1) Episode Summary

Kim Wardlow welcomes Evan Schwabrock, founder of Cane and Able Fitness, for a practical and encouraging conversation about getting started with strength training and gym fitness as a blind or low-vision person. Evan shares his story of losing most of his vision due to Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, how his background in kinesiology and disability studies shaped his work, and why he created Cane and Able Fitness to challenge the idea that disability means inability.

This episode focuses on real-world fitness basics rather than extreme performance. Evan breaks down the confidence, independence, and resilience that strength training can build, both inside and outside the gym. He offers encouragement for listeners who may have fallen off their goals, emphasizing that progress does not require perfection, only consistency, good systems, and sustainable habits.

Kim and Evan also walk through common misconceptions about blind and low-vision people in gyms, the difference between working out at home versus in a gym environment, how often someone really needs to work out to make progress, and what to do on that first day walking into a gym. Evan gives clear, accessible advice on gym safety, interacting with staff, using spotters, building around foundational strength movements, and understanding when it is time to increase weight or difficulty.

The conversation closes with myth-busting around fitness excuses, practical thoughts on working out with injuries or joint issues, and encouragement for listeners to stop waiting for the “perfect” time and simply begin in a way that works for them. It is a grounded, motivating episode for anyone wanting to get stronger, feel more capable, and approach fitness with vision loss in a way that is accessible and sustainable.

2) Contact Info

Guest / Organization
Evan Schwabrock
Founder, Cane and Able Fitness
Website: caneandablefitness.com
Socials: Cane and Able Fitness on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube

Aftersight
Website: Aftersight.org
Email: feedback@aftersight.org
Phone: (720) 712-8856

Producer
Jonathan Price
Podcast and Program Producer, Aftersight

3) Show Credits

Show: Navigating Life with Vision Loss
Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Evan Schwabrock
Producer: Jonathan Price
Organization: Aftersight

4) Chapter Markers

00:03 — Kim introduces the sports series and today’s focus on gym basics and strength training
01:35 — Evan shares his vision loss journey and the founding of Cane and Able Fitness
04:04 — Why strength training builds confidence, capability, and momentum beyond the gym
05:44 — Restarting fitness goals after falling off track and setting sustainable habits
07:23 — Misconceptions about blind and low-vision people working out in gym spaces
09:06 — How beginners can start small and ease into fitness without overwhelm
12:16 — Gym workouts versus home workouts: community, mobility, and accountability
15:10 — How often to work out when starting and why consistency matters more than volume
18:18 — First-day gym advice: asking staff for help, tours, and building support systems
19:27 — Safety in the gym, owning your space, and reducing avoidable hazards
22:16 — Foundational strength movements and how they connect to everyday function
25:07 — Machines versus free weights and why both have value in a training plan
...

Episode Summary

In this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, Kim Wardlow continues the sports series by diving into aquatic sports with Jillian Stringfellow and Will Rastetter from Envision Blind Sports. Together, they unpack how blind and low-vision athletes can participate in swimming, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, and rowing with the right instruction, communication, and support.

The conversation highlights a simple but powerful truth: aquatic sports are far more accessible than many people assume. Jillian and Will explain that most adaptations are not dramatic. They often come down to clearer verbal instruction, guided orientation, hands-on learning, and building trust step by step.

The episode spends meaningful time on swimming, covering early teaching methods like breath control, bubble work, kicking, body positioning, lane orientation, and the use of tappers at the wall. Will also explains how swimmers grow from basic safety and comfort in the water to stronger stroke technique, confidence, and even school team participation.

From there, the discussion moves into kayaking, canoeing, and rowing, where communication, rhythm, and individualized cues become key. Jillian shares how Envision uses partnerships and trained volunteers to help athletes safely try new experiences, while also helping families see what is truly possible.

At its heart, this episode is about confidence. The encouragement is clear: try the sport, trust the process, and let the experience build belief. For many athletes, that first success in the water becomes a doorway into greater independence, community, and courage in the rest of life.

Contact Info

Guests / Organization

Jillian Stringfellow, Program Director, Envision Blind Sports
Will Rastetter, Swim Coach, Envision Blind Sports
Website: EnvisionBlindSports.org
General contact: envisionblindsports@gmail.com | (724) 967-4712
Jillian direct contact: jstringfellow@envisionblindsports.org

Aftersight

Website: Aftersight.org
Podcast: Navigating Life with Vision Loss
General contact: contact@aftersight.org | (303) 786-7777
Address: 1805 Hwy 42, Ste 220, Louisville, CO 80027

Producer Credits

Jonathan Price, Podcast Producer, Aftersight
jonathan@aftersight.org | (720) 712-8856

Show Credits

Host: Kim Wardlow
Guests: Jillian Stringfellow and Will Rastetter
Organization Featured: Envision Blind Sports
Producer: Jonathan Price
Network: Aftersight

Chapter Markers

00:00 — Kim opens the aquatic sports episode
01:13 — What Envision Blind Sports does
04:54 — Common misconceptions about blind athletes in water sports
07:05 — “Fearless, Do More” in aquatic settings
10:00 — The biggest fears athletes and families face
12:03 — Encouraging athletes who do not see themselves as athletic
15:13 — How Will teaches brand-new swimmers
20:15 — Lane orientation, walls, turns, and tappers
23:51 — First steps for getting started in swimming
26:31 — Confidence that carries beyond the pool
29:37 — Kayaking and canoeing: instruction, cues, and safety
34:59 — Family involvement, trust, and growing independence
37:56 — Rowing basics and why it works so well
43:20 — Safety habits and confidence tips across sports
46:06 — The moments that remind them why this work matters
48:24 — How to connect with Envision Blind Sports
49:10 — Kim closes and preview ...

1) Episode Summary

In this special Aftersight Original, Kim Wardlow shares the personal story behind her leadership and the road that led her to become Executive Director of Aftersight. She reflects on growing up in Lamar, Colorado, her early love for creativity, 4-H, cooking, service, travel, and the many work experiences that quietly prepared her for nonprofit leadership.

Kim walks listeners through pivotal moments in her life—from studying abroad in Scotland and working internationally, to volunteering at what was then Radio Reading Service of the Rockies, to unexpectedly finding both her calling and her husband through the organization. She also shares how Aftersight has evolved over the years from volunteer-read programming into a wider community-centered organization offering podcasts, peer support, book club, white canes, and more.

This episode is both a personal milestone and a mission-centered reflection. As Kim celebrates her 60th birthday and approaches 25 years with Aftersight, she invites listeners to see the deeper heart behind the organization: building community, increasing independence, and creating meaningful access for people who are blind, low vision, deafblind, or in need of alternatives to print. The episode closes with an invitation to support Aftersight’s work through her birthday giving campaign.

2) Contact Info

Guest / Organization:
Kim Wardlow — Executive Director, Aftersight
Aftersight website: aftersight.org
Birthday campaign / donations: Visit the donate page at aftersight.org

Aftersight:
Aftersight Originals network featuring Navigating Life with Vision Loss, The Blind Chick, Blindsight, and Blind Level Tech

Producer Credit:
Jonathan Price — Podcast Producer, Aftersight

3) Show Credits

Special Aftersight Original
Featuring Kim Wardlow
Opening by Jonathan Price
Produced by Jonathan Price
Organization: Aftersight

4) Chapter Markers

00:00 — Jonathan’s welcome and special Aftersight introduction
00:53 — Kim introduces herself, Aftersight, and the reason for sharing her story
03:14 — Childhood in Lamar, creativity, 4-H, and early PBS dreams
05:38 — Learning leadership, service, and community values
08:03 — Solar panels, first jobs, and developing a strong work ethic
10:28 — College, Scotland, travel, and broadening her world
12:54 — Early professional life, proposal writing, and service work
15:14 — Volunteering with Radio Reading Service and working at GE Access
17:37 — Friendship, snowshoeing, travel, and a season of transition
20:02 — Layoff, September 2001, and joining Radio Reading Service
22:21 — Meeting Doug, discovering purpose, and seeing the bigger calling
24:43 — Outreach across Colorado, music, and the value of volunteers
27:04 — How Aftersight expanded into podcasts, groups, and broader services
29:29 — Leadership, rebrand, relocation, and adapting through COVID
31:44 — Community, connection, and why the work matters
34:07 — Life purpose, independence, and the mission behind Aftersight
36:31 — Kim’s birthday campaign and invitation to support Aftersight

• (00:00) - Tempo: 120.0