My name is Vaughan Evans. I live in Vancouver, British Columbia (in Canada) and I'm very interested in skipping.

I am attempting to start either:

• a consulting business or

• a non-profit organization which I will call "The Canadian Skipping Dancers."

PURPOSES:

• to help children with special needs- to enjoy rope skipping-and non-rope skipping

• to use skipping as a tool-to instil an interest in songs, poems, and dancing(These activities complement skipping traditions

• to improve physical fitness

• to improve mental or emotional health(for example to enable battered women to "rediscover the "child" in them."

I am a below knee amputee. Even so I have learned to do many types of land aerobics-hiking, dancing, skiing, and skipping.

I also have a category of Autism called Aspergers Syndrome.(Even so, I have learned to skip)

There is an urgent need for this organization-for these reasons:

1. Today's children are in danger of not only developing heart disease-later in life-but also osteoporosis.

2. Childrens' bones (no matter how much milk is drunk) do not absorb calcium-unless REGULAR weight-bearing exercises is done. (Some activities-such as cycling and swimming-while excellent for the heart-are NOT weight-bearing.)

3. Skipping and dancing exercise the brain.

4. Skipping, singing, and dancing (for boys) might have a moderating effect-on the aggression, and hyperactivity-that occurs in them. Boys consistently lag behind girls-in verbal skills-and in fine motor co-ordination.

NOTE:

I bought a rope in 1994. I could do two-feet jumps, but I could not do alternating feet rope-hopping. I wondered what the secret was. Was it possible for me to jump high enough-to clear the rope?

Therefore in 1998, I hired a Personal Trainer-to teach me to alternate feet.

In June 1998,a video was taken-of me doing all kinds of skipping tricks-in both adapted ways-and in conventional ways.

Since 1998:

1. I have given skipping demonstrations - at 4 schools, 2 hospitals and 1 community centre - including an all day skipping demonstration - at an elementary school in Surrey - in suburban Vancouver.

2. An article about me was written in the magazine published by the Amputee Coalition of America.

3. I have been liaising with an American woman named Kim Corbin who is promoting non-rope skipping (her website is www.iskip.com).