Welcome to PO.I.N.T.

Life Beyond the Sidewalk

POINT has turned 45! 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:

We are bringing back our Extravaganza for the last time on October 5 back at Bachman Recreation Center. We do not expect to have water activitiesdue to dam repairs. Our activities will include handcycling, air rifles, archery, disc golf, casting, pickleball and more... Activities will start at 10am ending at 3pm. Lunch will be provided by Not Just Q. There will be a raffle for various P.O.I.N.T. equipment such as handcycles, camping gear, bows, kayaks... You will earn a raffle ticket for every activitiy you participate in. There will be containers with each give away and you pick what equipment(s) you want to try to win. You really do not want to miss this finale. And it is all FREE.....

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 see fall, the changing of the trees. And the fishing...on any given day.... A sunset tour of the lake may 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. 

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.