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A Feel for Wheels: Wheelchair Relay promotes disability awareness
Have you ever put yourself in the place of someone with a disability? On April 25th, students and adults did just that at the annual Wheelchair Relay. Teams of four competed against one another in events including shooting basketballs, volleyball, an obstacle course and Sign Language Jeopardy, all of which had to be done from a wheelchair while either blindfolded or using sign language. The relay, which took place in Brewer Field House in the Student Recreation Complex, was sponsored by the SHP Alumni Organization, Four Winds learning community, Student Physical Therapy Organization and Tiger Wheelchair Basketball. The goal was to raise awareness of disabilities and raise funds for the Tiger Wheelchair Basketball Scholarship fund.
Gathering items from a shelf can be challenging for wheelchair users. Photos by Rich Oliver.
Physical therapy (PT), Occupational Therapy and Four Winds students helped staff and organize the event with the help of Department of Physical Therapy clinical associate professor, Carmen Abbott. Abbott felt the event was successful once again this year. “The teams were competitive and voiced high praise for the event and the experience,” says Abbott. “The students and departments that coordinated the event worked hard and felt they had accomplished what they had set out to do.”
Senior Seth Owens, along with other members of the Student Physical Therapy Organization, played a large part in coordinating the relay and gathering sponsors, food, and volunteers.
“It makes you think about how you would get groceries at the store, play sports, or do simple things like navigating around daily obstacles,” says Owens. “Most people never realize the upper body strength and stamina it takes to be wheelchair dependent.”
Sophomore Katie Williamson represented the Four Winds community by recruiting volunteers to help run the stations and finding a sponsor to donate prizes. “My favorite part of volunteering was watching everyone have so much fun while also learning a lot about those with disabilities,” says Williamson.
At the end of the relay, everyone was treated to an exciting demo by the Tiger Wheelchair Basketball Team. “Those guys are lightning fast in their chairs,” says Owens. “I would highly recommend that anyone who has not seen them play a game, make that a priority.”
As for the winner of the relay, the first year PT student team pulled it out with a victory over their PT faculty and second year students.
The event raissed about $850 to go towards the Tiger Wheelchair Basketball Team scholarships.
— Karen Hecksel
Related Links
- SHP Alumni Association
- Four Winds learning community
- SHP Physical Therapy
- Tiger Wheelchair Basketball
The grocery station demonstrates how hard it can be to move the wheelchair while shopping.
The obstacle course is always a fun event at the Wheelchair Relay.
Wheelchair Relay announcer Max Lewis gets help from SHP’s Carmen Abbott and Rose Hayden.
Seeing the Mizzou Wheelchair Basketball team members in action is always fun.
Page last updated on: August 25, 2009
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