Other people might not consider Bronwyn Berg and Hal Bennett lucky.

Berg and Bennett would disagree.

They consider themselves lucky to be able to open an inclusive new business in a new town, providing accessible service to people who need it. They are lucky to have found each other.

And they are lucky to have once needed the same wheelchair.

Berg, 50 and Bennett, 48, both had life-changing experiences. Berg sustained a brain injury six years ago that resulted in a seizure, movement and balance disorder. Bennett underwent a kidney transplant six years ago and leg amputations a year later due to infections.

Berg had been studying creative writing at the UBC campus in Kelowna. Bennett was just out of hospital and living in Kamloops. They had each been wheelchair shopping and fell in love with the same chair. It can take a long time for a custom-fit wheelchair to arrive, so the company allowed them to share the chair as a loaner.

乌鸦传媒淢y publishing career was just taking off, but I was unable to give literary readings without the loaner chair, which a mysterious guy in Kamloops got 乌鸦传媒榮tealing,乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮�媒� noted Berg.

When they met for the first time, they recognized each other through the wheelchair he was 乌鸦传媒渟tealing.乌鸦传媒�

Bennett was instantly interested in Berg. She was interested in remaining single. They claim it took Berg four months to give him her phone number, though they talked on Facebook Messenger regularly.

乌鸦传媒淲e were going through the same thing at the time, adjusting to living in a world not designed for us. It was a very bonding experience,乌鸦传媒� Berg said. 乌鸦传媒淎ll went from there, we became best friends and then we became a couple.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淪he乌鸦传媒檚 a breath of fresh air, that乌鸦传媒檚 for sure,乌鸦传媒� said Bennett. 乌鸦传媒淵ou know when you meet someone there乌鸦传媒檚 more here.乌鸦传媒�

They lived together for about a year in Kelowna before coming to Chemainus to launch the Clover (as in 乌鸦传媒榝our-leaf clover,乌鸦传媒� get it) Clothing Co. They opened the store 乌鸦传媒� which also includes some new clothing 乌鸦传媒� at the Chemainus Public Market on Aug. 1, securing one of the last two available market spaces.

乌鸦传媒淲ho opens a store during a pandemic?乌鸦传媒� Berg queried. 乌鸦传媒淲e do. I definitely felt like Chemainus needed a consignment store.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淧eople love to go treasure hunting so there乌鸦传媒檚 a bit of that as well. We乌鸦传媒檝e been talking about doing a consignment shop for years. It wasn乌鸦传媒檛 the right timing and I was basically housebound for five years.乌鸦传媒�

They stumbled upon the opportunity almost by accident, driving around Vancouver Island and being impressed by the accessibility of Chemainus.

乌鸦传媒淲hy are there ramps everywhere?乌鸦传媒� Berg said with delight. 乌鸦传媒淲e felt like we were in Disneyland. Aside from a few stores, everything乌鸦传媒檚 accessible.乌鸦传媒�

And there乌鸦传媒檚 also the aspect of turning up something special for shoppers.

乌鸦传媒淎 lot of disabled people struggle financially,乌鸦传媒� Berg indicated. 乌鸦传媒淎nd yet many consignment stores aren乌鸦传媒檛 wheelchair accessible. We are passionate about accessibility. We wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 do it unless we could have a location that was inclusive to everyone. The Chemainus Public Market was a unique opportunity. They already had a flat entrance, automatic door openers and an accessible bathroom. All that we added was a wheelchair accessible change room.

They乌鸦传媒檝e been through a lot, but finding each other has helped endure the difficult days and prepare them for this new chapter.

乌鸦传媒淚t was very life-altering,乌鸦传媒� Berg said of her injury. 乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 lots of grieving that needs to be done, but then you get to a point of acceptance. People see the wheelchair and feel sad. I乌鸦传媒檓 not the least bit sad about the wheelchair. Before I had the wheelchair I was crawling around and gripping walls.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 definitely a survivor,乌鸦传媒� she added. 乌鸦传媒淗al and I don乌鸦传媒檛 feel bad about our lives. We definitely have challenges. I can乌鸦传媒檛 work every day and had to give up my academic pursuits and career as a writer.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e extremely lucky to have found each other. It can be a very isolating life. To go through disability with a partner is amazing. Our disabilities are different. We乌鸦传媒檙e able to care for each other without it ever being a burden. We never treat each other like we乌鸦传媒檙e a burden.乌鸦传媒�

Bennett was a Type 1 diabetic from the age of three. Complications from the diabetes eventually killed his kidneys. He went on dialysis 11 years ago and eventually had the transplant. The amputations of his legs below both knees were required five years ago.

He still uses a wheelchair as well, but the incredible improvements made over the years can be seen in his prosthetics, with ease of movement and different components used in their construction like carbon fibre.

乌鸦传媒淢y attitude tends to be fairly productive,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淚 hate the word 乌鸦传媒榩ositive.乌鸦传媒� I like to see the wonder in things and live for the moment. If I乌鸦传媒檓 not at the store, I乌鸦传媒檓 on the slopes.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淲e feel lucky to have found a town that has been so accessible, a business where we can offer an inclusive experience,乌鸦传媒� Berg said. 乌鸦传媒淎nd we乌鸦传媒檙e lucky to have found each other.乌鸦传媒�

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