The 2019 Wheelchair Games and Spinal Cord Injury Sports and Vendor Expo will be held on Saturday, September 21. For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Sarah Caro at scaro@burke.org or (914) 597-2846.
The 2019 Wheelchair Games and Spinal Cord Injury Sports and Vendor Expo will be held on Saturday, September 21. For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Sarah Caro at scaro@burke.org or (914) 597-2846.
For decades wheelchair athletes of all ages from the tri-state area and beyond have headed to Burke Rehabilitation Hospital to participate in the annual Wheelchair Games. This year marks the 40th annual Wheelchair Games! Specially featured at this year's event will also be the Spinal Cord Injury Sports and Vendor Expo in honor of Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month.
The Wheelchair Games and Spinal Cord Injury Sports and Vendor Expo will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2019.
That day, Burke’s campus will transform into a unique forum for sportsmanship, camaraderie, and determination. The sporting event allows disabled persons to show their ability in a variety of track, field and table tennis events. Sports are known for their therapeutic benefits and the Wheelchair Games help athletes build strength, coordination, endurance and self-confidence, allowing those with physical impairments the ability to stay active and to enjoy the competition.
In addition to the athletic events, help us celebrate Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month by attending the SCI Sports and Vendor Expo! The expo will include vendor presentations on topics such as adaptive equipment, new technologies, services and products relevant to life after SCI. Join us in the afternoon for adaptive sports and interactive product demonstrations. Hope to see you there! For more information on the SCI expo, email Kaitlynn Hammerton at khammerton@burke.org.
The Wheelchair Games competitive categories include a Futures Division (six and under), a separate Junior Division, Adult and separate Masters levels at age 35 and older, age 50 and older, and the senior Masters division at age 60 and over. Beginning at 9:00 a.m. there will be field, table tennis, a slalom (obstacle) course. A basketball free throw competition will also take place in the morning. Track events start at 1:30 p.m. Morning event winners will be awarded during lunchtime, track event winners will be awarded after all track races have been completed.
The day will include lots of fun for families too! There will be musical entertainment all day as well as silent auctions and chance raffles. Volunteer opportunities are available; please click here to download the volunteer form.
Please call (914) 597-2850 if you have any questions about the Games. If you have questions about classification and/or the athletic events, please contact Ralph Armento, meet director, at ralph461@msn.com or at (732) 266-2634.
If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities for the Wheelchair Games and Spinal Cord Injury Sports and Vendor Expo, contact Sarah Caro at scaro@burke.org or (914) 597-2846. Click here to download the sponsorship and vendor packet.
The Maureen Ryan-Carr Spirit Award was given to Charles Garcia.
The Maureen Ryan-Carr Spirit Award was given to Jonathan Lay.
The 2017 Maureen Ryan-Carr Award, given in memory of the late Burke senior administrator Maureen Ryan-Carr and presented to the athlete who best represented the Games’ spirit, was bestowed upon Nakia Carter. The John Lombardi Sportsmanship Award, given in memory of the late wheelchair athlete John Lombardi and presented to the athlete who showed the most determination, was awarded to Gerald Herring. The 25-Year Achievement Award was presented to Roger Mutter.
Burke is grateful for all the athletes who took part in the Games, as well as our many volunteers and supporters who made the Games a great success. We also would like to thank our sponsors for their generosity: Apple Bank, Audiology Associates of Westchester, The Bristal Assisted Living, ISE Office Plus, Keating Electric, Montefiore, NYCONN Security Systems, PepsiCo EnAble, Phoenix Contracting Corporation, Premiere Flooring Systems, R. Argento & Sons, The Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Sodexo, Vitolite Electric Sales.
The 2016 Maureen Ryan-Carr Award, given in memory of the late Burke senior administrator Maureen Ryan-Carr and presented to the athlete who best represented the Games’ spirit, was bestowed upon Nicholas Daponte. The John Lombardi Sportsmanship Award, given in memory of the late wheelchair athlete John Lombardi and presented to the athlete who showed the most determination, was awarded to Joel Tapia.
Burke is grateful for all the athletes who took part in the Games, as well as our many supporters who made the event a great success. We also would like to thank our sponsors for their generosity: PepsiCo, Enable, The Bristal Assisted Living, Sodexo, Friendly Sons of St. Patrick’s of Westchester, Xerox Business Solutions, R. Argento & Sons, Inc, Vitolite Electric Sales Co, Inc., Arthur Gallagher & CO, Bioness, Eagle Capital Mgmt, Keating Electric & Technology.
The 2017 Wheelchair Games will be held on September 23, 2017. For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Colleen Borrelli at cborrelli@burke.org or (914) 597-2849.
The annual Wheelchair Games is produced entirely by volunteers, including Burke employees and people from the community. These volunteers come from civic groups, schools, religious organizations and other associations. The success of the Wheelchair Games would not be possible without the help of volunteers.
All volunteers receive a free t-shirt and lunch. Children volunteers must be 12 years old or older.
For more information please call the Wheelchair Games hotline at (914) 597-2850.