47 students traveled to Richmond, Virginia to support veterans competing in the 32nd National Veterans Wheelchair Games. They are all participating in the Veterans Civic Engagement Project, led by Ann Reynolds.
Supporting Veterans at Wheelchair Games
Over 600 paralyzed veterans came from all over the country to compete in 17 different games including:
- Basketball
- Track and Field
- Swimming
- Weightlifting
- Wheelchair Slalom
Sponsored by the Veterans Administration (VA) [1] and Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) [2], the games are open to veterans who use wheelchairs because of spinal cord injuries, amputations or neurological problems. Chase Lampe, a student from the University of Iowa, assisted veterans competing in Field Events and said that "giving back to people who were injured in the line of fire was a unique opportunity and a highlight of my Washington experience.” Kathy Klebert from the Richmond VA Hospital told TWC volunteers: “What a cool civic engagement project you have—a lot of young people don’t think about giving back to our men and women who serve. You helped make the veterans feel like they were part of a real sports event by cheering them on."
Besides volunteering with the Wheelchair Games, students:
- Viewed a slideshow developed by Ms. Reynolds
- Heard from a speaker at Student Veterans of America [3]
- Also heard an outstanding presentation by TWC's very own Nick Lawless, an army veteran who joined the military after 9/11
