Noteboom The Law Firm

2010 National Veterans Wheelchair Games Set to Begin

July 1, 2010 - The 30^th Annual National Veterans Wheelchair Games will be held in Denver, Colorado from July 4 - July 9 and hosted by the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System and the Mountain States Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America.

This year's games are sponsored by Invacare Corporation, which is headquartered in Elyria, Ohio. Invacare CEO, Mal Mixon, is a decorated Vietnam veteran, a former Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps, and a strong supporter of the Wheelchair Games.

The Wheelchair games are presented by Paralyzed Veterans in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Any U.S. military veteran requiring the use of a wheelchair to compete in sports due to one of the following are able to apply:

• Spinal cord injuries;
• Specific neurological conditions;
• Amputations; or
• Other mobility impairments.

To keep the playing field level, athletes will only compete against other athletes with like ability, experience in competition, and/or age. Over the course of the games, participants will compete in 17 events:

• Swimming;
• Table tennis;
• Weightlifting;
• Archery;
• Air guns;
• Basketball;
• Nine ball;
• Softball;
• Quad rugby;
• Bowling;
• Handcycling;
• Wheelchair slalom;
• Power soccer;
• Motorized wheelchair rally;
• Track and field;
• Trapshooting; and
• Kayaking.

Paralyzed Veterans of America was founded over 60 years ago. Since then, they have devoted themselves to medical research, helping other veterans, and fighting for the civil rights disabled people. These games provide a platform for people with disabilities to show being disabled does not prevent living a functioning and healthy life.