Disabled Veterans Coming to San Diego
San Diego, California -- Get ready San Diego, as recently injured veterans from around the nation will start flowing into the San Diego airport and arriving by vehicles this weekend for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA's) first National Summer Sports Clinic, held from the downtown Marriott Hotel and Marina, Sept. 28 to Oct. 3, 2008.
The week-long event is the first of its kind by the VA. Upwards of 400 individuals, to include as many as one-hundred recently injured veterans, some coming directly from VA hospitals nationwide, will be introduced to different summer sports as a therapeutic introduction that the veteran can continue, when they return home.
The first National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic (SSC) begins on Sunday, September 28, 2008, with a special opening ceremonies and dinner at Sea World. The Clinic's activities begin on Monday morning, Sept. 29, and ends on Friday, October 3, 2008, with a closing ceremony in the evening.
Clinic participants include recently injured veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury, blindness, amputation, stroke, various neurological conditions, burn injuries, psychological trauma, and other recent disabilities. For most, this will be their first sporting activity since their injury.
Recreational therapist, clinicians, and other healthcare professionals will also be active in the many daily, therapeutic sports learning activities, along with each SSC veteran participant as they both visit a morning and afternoon venue each day of the Clinic.
The sailing venue starts at 9 am, Monday morning from the Marriott Marina, with sails hoisted on the Challenged America fleet, to include seven fully-accessible Martin 16's (a 16-foot, two-person, high-tech sailboat), a Capri 22 racer, the high-performance, ocean racing Kiwi-35 "Lift Off" and Custom N/M 43 "B'Quest II", along with SailUSA-11.com's America's Cup yacht, "Stars & Stripes."
Hipp Marine will be providing a chase boat, and media-spectator boats will be provided by members of San Diego's sportfishing groups and yacht clubs, from the Marriott Marina each day of the clinic.
In addition to the daily sailing venue, other Clinic venues to include: kayaking (provided by FastLane Sailing Center), from Mission Bay Yacht Club on Mission Bay; surfing, at La Jolla Shores, with instruction by the Association of Amputee Surfers; field & track events at the Chula Vista Olympic Center; and, cycling at the North Embarcadero.
With an estimated two volunteers for each participant for the entire event, there will be at least 75 Challenged America volunteers alone to prepare vessels, conduct sailing instruction and provide other services both during and after the Clinic. .
If you are an experienced sailor, Challenged America still has need for a couple of back-up, small boat instructor/companion sailors on Monday to Friday -- mainly Friday -- Sept. 29 to Oct. 3. Contact us today if interested.)
First launched in 1978 by San Diego disabled veterans to enhance their own rehabilitation, Challenged America is a charitable 501(c)(3) program of the Disabled Businesspersons Association, based at San Diego State University - Interwork Institute. Providing free learn-to-sail and advanced sailing instruction to youth, adults and veterans with disabilities, and their loved ones, year-round, the volunteer-driven Challenged America program serves hundreds yearly, from its main dock facility on Shelter Island, in San Diego, California.
To learn more about the VA's National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic, visit www.summersportsclinic.va.gov.
For information on Challenged America and how you can support, volunteer or participate, email Port@ChalengedAmerica.org, leave a message at (619) 594-8805, or visit www.ChallengedAmerica.org.