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When Jennifer Howitt Browning was nine years old she broke her back in a fall at a summer camp in San Francisco. The blonde youngster, known as Jen, whose world centred on playing football, didn’t smile for a year. ''My main thought as I sat in my wheelchair was, 'Poor me’,” Jen, now 33, admits.
A year later her father, David Howitt, took her to a basketball group for children with disabilities and after 12 months of saying “no” to playing, she gave it a try. ''It was a eureka moment,’’ she smiles as her face lights up.
''But it wasn’t until 2000 when I went to see the film Billy Elliot, about a boy who wanted to be a ballet dancer, that I could express how it made me feel. Just before the film ends Billy auditions for a ballet school and an examiner asks how dancing makes him feel.
“He said, 'Like a bird, and so free.’ It was exactly what playing basketball did for me. It made me believe I could still do what I wanted to, and anything else with my life.’’
She held this firm belief that she would one day win a gold medal at the Olympics. At the age of 18 she was selected to be in the US Paralympic squad headed for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Firmly believing she would win gold she was to be bitterly disappointed when they lost to the Australians.
Two years later she had picked herself up and was headed for the World Championships with the basket ball team, confident of winning gold. They were a much stronger team this time and in the final they had to play their arch enemies, Canada. To their dismay once again, they lost.
It was then Athens and the 2004 Olympics with the US favourites to win. In their first game they were shattered by yet another defeat. Luckily they came second in their pool which meant they had to face Canada in the semi finals. They reflected on the past few years of defeats at the critical time and determinedly they went out and won. The final was against Australia and now with their tails up they won easily and gold was theirs!
Her dream had been fulfilled and all the years of heartache had been worthwhile.
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Thanks to Sainsbury’s Portishead and their generous customers – funds last year were donated to Portishead Rotary Club.
moreThe Children's Air Ambulance and the Royal British Legion receive donations from Portishead Rotary Club
moreRotarian Shonaugh Evans is giving Rotarian Chris Phillips used stamps, collected by children from Trinity School in Portishead. Chris has been collecting these for charity
moreThe Clevedon and District and Portishead Foodbanks support Sainsbury’s Christmas National campaign entitled ‘Nourish the Nation’
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morePhred is once again raising money for charity. Check here for the latest news and watch a video update!
moreRotarian Phred Steer, a member of Portishead Rotary Club has been raising a lot of money for the Bristol Children's Hospital with the 'Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal'. Go to 'More' and then 'Links & News' on the Home Page to follow Phred's progress.
moreThe latest news about the Memory Cafe
moreWith thanks to the generous Waitrose Portishead customers, our Turkey/Syria Earthquake collection on Saturday 11th February raised an amazing £3100!
moreTwo Souter & Stanley pictures of Portishead were auctioned at the Rotary Club of Portishead Christmas Dinner
moreStudents from St Katherine's School in Ham Green entered the Rotary Young Photographer awards 2023
moreWhy not join the Rotary Club of Portishead and help others?
moreProjects, collections and other activities to support the community, both locally in Portishead and globally in the UK and overseas
moreSmall boxes of essential items for orphanages, hospitals and disadvantaged families in Central & Eastern Europe.
morePossett is our monthly Club Newsletter that reviews what we have been up to in the last month and also details our future programme of meetings, activities and events.
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