Motivational speaker, author and disabled golf enthusiast to share “Chasing A Dream”

Nationally recognized motivational speaker D.J. Gregory will present “Chasing a Dream” at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 15 in the Mendenhall Student Center Great Rooms as part of the 2nd annual Ralph Steele Visiting Lecture Series.

Gregory will also keynote the 16th annual ECU Adapted Recreation and Wellness Day, scheduled for Nov. 17, 1-4 p.m., at the Student Recreation Center on campus.

Gregory was born with cerebral palsy and learned to walk despite doctors’ expectations that he would always rely on a wheelchair. He became a fan of golf, attending professional tournaments with his father and meeting a number of professional golfers and golf broadcasters.

In 2008, Gregory walked every hole of all 44 PGA golf tournaments, which totaled more than 1.4 million steps and covered 988 miles. Each week, he walked the course with a different golfer for the entire tournament. He spent time with Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III and British Open Champ Stewart Cink and enjoyed the U.S. Open playoff between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate.  He interviewed and photographed the golfers, chronicling the trek in a weekly blog and later in a book called “Walking with Friends.”

Free and open to the public, the Ralph Steele Visiting Lecture Series was named in honor of Dr. Ralph Steele, who taught recreation and leisure studies for 30 years at ECU. A parking shuttle will be available at the Belk commuter lot on Charles Boulevard, across from the ECU track.

Adapted Recreation and Wellness Day is open to participants of all ages and abilities. Attendees will learn about and participate in events such as power hockey (played in motorized wheelchairs), quad rugby, adapted golf, hand cycling, the climbing wall and a presentation on health and nutrition. A $5 registration fee covers snacks, lunch, instructional sessions, entry into facilities, parking and the keynote presentation. Registration begins at 12:15 p.m.

For additional information on the Steele lecture, contact Dr. Richard Williams at (252) 328-0019. For information on Adapted Recreation and Wellness day, contact David Gaskins or Mark Parker at (252) 328-6387.