Wheelchair News: Issue #4
In This Issue:
- 1. The 27th National Veterans Wheelchair Games
- 2. More Famous People With Disabilities
- 3. Website Review: Wheelchair Sports, USA
- 4. Wheelchair Review: Pride Jazzy Select
- 5. Find Your Perfect Wheelchair
- 6. We Want Your Used Electric Wheelchair
1. The 27th National Veterans Wheelchair Games Organized and sponsored by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the annual games call any and all U.S. military veterans confined to wheelchairs and under VA care. This year's competition was held in Milwaulkee, along the shores of Lake Michigan, from June 19-23. Over 600 vets attended, competing in 17 events and two exhibition events. The competitive events included table tennis, handcycling, quad rugby, basketball, swimming, softball, weightlifting, power soccer, and more. The two exhibition events, both new in 2007, were trapshooting and wheelchair curling. The National Veterans Wheelchair Games are not just about exhibiting athletic prowess and winning medals; indeed, many veterans also feel a renewed hope because of the games, saying that the training is mentally therapeutic. Beyond these benefits, participants love the camaraderie felt among fellow disabled veterans, as well as the pure enjoyment of competing in athletic events with friends. For more information on the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, see the Department of Veterans Affairs official website.
2. More Famous People With Disabilities
- Jim Abbott: One of the nation's few baseball players to jump straight from college ball to the Major Leagues, Jim Abbott was awarded the James E. Sullivan Award in 1987, an honor he earned as the country's best amateur athlete. After college, he pitched for the California Angels, the Chicago White Sox, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the New York Yankees between 1989 and 1998. Abbott was also born with no right hand, though that never stopped him from achieving his goals.
- Christopher Reeve: Christopher Reeve soared into our lives in 1978 as the famous caped Superman in a movie of the same name. For his role in the film, Reeve won the British Academy Award for best actor. Reeve went on to star in three sequels, the last premiering in 1987. However, in 1995, a tragic accident befell our beloved Man of Steel when his horse threw him. Landing on his head, Reeve shattered his first and second vertebrae, and was paralyzed from the neck down, needing a respirator to breathe. After his injury and rehabilitation, Reeve decided to use his fame to teach the world a little about spinal cord injuries, making speeches, hosting the Paralympics in Atlanta, writing a book titled Nothing is Impossible, and creating the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation. Though he died at only 52, Christopher Reeve was an inspiration to us all.
- Heather Whitestone: When her name was called, naming her 1995's Miss America, Heather Whitestone never heard the words. When Whitestone went deaf at the age of 18 months, doctors told her parents that she would never be able to speak or even read beyond the third grade level. Whitestone was the first disabled woman to win the Miss America title, and dedicated her reign to helping children of all backgrounds and abilities reach their fullest potential, to set goals, and to work towards achieving those goals. After her stint as Miss America, Whitestone became the spokesperson for the Helen Keller Eye Research Foundation and the Starkey Hearing Aid Foundation. She also wrote Listening with My Heart, a motivational book detailing her life with a disability.
3. Website Review: Wheelchair Sports, USA Inspired by the 27th National Veterans Wheelchair Games and by my reading up on Jim Abbot, I'd like to draw your attention to Wheelchair Sports, USA, an organization founded in 1956 and originally named the National Wheelchair Athletic Association. Founded in response to the interests of disabled athletes -- many of whom had been injured in World War II -- who wanted to play more than wheelchair basketball. The organization has grown rapidly over the years, branching out into the Paralympics, working with disabled youth, and has promoted wheelchair athleticism. Since summer has just begun, with blue skies and a yellow sun luring us into the outdoors, now is the ideal moment to try out a new sport and Wheelchair Sports, USA is the perfect informational springboard for your athletic endeavors. Head on over to their sports page or check out their wheelchair sports calendar to find events in your area.
4. Wheelchair Review: Jazzy Select One of the newest electric wheelchairs in the Pride Jazzy line, the Jazzy Select features a truly snazzy new look, extremely high maneuverability, and enhanced efficiency. Like other powerchairs in the Jazzy line, the Pride Jazzy Select also features dual in-line motors for torque, range, and performance and Pride's famous Active-Trac Suspension for superior stability. With a 300 pound weight capacity, 4.0 mpg maximum speed, overall width of 23.74", and a turning radius of 22", the Pride Jazzy Select is ideally designed for indoor and outdoor "light duty" activities, such as sidewalks, low curbs, and gentle hills. To see what Used Wheelchairs USA has available, please see our Pride Jazzy Select in-stock chairs.
5. Find Your Perfect Wheelchair If you've researched all of the electric wheelchairs that are available on the market today, you know there are hundreds of possibilities. All the available brands, models, and options can be overwhelming. It's important to keep a few questions in mind when searching for your next power chair:
- Will I use my electric wheel chair mostly outside, mostly inside, or both?
- How narrow are the doors in my home and workplace?
- Do I need a portable (take-apart) power wheelchair?
- How much do I weigh?
- How wide do I want the seat to be?
- How much can I spend?
6. We Want Your Used Electric Wheelchair
We buy used Pride Mobility electric wheel chairs. If you have a used electric wheelchair that you want to sell, please tell us about it at:Until the next issue ...
Erin Raub, Product Manager
Used Wheelchairs USA
http://www.Used-Wheelchairs-USA.com
540-721-3327