March 8, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - As February concluded, Penn State Ability Athletics received an important grant. Ability Athletics earned a Quality of Life grant worth $12,500 to support the Disability Recreation Program's Wounded Warriors Workshops and Clinics in conjunction with the Christopher Reeve Foundation.
The Workshops and Clinics are set aside for inclusive recreation for wounded and disabled active duty soldiers. These important clinics help to provide hands-on experience for recreation managers that work with the soldiers. The award was given to Penn State through the Christopher Reeve Foundation.
"We are very pleased to accept our third and largest grant from the Christopher Reeve Foundation," said Teri Jordan, director of Ability Athletics. "This grant was written to help wounded warriors and we're really excited to receive it."
The recreation managers who take these courses are able to design their own programs for future use by implementing certain techniques, equipment and services to give better treatment for wounded and disabled solders and families.
"We want to help any wounded warrior in the area," said Jordan, "To have the equipment and opportunity to participate in physical experiences, come to us, practice and use the equipment needed."
The grant will fund and support expenses for programmatic athletic equipment and is in cooperation and agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Recently, Penn State Ability Athletics put on a Paralympic Academy on Feb. 6 and on Mar. 2 the program helped guide wounded warrior teachers with other Penn State professors around campus. The group trains daily with Charles Swales, a Centre Hall, Pa. wounded veteran. Penn State is actively seeking to help other wounded warriors and disabled students with training equipment to provide opportunities in sports and recreation to enhance their lifestyle, health and well being.
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