Tampa Tribune - October 14th, 2004

Stand Fast, Mateys
By LIZ BLEAU ebleau@tampatrib.com
Published: Oct 14, 2004
 
RUSKIN - When Shirley Huber proposed creating a Gasparilla pirate krewe that would help fellow amputees, her friends were quick to join in.
Huber, who lost most of her left leg as the result of a car accident 25 years ago, is the inspiration for Ye Notorious Krewe of the Peg Leg Pirate, whose mission is to raise money to help people who have lost limbs - especially children.

``Even if people have insurance there are all kinds of extras and associated expenses that are hard on families,'' Huber said. ``I am hoping our group can help with some of those costs.''

She recalls the many days she spent in doctors' offices as she waited to be fitted for her prosthesis. And she knows there are families in rural areas who pay a lot of money to travel to doctor's appointments and prosthesis fittings. Those costs sometimes include hotels and meals.
For Huber, 50, of Ruskin, forming the Peg Leg Krewe ``is kind of like my coming-out party.''
``A lot of people who knew me did not know I was an amputee until they learned about the krewe,'' she said. ``Most people just knew I walked funny.''
Like most krewes, membership is by invitation only. About 45 people were invited to join the Peg Legs, and organizers hope to grow to 100 members.
The founders include Huber and a core group of about eight women who had been members of a women's krewe. They wanted to give their husbands a chance to join and define a clear focus for their charitable work, Huber said.

They are building the float they will ride in the Gasparilla parade in Tampa next year and in other parades. The float will debut at the Ruskin Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 13.

Krewe members have visited Shriner's Children's Hospital in Tampa and made their first donation to the amputee unit there. On a tour of the hospital, they were introduced to ``hand cycles,'' hand-powered bicycles that are popular with children who do not have full use of their legs. Hand cycles cost about $1,200 each, and the krewe hopes to raise enough money to purchase two this year.
They also enjoy each other's company.
About 20 krewe members joked with one another as they went about building the float on a recent hot, sunny Saturday morning.

The float, designed by John McNeely of Apollo Beach, features a peg leg pirate statue in the front, a tiki bar, a cannon, cannon balls and, in the rear, a mountain, waterfall and palm trees. The mountain camouflages two portable toilets, an essential part of any parade float.
Karen Butterfield was one of a number of people stringing 850 yards of rope around an iron fence to give it a softer, nautical look.
``I joined because I'm a friend of Shirley,'' she said. ``And because I wanted to join a krewe that my husband could join.''
She is looking forward to riding on the float instead of being a parade spectator.
``It is going to be totally different on this than it is just standing there catching beads,'' she said.
Judy McNeely, John's wife, went on the children's hospital tour and was impressed with the hand cycles the children were using. She said she's enthused about raising money to buy one for a disabled child.
``They are really neat,'' she said. ``It's a great way for them to get around and is less cumbersome than a wheelchair. And it lets them feel a little more normal. They can ride their bike just like the other kids.''
Huber, a travel agent, said she made up her mind early on not to let losing her leg discourage her.
She recalls lying on the road after her accident waiting for medical help to arrive.
``I never cried about the loss of my leg. I figured I had a choice as I was laying there on the road, that I could live or go on or not.''
Huber said medical workers were concerned that she was not crying, thinking she had not accepted the loss of her limb.
``I figured, what's there to cry about. I was happy to be alive,'' she said.
In the hospital, she met another amputee who had visited a ski clinic in Colorado, and that made her think about what she still might be able to do.
``I went back to swimming and learned to scuba and snow skiing. That was one of the best things I ever did, was learn to ski. When I am skiing, I am just like everyone else.''
She skis with trackers, or skis at the end of her crutches, and one ski on her right foot.
Her artificial left leg, which she has nicknamed ``Lefty,'' enables her to do a bit more than she could without it, and she likes wearing it when she goes out. But at home, she uses crutches to get around.
Her husband, Terry, has never viewed her as an amputee, which has helped make her feel whole. The couple have been married for 20 years and have two adopted children.
Huber comes from a large family and recalls all the help she got during her hospitalization and first year of college, when she was still on crutches and being fitted for her prosthesis.
She worries about people without that type of support system, or with limited incomes, such as farmworkers.
``I couldn't imagine having to take six kids with me to the doctor's office to be fitted for an artificial limb,'' she said.
``None of my accident was a bad experience mentally. I never got depressed. And I met and married a wonderful man. I have been very fortunate,'' she said.
The Notorious Krewe of the Peg Leg Pirate is a way for her to help other amputees avoid some of the pitfalls many face.
``We're not just people who want to throw some beads, but people who want to make difference,'' she said.

Reporter Liz Bleau can be reached at (813) 633-4323.
 

Photo by: JIM REED Statue of the Peg Leg Pirate stands on the front of the Ye Notorious Krewe of the Peg Leg Pirate float being readied for this years’ Gasparilla parade.