Welcome to PO.I.N.T.
Life Beyond the Sidewalk
POINT has turned 44! Providing adaptive outdoor activities to people who have a physical disability.
All activites require a reservation.
We no longer have a telephone. Emails only: point@turningpointnation.org
And today POINT is continuing to support Shorty's dream and legacy...
Our upcoming activities:
POINT has a small accessible lodge on the Caddo Lake where we enjoy fishing, kayaking/boating, nature photography and relaxing. Temperatures will drop and we can enjoy the lake again. Although there will be less birds and fewer alligators, but you will seefall, the changing of the trees. And the fishing...on any given day.... A sunset tour of the lake on a pontoon boat is also available. This is a free event including lodging and meals. Weekends are when we are offering this get away. The trip is approximately 2.5 - 3 hours east on Interstate 20. For more information or RSVP to POINT.
Our 38th Shorty's Big Bass Tournament will once again take place on Caddo Lake, Uncertain, Texas. The tournament will be held on Saturday, April 20 with practice day and meeting/dinner on that Friday, April 19. In the swamps of East Texas, we will be fishing for big mouth black bass: the heaviest stringer, big bass at lunch & end of tournament, a few closest to and an all species contest. Bring a partner or we will provide one for you. More information will be coming.
Also we are bringing back the Extravaganza at Bachman Recreation Center on Saturday, September 21, 2024! We do not expect to have water activities due to dam repairs. More information will be coming but you do not want to miss the finale.....
If you have an interest in fishing, kayaking, nature photography, come spend a weekend at Caddo Lake in East Texas. Or if you have an interest in trap shooting, we plan on going to the range again.
POINT is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with 44 years experience providing FREE adapted outdoor recreational activities and adventures for people with physical challenges. Various activities are scheduled to help those with mobility impairments stay active!
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Michael "Shorty" Powers' wheelchair is empty today. His love for life, passion for the outdoors, zeal for adventure, coupled with his refusal to accept "limitations" and his readiness to tackle a challenge made Shorty a truly extraordinary & unforgettable man. Throughout his life, Shorty never met a stranger, with many becoming life-long friends. There's a void in all the hearts and lives Shorty touched throughout his action-packed life. You might have met him at a restaurant, POINT activity, rehab or the Wal-Mart parking lot. For many, their life was forever changed by their encounter with Shorty.
On March 16, 1969, Shorty survived a tragic car accident that killed his best friend; his aorta bled out which resulted in paraplegia. Always a nature lover and avid outdoorsman, Shorty didn't let his wheelchair keep him indoors! He trail-blazed a path to start the first organized adaptive outdoor recreational adventures for folks with disabilities. His impact on people who were "newly injured" was remarkable and life-altering! With new-found confidence discovered in conquering outdoor challenges, Shorty founded a non-profit organization, Turning POINT, in 1979. Shorty's vision of empowering lives using the healing force of nature combined with adapted recreational activities for the mobility impaired community. Turning POINT was just awarded a TPWD Co-Op grant which will introduce members to new adaptive equipment hands-on at outdoor programs throughout the upcoming year - Shorty's legacy lives on…
Some of Shorty's accomplishments include:
Lone Star Legends, TPWD Chairman's Award for Public Service: 1999
Barbara Jordan Award (for Turning POINT Video): 2000
The Hall of Fame at the TPWD Freshwater Fisheries Center: 2004
A Night of Light Awards of Excellence: 2006
He climbed a mountain, played tennis and basketball, scuba dived, sailed boats, hunted, kayaked, caught myriad fish, and loved people and life!
Shorty's best friend, the late Randy Snow, once said "If anyone is meant to be in a wheelchair, it's Shorty.... to show us the way"!
Maybe you or someone you know would like to get involved with us - we welcome members, volunteers, sponsors and donors.