Old Navy

Hey Everyone!

So about a month ago, while shopping for Christmas gifts - my mom and I had decided to stop at Old Navy to do get some gifts there and I also wanted to try on some clothes. Let's just say my experience with the Old Navy's fitting rooms wasn't so great. After my experience, I took it to Facebook and wrote a post about it using a picture that I saw hanging up in the fitting room. Want to read what I wrote?

Here it is:

IMPORTANT ------ So today while being at Old Navy in Livingston Mall, it took awhile to see the inside of the accessible...
Posted by Caitlin Goerlich on Saturday, December 12, 2015

As you see, there was a big problem here. They blocked the two accessible fitting rooms that someone who needs it wouldn't have been able to get in there which goes against ADA and many other situations. I have received feedback for this post: 13 comments (all supportive), 15 shares, and 31 likes. This was great feedback and one of the comments suggested that I post it on Old Navy's Facebook page and another suggested to share it on Twitter, both of which I did. 

On Twitter, Old Navy did respond which I think was a step in the right direction.

Old Navy's response on Twitter

But there still needs more to be done about these situations. Why are these situations still happening in this day and age? I'll never know. But I'm sure one of the main reasons why these things are happening frequently because they aren't being brought up in the media or shared as much as other situations are. Don't get me wrong, the other situations (shootings, terrorist, inequality with race, gender, and sexual orientation, etc.) that are brought up in the media and on the internet are important but YOU can't cover some of the types of discrimination and not all (especially leaving out one).

In one of my previous posts about adaptive sports programs needed in schools, I wrote about how 20% (49 million people) of the United States' population has some type of disability so why isn't there more spoken about things that happen in this group of people? I don't know. I can write another post about that which believe me I will. Look out for that one!

This post is about Old Navy. I love Old Navy. It's a great store, has great people who work there, and love the clothes that I buy but this situation needs to be fixed. I was told by one of my friends that this store in particular was the same way for about three months (could have been more) because she was there around Thanksgiving and spoke them about the fitting rooms, well as you can read from above, it wasn't fixed! 

Has it been fixed? I don't know. I haven't returned. But I will. If you have visited the Old Navy store in Livingston Mall and has seen a change or have not seen a change, let me know in the comments below. We need to seriously have these types of conversations. 

Now, I did go to another Old Navy at another mall and I have to say their fittings rooms was slightly better (they had one of the accessible rooms open but did have the other one blocked off). I'm not upset with theirs. At least they had one open but both need to be open especially if I had one of my friends with me or there was someone else with a disability in the store. 

Was this store like the one in Livingston Mall before I had my Facebook post? I'll probably never know. Had Livingston Mall changed? We'll have to see and don't worry, I will update you all after my return visit! 

Let me know what you think by writing a comment below.

Until Next Time

CGoerlich <3 

Song of the Week - Week Two - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

Hey Everyone!

So I have decided to try the weekly plan out again so this will be the second Song of the Week that I am doing and since Christmas is coming up and it's the Holidays season, I decided that the song would be a Christmas (Holiday) song. Drum roll please. 

The song that I am doing is Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays by 90s/early 2000s (were active 1995-2002 but made a few appearances together afterwards and had a brief reunion in 2013) boy band, *Nsync. The song is their hit single off of their second overall studio album which was their Christmas album, Home for Christmas (go buy it. You won't regret it!) 

Members:                          

Justin Timberlake
JC Chasez
Lance Bass
Joey Fatone
Chris Kirkpatrick

The reason why I chose this song to do is because I believe that it's a song that works for everyone (those who celebrate Christmas and those who celebrate other Holidays). I also feel that it's an underrated song compared to those that are played on the radio more often and thought it was necessary to do a post for it. 

Now, the actual song and lyrics are great but the music video that goes along with the song is probably one of my favorite parts of the whole package. It brings joy, happiness, family and friends, togetherness, and much more which is what the season and different holidays are supposed to do. 

Background of the music video: It opens up with Santa getting sick and Gary Coleman (Rest in Peace) is Santa's helper suggests that Nsync fills in for Santa and they show up asking "Whatchu Talkin' about, Gary?" and then agree to deliver the presents. 

Watch the video now: 

(Credit: Nsync, YouTube, director of video, and anyone else 

involved. I don't know own the rights to the song or video.) 

What I love most about this video is that you can truly see the enjoyment in the guys while filming this, especially the parts with the kids. It's one of those if you're down, take a listen and you'll pick right back up type of song. AND you can listen to this song at anytime of the year which there are times where I do as well. 

Christmas time is supposed to be joyous, excitement, and spend time with families which is what this song speaks highly of. I highly recommend sharing the video, as well as requesting your radio stations to play it. I also recommend, if you haven't already, buy the whole Home for Christmas album because the whole thing is amazing, yes even the covers (but it is mostly of originals). 

Well, I always look forward to the season, especially December because that's exactly when I start listening to my Christmas music (Nsync first, of course) but again, if it shuffles during the year, I have NO PROBLEM listening to it. 

Let me know what you think of this song of the week and if you agree (or have any other suggestions for any of the future songs of the week). 

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Until Next Time

CGoerlich <3

Adaptive Sports Programs Needed in Schools

Hi Everyone!

Back so soon? Yep. Well, I have written something for sports writing class that I thought would make a great blog post so I have decided to put it on here. I was going to put it next week but today is International Day of Persons With Disabilities so I thought it would be best to post it today. 

For one of my writings, we had to write a column and I wrote it on getting adaptive sports programs in colleges which is something that needs to be addressed (it has already but there needs to be more). I hope you enjoy this and feel free to share! 

Here it is:

Did you know that there are about 49 million people with a disability in the United States? If the numbers are so high then how come there aren’t more adaptive sports programs in colleges? Well that needs to change.

In the past few years, there has been a great deal of need of adaptive sports programs to be added to colleges and universities. In 2009, American Collegiate Society of Adapted Athletes was formed to spread awareness towards creating adaptive sports programs to help disabled athletes have somewhere to go when they graduate high school. Right now, there are only 23 colleges/universities that offer adaptive sports and there are more than 4,800 colleges/universities overall. See the problem here? It’s time that more schools start offering these sports programs as the number of disabled athletes too is growing.

            Ok, I can see why you’re going to say ‘uh why? Why is it really necessary for adapted sports programs?’ How many athletes are really going to be going to the school and will take part in the program? How exactly is the school going to pay for the new program? There will need to be money for salaries (new coaches), equipment (even though many athletes have their own), and whatever else that will be needed for the programs. Well honestly, every single question can be answered and yes, it is necessary for these programs to be formed.

            Now before I go into why adapted sports programs in colleges are necessary, let me tell you what my search for college was like. First, I am an adaptive athlete and do the sports of track & field, table tennis, archery and at one point, fencing. When I was looking into colleges, I was looking for schools that had sports programs whether adapted or open to adapted but do you want to know what I found? Nothing. At least nothing in New Jersey. So I decided to stick with focusing on education and continue being a part of the Children’s Lightning Wheels but even that has to come to an end at some point. What’s next?

            Do you know how much more diversed sports would be if colleges/universities included adapted sports? Athletes would get to know one another and learn about each other’s sports and how those athletes do their sports. Isn’t this country all about diversity and getting to know different cultures? Well this is exactly the same! A baseball player can get to know a disabled field athlete. A wheelchair track athlete can show a non-disabled track athlete how they use their arms instead of their legs. It gives everyone growth and it will lead to more diversity in other areas of sports, not just college.

            Hello! Can’t you see there will be many more opportunities open for people with disabilities? It’s time that people with disabilities get the same recognition as other groups. I mean, we are the biggest minority group in the world. Did you know that? Of course not. Why would you? We’re the last group people think about. But there are 49 million people in the United States alone that have a disability which is 20 percent of the country’s population. Shocking huh? Well if colleges bring adapted sports programs to their schools, people will start seeing people with disabilities as people and might actually consider looking more into how to better equality for those.

            Now having these sports programs in colleges will lead to more across the country like in public school (middle and high schools) and programs like the Lightning Wheels which will lead to more athletes. More athletes means more students and that could bring the tuition down because more students equals less to pay. Sounds like a plan to me. Don’t you agree? Also, these athletes will no longer be “hidden” away in their homes and take part in the world which could lead to a better economy. Don’t we all want that?

            You still don’t agree? All right then, how about this? Why don’t colleges allow people with disabilities take part in the sports programs that are in session now? Like if a school has a track team, let a wheelchair track athlete be on the team and create a wheelchair division, you know like how the high schools do it. If numbers rise in the amount of disabled athletes then the school can create a separate sports program for the adaptive sports. But I’m telling you right now, it might just be easier to create the adaptive sports program right off the bat. 

Well there we go. What did you think? Feel free to leave a comment below with your thoughts! 

Until Next Time

CGoerlich <3