How do you change the world?

One person at a time, and Kirk Thomas has been changing the world for several years now, with a little help from his friends.

Since a near-death accident left this mountain of a man paralyzed from the waist down, Thomas has been helping people with physical challenges take a different view of life.

“I took life for granted and it all changed in an instant,” Thomas said. “If you don’t think it can happen to you it can but it doesn’t mean your hunting and fishing has to go away, that your life is over.”

Thomas is coming to Meridian for an Outdoors Without Limits event on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at St. Boulevard Extension in the family life center of Church of the Way. The doors will open at 6 p.m., with a meal to follow at 7 p.m.

According to its website, Outdoors Without Limits is a national non-profit organization that promotes awareness and teamwork between disabled and non-disabled individuals.

The event is an appreciation dinner to thank the many volunteers and landowners who help make it possible for people with disabilities to hunt and fish. The Meridian chapter doesn’t belong to the organization, but to the local chapter members and people.

“We’re having a meal and fundraiser also but it’s not about the dollars it’s about our mission,” Thomas said. “We’re raising money to help those folks right here in Meridian to change and save lives. We want to give people an opportunity to live and hunt and fish again.”

“We need Meridian to get involved and help us change and save lives,” Thomas said. “We want to get people involved and this is a way for our local hunters and fishers to step up. This is a way for us to step up and provide an opportunity for a disabled person who otherwise might never have another chance.”

OWL provides other hunters and landowners an opportunity to make a difference and help others. The organization is a clean, friendly-family oriented group that goes out of their way to make others feel right at home.

“If you’ll take them hunting you’ll see them in a different way,” Thomas said. “It not too much to give up a day, weekend, or few hours. These folks look forward to it every year and it becomes an opportunity to help someone again.”

While there are many people who have benefited from Thomas’ vision over the years, local hunters Rocky Blier and Jayson Roberts were two people who lived life to the fullest regardless of their challenges and their stories and memories live on in “Passion of the Wild.” Both got their start in events just like Tuesday’s.

Last year, Thomas hosted 1,992 disabled or physically challenged hunters and anglers at events around the country.

“Last year we had two national events on the same weekend and we’re looking forward to another great year this year,” said Thomas.

“We’ll have our local hunt on the last weekend of December and this event is another opportunity to meet new people, hunters, landowners, volunteers and to thank them all.”

For more information on the event, contact Dusty Jones at 601-527-6462 or Jennifer Shirley at 601-513-3013.