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You can now start voting for this years ESPY awards presented by ESPN. There’s four finalist for both the best female athlete with a disability and best male athlete with a disability.
You can go on-line and vote at:
As posted by: Kevin Hughes
Two Fort Wayne, IN wheelchair tennis players (Noah Yablong & Kevin Hughes) competed at the McCann Memorial Open this past weekend (July 12-13). Below are the local results:
Open Singles:
Daniel J. Bolhouse d. Noah Yablong 7-5; 6-3
Thomas Kyler d. Noah Yablong 6-2; 6-3
Open Doubles
Curtis Bender/Daniel Bolhouse d. Paul Moran/Noah Yablong 2-6; 6-3; 6-4
B Singles
Matthew Clements d. Kevin Hughes 6-2; 6-0
Colin Sullivan d. Kevin Hughes 6-0; 6-0
Eduardo Rivera d. Kevin Hughes 6-4; 6-3
A Doubles
Mathew Clements/Suzi Egeler d. Eduardo Rivera/Kevin Hughes 6-4; 6-3
The McCann Memorial Open included 23 athletes ranging from Open - D level with representatives from Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and North Carolina.
Complete scores will be posted by the tournament coordinator @ http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=63460
On September 27, Fort Wayne will hold its first-ever mini-marathon, the
Fort-4-Fitness! Register and show your support of Fort-4-Fitness—and, as a bonus, Turnstone. If you’re running, walking, or rolling in the race, consider collecting pledges in support of Turnstone’s therapeutic programs. Anyone taking part in the race and collecting pledges for Turnstone will receive a T-shirt to wear on race day. For more information, contact Jennifer Neher, director of development and marketing, at (260) 483-2100 or jennifer@turnstone.org.
Be our fifth winner to drive off in a classic Corvette! Check out this “Little Red Corvette” in person at the Muddy River Run and Kruse Auction events.
The winning ticket will be drawn on October 9, 2008.
To purchase tickets, call Turnstone at (260) 483-2100 or (866) 483-1278. Visit www.turnstone.org to learn more.
Tickets fare $10 each, 3 for $25, 7 for $50, and 15 for $100
Check the specs
• Approximate value: $69,000
• Rally red with black interior, white soft top
• 4-speed stick with 327-cubic-inch, 300-horsepower engine
• Matching numbers, owner’s manual, maintenance receipts
Proceeds Support Turnstone Center for Disabled Children and Adults programs such as:
• Therapy
• Adult day services
• Preschool and childcare
• Adaptive Sports and Recreation
• Case management
• Health and wellness center
• Equipment loan and residential-ramp building
On September 3, Turnstone will host its 28th Annual Golf Outing. This year’s outing will be held at Autumn Ridge Golf Club. For more information, contact Bethany Clapper at (260) 483-2100 or bethany@turnstone.org.
As posted at: www.cityoffortwayne.org
Mid-America Hockey Association awards funds for Ice Arena
A grant for $6,000 was recently awarded to the McMillen Ice Arena’s sled hockey program by the Mid-American Hockey Association. The Roger Sharrer Grant from Mid-Am Hockey is provided to a hockey association that offers the best plan for growing participation in recreational ice hockey in their area.
In addition to the $6,000 award, the Fort Wayne Youth Hockey Association presented a $2,000 matching grant for the sled hockey program. These funds will be used to purchase six sleds and associated equipment, which the MAC’s new sled hockey team can use to build their program.
Sled hockey is new to the MAC, where registration is continuing to increase the size of Indiana’s first sled hockey team. The local team has seven members so far, and is looking to sign up more at their next practice July 19, 8-9am.
The Sharrer grant was presented to representatives from the MAC and Fort Wayne Youth Hockey at the Mid-Am’s annual meeting in Columbus Ohio. They included: Chuck Reddinger, supervisor of programming; Kevin Wagner, President of FWYH; and Greg Chess, V.P. of FWYH.
“The recent registration of Indiana’s first-ever sled hockey team is a big boost to the sport,” said Reddinger. “Participants have had to travel to Ohio and Illinois to play. Now they can play with a regular team, as well as host a sled hockey tournament February 14th, 2009.”
Sled hockey is similar to wheelchair basketball and is a great sport for youth and adults. People with mobility disabilities who enjoy (or want to learn) the sport of hockey are welcome! Once they’ve learned the basics, they can compete with anyone – non-disabled friends and others. No experience necessary. There is no pre-registration for this drop-in program, and all equipment will be provided.
This is the third consecutive year that the MAC has received a Sharrer grant. Previous awards were used to fund the “Suit Up for Hockey” equipment loan program, which provides free use of all the equipment young skaters need.
(Indianapolis, IN) RHI Sudden Impact Power Soccer Team wins the 2008
National Championships. Sudden Impact finished 3rd in Division I power
soccer standings for the 2008 season. And competed successfully in the
national championship tournament held in Atlanta, GA. Katy Dickey, a member of the Sudden Impact team was awarded the 2008 Tournament MVP. RHI Indy Storm Power Soccer Team finished at the top of Division II.
Power Soccer is the fastest growing sport for power wheelchair users.
Power Soccer is the first competitive team sport designed and developed
specifically for power wheelchair users. These participants include persons with Spinal Cord Injuries, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Strokes, and other disabilities. A number of players are able to complete in this sport with ventilators attached to their chair.
Power Soccer combines the skill of the wheelchair user with the speed and agility of the chair itself, to participate in an extremely challenging game
similar to soccer. The game is played in a gymnasium on a regulation basketball court. The players use specially designed chairs and a 13 inch soccer ball.
The Indiana Stage Race in Indianapolis on Aug. 23 to 24 is the final race on the United States Handcycling Federation series, for which riders, placed within different divisions based on their impairment and age, earn cumulative points determined by their finishes.
The event, August 23 and 24. consists of three separate races, one at Ft Ben Saturday early afternoon, one along Fall Creek Parkway Saturday early evening, and one at the State Fairgrounds on Sunday. We hope to have 3-5 local racers and an additional 15-20 racers coming in from all over the country.
This race is one of the races included in the US Handcycling Federations series for the national championship. This is the 3rd year for the event in partnership with the Indiana Race Series. It combines able bodied cycling with handcycling. It will be an exciting event.
As seen on EyeWitness News 13 with Dave Calabro
Noblesville - While many Hoosiers head to the pool or lake to enjoy some free time over the holiday weekend, a Noblesville teen is giving new meaning to determination. Overcoming obstacles is no problem for Alexis Allen. She was born with spina bifida and is confined to a wheelchair. But you would never know it from the 13-year-old’s attitude.
“It don’t stop me from anything. I figure, just do what you want to do, because you can’t let it stop you. Otherwise, I would be some boring person, I mean, I would!” she said.
She’s enjoying summer, just like other kids, and even took a leap of faith at a local lake.
“I don’t like the lake water, it just really scares me and I’ve never been in the lake,” Allen said. “So it was pretty big for me to, like, actually get in the water, but once I got in, I loved it.”
She did more than conquer her fear of the water, she learned to ski.
“I just got in. I didn’t realize the boat was going at first, so I was just holding on and all of a sudden, they started going. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh! Please don’t make me fall out!” she said.
She gives a smile and a wave from behind the boat, enjoying a sense of freedom from her wheelchair, at least for a few minutes. The Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana and a host of volunteers gave Alexis a gift she will never forget.
“It was fun. I loved it. I’m really glad I got to do it, because If I didn’t get to do it, I wouldn’t have gotten to share the experience with all the other folks,” Allen said. “And my friends are here, too!”
Living life to the fullest, Allen is determined to be just like the other kids, not letting her wheelchair get in the way of her life.
“No, I don’t. I am a pretty happy person, so I do what I want to do and don’t do what I don’t want to do,” she said.
New for kids! ”Accessible Playgrounds”
Visit the new accessible playground at Rhodius Park, located at 1720 E. Wilkins on the south west side of Indy. Wilkins Street is three blocks west of Morris from the intersection of Harding and Morris right by the Lilly Tech Center. The playground has upper and lower features that are accessible by a power wheelchair. The swings are designed to give high upper body support for children with physical disabilities; the perimeter and the entire surface of the playground are also accessible.
Accessible high back play swings can be found at Rhodius Park, Holliday Park, Broad Ripple Park and at the newly renovated Rev Mozel Sanders Park. The Rev Mozel Sanders park is located at 1300 N. Belmont Avenue; it has an ADA accessible ramp for 75% of the play structure.
