Military Veterans Roll Into Spokane for the 29th National Veterans Wheelchair Games

/PRNewswire/ -- More than 500 U.S. military veterans, all wheelchair athletes competing in the 29th National Veterans Wheelchair Games are rolling into Spokane, Washington, starting today to show the nation what it takes to be the best of the best.

The event, running through Saturday July 18, is the largest annual wheelchair sports event in the world, with athletes competing from 42 states, Puerto Rico and Great Britain. It is a visual demonstration of competition at its best, the courage it takes to compete, and the camaraderie inspired by all who attend.

Paralyzed Veterans of America and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs co-present this comprehensive sports and rehabilitation event each year, designed for paralyzed and other disabled military veterans who use wheelchairs for sports competition. These athletes receive care at VA medical facilities or military treatment centers for conditions that include spinal cord injuries, amputations, certain neurological conditions, traumatic brain injuries and other mobility impairments. The Northwest Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans and the SpokaneVA Medical Center are hosting this week's event.

"Get ready for hundreds of smiles in wheelchairs," said Randy L. Pleva, Sr., national president, Paralyzed Veterans of America. "The Wheelchair Games are a unique combination of competition, continuing courage and camaraderie. You will be inspired."

One of today's events is the Games Kickoff, which introduces the Wheelchair Games to the Spokane community. The Kickoff takes place at 11:30 a.m. in the Spokane Convention Center Breezeway and features a wheelchair basketball demonstration that pits some of the experienced athletes against local media representatives and community officials, giving them a true taste of wheelchair sports.

The Opening Ceremonies are this evening, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Veterans Memorial Arena, near the SpokaneConvention Center. In Olympic-style fashion, the athletes will parade into the arena carrying their state flags, to begin the festivities. Local news reporter, Jade Jordan, will serve as mistress of ceremonies, and nationally acclaimed country and western singer, Amy Clawson, will sing the National Anthem; followed by welcoming remarks from city and Games' officials. To cap off the evening, the 2009 Games torch will be lit as the hosts proclaim, "Let the Games Begin," marking the official start of the 29th National Veterans Wheelchair Games.

Veterans with disabilities will compete in 17 events throughout the week, which include air guns, archery, basketball, bowling, field, handcycling, nineball, a motorized wheelchair rally, power soccer, quad rugby, softball, swimming, table tennis, track, trapshooting, weightlifting and wheelchair slalom. For the third year, stand-up events will be offered to veterans who prefer to use prosthesis to compete and will include archery and table tennis. A golf clinic will also be held as this year's exhibition sport.

Another special highlight for the Games is Kid's Day, taking place July 17 at Spokane Falls Community College. This is a very special event where athletes, serving as mentors, meet local children with disabilities and teach them about wheelchair sports. This year the children will be introduced to slalom, T-ball and basketball.

The Closing Ceremonies, beginning at 7 p.m. on July 18 at the Spokane Convention Center in Halls B and C, will wrap up the week's festivities by celebratevent, the coveted Spirit of the Games winner for the 2009 Games will be awarded, and the torch will be passed to the local organizing committee in Denver, Colorado, which will host the event in 2010.

The National Veterans Wheelchair Games is made possible in part through the generous support of the following lead sponsors: National Host: Invacare Corporation; Local Host: Veterans Canteen Service; Sustaining Host: UPS Foundation; National: The Budin Family, The DeGasperis Family Foundation, Health Net Federal Services, Inc., HP, Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems, Inc., Spokane Transit Authority, Sprint, The ROHO Group, TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Xerox Foundation.

For more information about the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, please visit the Games Web site at: www.wheelchairgames.va.gov. To contact the Games media center during the week of the event, call: (509) 434-7458, or (509) 434-7459.

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Disabled Vets on the Move: Globetrotter Marathon Program Launched

/PRNewswire/ -- The Globetrotter Marathon Program has been established to provide a unique experience for disabled war vets to travel and participate in internationally recognized marathons around the world. Participants are all single or double amputees who smartly navigate the 26.2 mile courses in hand crank wheel chairs.

The Program was recently launched by Marine veteran Charles Klotsche and so far teams of vets and their spouses have participated in marathons in Berlin, Moscow and Krakow Poland. The Program flies under the banner "Disabled Vets on the Move" and these men and women do just that as they burst out from the starting line often in tandem with the elite marathon runners.

"Our Program offers these exceptional men and women a special opportunity as they begin their difficult path of re-integration into their local communities," said Klotsche. He went on to note that these global competitions "help boost their self-esteem and competitive spirit, broaden their global horizons, and allow them to serve as roving good will ambassadors on behalf of the country they so ably served and for which they made life-changing sacrifices in the name of freedom."

For 2009, the Program is planning on sending Vets and their spouses to the Paris and Montreal Marathons. Klotsche also said they are considering a unique experience in the Mongolia Sunrise to Sunset, billed as the world's most beautiful 100 Km Marathon, located around Hovsgol Lake on the northern border of Mongolia.

Program details can be found on the website at www.globetrottermarathon.org and cash contributions to help defray Program travel and related costs can be made on the website. Those interested in donating frequent flier miles that the Program can use to transport the vets and their spouses to and from the marathons should send an email indicating the airline and number of miles to info@globetrottermarathon.org. "Make a difference--Make a donation".

The Globetrotter Marathon Program is an extension of the domestic marathon program known as the Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans, started by the New York Achilles Track Club in 2004.

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