For Luke, a 19-year-old sophomore nursing student at the University of New Hampshire (UNH), the chance to play lacrosse as a student athlete in a national tournament is a dream come true. What made that experience even more significant is that Luke was born with spina bifida, a condition where the spinal cord does not completely close during fetal development.
Yet, as a UNH student athlete playing in a national wheelchair lacrosse tournament, Luke and his teammates—all with disabilities—don’t focus on what they cannot achieve. Instead, they see what’s possible, in large part due to their involvement with Northeast Passage (NEP).
NEP began as a not-for-profit organization and merged with UNH 25 years ago, after a previous decade of collaboration with the school’s Recreation Management and Policy department. Today, NEP operates under UNH’s College of Health and Human Services and fundraises through the UNH Foundation.
NEP’s Business Operations Manager Keely Ames says Luke has been playing sled hockey through NEP since he was eight years old. In addition to sled hockey and wheelchair lacrosse, Luke also water skis and plays court sports. “One of the reasons Luke chose UNH’s nursing program is that he can continue his involvement with NEP that has been such a big part of his life, from childhood,” comments Ames.
Executive Director Jill Gravink—who founded NEP in 1990—adds: “Luke approaches everything in life with the mind and discipline of an athlete. NEP enables him to focus on possibilities and express this fully.”
Gravink points out that there are currently eight student athletes from around the country who chose to attend UNH not only for academic reasons but also for the opportunity to take advantage of NEP’s adaptive competitive sports program. NEP applies decades of expertise in adaptive sports and recreational therapy, facilitating everything from the organization of competitive sports teams to arranging trips to beaches, bike trails, and into the wilderness for community members living with disabling conditions.
Across New England, NEP partners with hospitals, rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities, schools, summer camps, community recreation departments and more to help people find whole-life health and balance, fulfillment, and community engagement. NEP currently employs 16 nationally-certified and New Hampshire-licensed recreational therapists who, along with management and support staff, oversee three core programs: Adaptive Sports & Recreation, Recreational Therapy, and Teaching & Research.
The Adaptive Sports & Recreation program offers recreational sports throughout the year, from hiking, cycling, golf, and court and water sports, to ice skating and even archery. NEP’s organized competitive sports teams participate in wheelchair rugby, power soccer, and wheelchair lacrosse, as well as sled hockey. Gravink explains: “Our Adaptive Sports Program supports both UNH students and community members.” Teams practice weekly through the fall and winter and compete at local, regional, and national levels.
NEP’s second area of focus is its Recreational Therapy program, working with New England communities and schools to ensure equal opportunity access. Recreational therapists meet individually with clients of all ages in their homes or with students in schools to improve physical, social, and emotional skill building.
NEP’s Teaching & Research program, meanwhile, offers clinical and therapeutic courses and internships to students enrolled in healthcare-related college or post-graduate studies. Licensed specialists work alongside interns, serve as guest lecturers at universities, and apply their skills and knowledge to research focused on disability healthcare and community engagement.
Caz, age 26, discovered NEP through Facebook. Diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Caz has experienced limited mobility from childhood—though that has not stopped them from enjoying a variety of adaptive water sports through NEP. Caz describes adaptive water skiing as “the coolest and most exhilarating experience” of their life.
Ames says Caz used a wheelchair for the first time as an adult through NEP’s adaptive equipment rental program. “It was a lightbulb moment for Caz,” Ames continues, “as they realized they were able to do much more in the wheelchair than they imagined was possible.”
Gravink agrees. “People often see a wheelchair as limiting, when in fact it’s a key to independence. Our mission is to open minds, as well as physical possibilities, and it’s so rewarding when we see how our approach, programming, and equipment are changing people’s lives.”
Since its founding 35 years ago, NEP has earned local and national awards, including being named the American Therapeutic Recreation Association’s Organization of the Year in 1997, and winning the Outstanding Achievement Award from the New Hampshire Governor’s Council on Physical Activity and Health in 2015. More recently, NEP was recognized by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee with the Team USA Collegiate Impact Award at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, China.
“We’ve helped participants as young as five all the way through to young-at-heart seniors in their 90s find joy, confidence, friendships, and a passion for living, regardless of abilities,” Ames says. Gravink adds: “And we love every second of it.”
Learn more about NEP’s life-changing purpose and programming at their website.
Northeast Passage
121 Technology Drive, Suite 161 | Durham
We help people find joy, confidence, friendships, and a passion for living, regardless of abilities.
Our mission is to open minds, as well as physical possibilities, and it’s so rewarding when we see how our approach, programming, and equipment are changing people’s lives.