One Monday night Scout meeting was devoted to the Handicap Awareness Merit Badge.
Members of Boy Scout Troop 715 spent 1-1/2 hours doing some simulated handicaps. They wore gloves to simulate no feeling in their hands, wore glasses that had been coated with Vaseline to simulate very poor vision to look up phone numbers, count pills with gloves, travel through an obstacle course in a wheelchair wearing a leg brace and one arm in a sling were a few of the problems encountered.
Another night was spent at the Mason Health and Rehab Center. There the Scouts got to try therapy activities like tying shoes one-handed, putting on socks while maintaining hip precautions and a variety of adaptive feeding equipment. The featured speaker that evening was Mason Metzger, who shared his daily activities and experiences.The merit badge clinic was directed by Lynn Laureano, occupational therapist at Masons, and was conducted in celebration of occupational therapy month.
