as a player, I worked on weekends supporting kids with a disability and helping out in my local community,” Steve said. “After being forced to retire from league following a spate of injuries in 2019, I decided that I wanted to keep helping these kids full time.
“Coming to terms with my early retirement was tough at times, as I often felt like my passion had been taken away from me, but getting into the industry of helping people has been nothing short of a blessing, and that’s when I started recruiting other athletes. That’s how What Ability was born.”
What Ability utilizes many sports personalities to help deliver those smiles, including Sean Keppie (Manly Sea Eagles) Lauren Cheatle (Sydney Sixers) and Angus Bell (NSW Waratahs), to name a few, and they work with What Ability as support workers.
Along with the business side of What Ability, Steve also is proud of the What Ability Foundation, which is the second part of what he works so hard on.
“The What Ability Foundation is a not-for-profit that unlocks ticketed experiences for people living with a disability and their families,” Steve said. “We partner with all types of experience providers across sport, live entertainment, adventure, hospitality and dining to unlock experiences across the country.
“These experiences can be something like a day out bowling, a trip a local footy match, or something epics, like a day out at a theme park of an all-abilities sports game at a well-known stadium.”
So mark May 21st in your diary and see what What Ability has on offer alongside the Ipswich Jets.
“My purpose now is to be a voice for the innocent of the world, by inspiring them to do more, be more, see more and dream more,” Steve added. “This event will continue to help break down barriers and provide awareness, visibility, and community support to those living with a disability.
“It is such a great initiative, and we are so excited to be a part of it!”
Get involved, get inspired and find out more about What Ability at www.whatability.com.au
