Adaptive Connect: Winter 2023-2024

Winter 2023/2024 December - February

Save the Date!

VALENTINE’S DINNER AND DANCE View Page 4 for more details

ADAPTIVE CONNECT NEWSLETTER IS MADE POSSIBLE BY RENOWN HEALTH

If you have an event or activity that you would like posted in the next publication of Adaptive Connect, Please Contact April Wolfe at: Phone: (775) 333 - 7765 WolfeA@Reno.Gov Next Deadline is January 19, 2024 Inclusion/Adaptive Recreation Staff Therapeutic Recreation Specialist April Wolfe (775) 333 - 7765 Therapeutic Recreation Coordinator Shaun Stewart (775) 657 - 4659 Adaptive Recreation Assistant Anthony Goulet (775) 657 - 4661 Adaptive Recreation Tech Bill Meacham (775) 657 - 4661

RENO RUMBLE WHEELCHAIR RUGBY TOURNAMENT RESULTS The City of Reno hosted their annual wheelchair rugby tournament October 27-29, 2023 at the Plumas Gym. Teams from the United States Wheelchair Rugby Association (USWRA) joined the High Fives Wheelchair Rugby Team in a fun filled and competitive weekend of wheelchair rugby. Here are the results from the tournament:

1. Reno High Fives 2. Portland Pounders 3. Las Vegas High Rollers 4. Seattle Slam 5. Kansas City (KC) Revolution 6. Denver Barbarians

Volunteer Opportunities Volunteers are a vital part of the City of Reno Inclusion/ Adaptive Recreation program. Volunteers will gain rewarding experiences through assisting Parks and Recreation staff with a variety of programs or providing additional support for participants. We are currently seeking volunteers for our upcoming programs!

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Registration, Schedules or Information: April Wolfe (775) 333 - 7765 | WolfeA@Reno.Gov

PHOTO BY ALPINE MEDIA HOUSE

SPORTS ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT RENTAL PROGRAM

WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL

Our adaptive recreation equipment is available to rent (sports wheelchairs, beach wheelchairs, hand cycles, etc.) Affordable prices for participants to try before they buy.

WHEELCHAIR RUGBY

Thursdays (January - April) 2 - 5 p.m. $50 Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center - 1301 Valley Road

Saturdays (January - April) 1 - 3 p.m. $50 Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center - 1301 Valley Road Are you interested in the extreme challenge of wheelchair basketball? Wheelchair basketball is a sport for everyone - people who use wheelchairs for mobility and people who don’t.

SKY TAVERN ADAPTIVE SKI PROGRAM skytavern.org/adaptive-ski-program

Wheelchair Rugby is a fast paced and competitive sport for individuals with physical disabilities that affect all four extremities. Players use special “Rugby Wheelchairs” to play the sport. These chairs are very maneuverable and can take a hit or two. Rugby players must be able to push their own wheelchairs.

SLED HOCKEY

Fridays (January - April) 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. $50 Reno Ice - 15500 Wedge Parkway Participants with physical disabilities will get a chance to learn about sled hockey and get on the ice. All equipment and on-ice instruction provided.

Please wear long pants and closed toed shoes.

No prior experience necessary.

What?—Adaptive Ski Program for children 4+ with physical and mental disabilities Sky Tavern offers an adaptive ski school for children with physical and mental disabilities.

Specially trained staff is available to help these kids experience the thrill of winter sports. Participation in a safe environment empowers those who in turn gain confidence for outdoor recreation. “There has never been a kid that they could not get out on the snow.”

Sky Tavern specially trained staff offer personalized instruction helping to build a love for the sport.

Sky Tavern is determined to making their facility as adaptive-friendly as possible which in turn enriches everyone’s experience.

Register for the 2023/24 season now!

WHEELCHAIR SKILLS AND DRILLS

Saturdays (January - April) 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. $50 Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center - 1301 Valley Road

ACHIEVE TAHOE

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to develop your skills to get to the next level, this program will help you along your journey through sport. Practices will focus on conditioning and sport specific drills (wheelchair basketball, power soccer, etc.).

Snowsports lessons start in ONE month! Still need to book your lesson? Achieve Tahoe offers both discounted and fully-funded lessons at Palisades Tahoe and Northstar. Visit our website to signup.

achievetahoe.org/participate/activities/snowsports

Reno.Gov/Adaptive | Adaptive Connect: Winter 2023/2024

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SOCIAL PROGRAMS

DANCE FOR ALL For Teens and Adults with Special Needs CHRISTMAS DINNER AND DANCE Friday, December 8, 5 - 8 p.m. $5 per person City of Sparks Parks and Recreation Gym 98 Richards Way, Sparks All attendees MUST be pre-registerd.

NOTE-ABLE MUSIC THERAPY SERVICES NMTSReno.org/Services Note-Able Music Therapy Services is a nonprofit organization with a primary purpose of providing inclusive music programs and music therapy services for children and adults of all ages and disabilities.

Our mission is to create lasting change in the lives of people of all abilities through music. For more information contact (775) 324 - 5521.

Electronic Music Classes (EMC) Thursdays $50 per month 2590 Orovada St. These classes fosters both technology and social skills and is geared toward teens of all abilities.

EMC 1 (Introduction) 5:15 - 6 p.m.

Learn the basics of creating electronic music in a hands-on environment.

EMC 2 (Advanced) 6 - 6:45 p.m.

An in-depth interactive music class through producing and DJing.

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VALENTINE’S DINNER AND DANCE Friday, February 9, 5 - 8 p.m. $5 per person Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center 1301 Valley Road, Reno All attendees MUST be pre-registerd.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center or online. at activecommunities.com/cityofrenoprcs/ Deadline To Register is Thursday, February 1, 2024.

CITY OF SPARKS PARK AND RECREATION

Bowling Wednesdays 2:45 – 4:30 p.m. $2 per game Coconut Bowl - 1855 E Lincoln Way, Sparks Bring your friends and come out to practice your game and have a great time too. We keep track of scores to average for the Special Olympics tournaments.

No pre-registration necessary.

Arts and Crafts Class Thursdays 3 - 4 p.m. - Free Larry D. Johnson Community Center - 1200 12th St. We’ve teamed up with Arts for all Nevada to provide Weekly Wonders. Participants (16 yrs. or older) will develop their artistic abilities through a variety of fun projects. Reservations required.

Registration, Schedules or Information: April Wolfe (775) 333 - 7765 | WolfeA@Reno.Gov

RESOURCES RENOWN REHABILITATION HOSPITAL

LUNCH AND LEARN

Renown Rehabilitation Hospital provides a full range of rehabilitation services for these conditions: brain injury, stroke/neurological diagnoses, spinal cord injury, fractures, joint replacements, multiple trauma, cancer, Parkinson’s and movement disorders, heart and lung disorders, amputation, and worker’s compensation injuries.

Every 3rd Wednesday each Quarter (January, April, July, October) 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Meeting Virtually & Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center - 1301 Valley Road

At Renown, patient outcomes exceed national benchmarks, thanks to the team of rehab specialists.

MOVE UNITED’S INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIPS ARE NOW LIVE!

Please join City of Reno, VA Sierra Nevada Healthcare system, Renown Health, and High Fives Foundation for Spinal Cord Injury/Disease specific resources, topics, and guest speakers during our quarterly community-based luncheons.

KIWANIS AKTION CLUB

moveunitedsport.org/membership-level/ individual/ The Move United Individual Member Network includes athletes, medical providers, parents, family members, coaches, teachers, researchers, students and more. It is designed to enhance and foster the continued growth of adaptive sports in the U.S. and internationally by providing a space for community building and continued education.

We are offering both a FREE and paid membership ($75 annually) option. Register on the link and join the Move United Member Network.

Every 1st Tuesday of each month 6 p.m.

Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center 1301 Valley Road Join us as we plan for our next year of fun, inclusive activities including meetings, and service projects all year! We’ve participated in events such as the Buddy Walk, holiday caroling with Sierra High Notes, helping with holiday crafts for kids at 39 North Pole holiday festival in sparks, and a lot more!

Charted in 2007, Aktion Club is a service group for adults with disabilities that is sponsored by the Sparks Kiwanis and the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities.

If you’d like more information email SparksKiwanis@gmail.com or Rovetti@unr.edu.

Reno.Gov/Adaptive | Adaptive Connect: Winter 2023/2024

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VETERAN PROGRAMS PROJECT HERO CITY OF RENO ProjectHero.Org Founded in 2008, Project Hero is a groundbreaking national non-profit organization dedicated to helping Veterans and First Responders affected by PTSD, TBI and injury achieve rehabilitation, recovery and resilience in their daily lives and increasing awareness to combat the national mental health emergency posed by PTSD and TBI. For our weekly ride/ event schedule follow us on Facebook at Project HERO Hub City of Reno. facebook.com/groups/ ProjectHEROCityofReno

FIT BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Wednesdays 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Thursdays 12 - 1 p.m. & Fridays 10 - 11 a.m.

Free Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center 1301 Valley Road The City of Reno is offering our disabled veterans weekly fitness classes in our facility weight room.

Classes will cover orientation to equipment, assessment of fitness level, proper technique to develop strength, endurance and flexibility, and discuss fitness goals. Upon completion of our four classes participants will be eligible for a FREE all inclusive facility membership good for one year.

VETERAN WELLNESS TEAM AT AMERICAN IRON

PHOTO BY ALPINE MEDIA HOUSE

The Veteran Wellness and Strength Team was created in partnership with the Northern Nevada VA to offer an outlet for area Veterans dealing with PTSD, VA rated disabilities, and re-integrating into society after retirement. Their current goal is to train and compete in a USA Powerlifting competition, while learning more about strength training and overall health and wellness. The program brings in speakers to discuss nutrition and recovery with the athletes. Athletes of this program receive: Coaching 3x per week with Team Training Session and Online Powerlifting Programming through TrainHeroic.

This program is an application based program that requires extensive participation and the motivation to improve. We will kick off the next Powerlifting lifting team the first week of 2024. We will compete on April 13th. For more information E-mail: Raymond.Rodriguez654@va.gov.

NEVADA PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA NevadaPVA.org This program is dedicated to improving the quality of life for veterans and our disabled community with spinal cord injury or dysfunction. Nevada PVA offers an active sports and recreation program for our members, and the disabled in our community.

This organization sponsors programs in Northern Nevada that provides health benefits, support, opportunity and camaraderie for all involved.

PHOTO BY ALPINE MEDIA HOUSE

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Registration, Schedules or Information: April Wolfe (775) 333 - 7765 | WolfeA@Reno.Gov

VA AWARDS $16 MILLION TO HELP VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES PARTICIPANT IN ADAPTIVE SPORTS. INCLUDING CITY OF RENO ADAPTIVE! The Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it awarded nearly $16 million in grant funding to 91 national, regional, and community programs to help more than 13,000 Veterans and service members with disabilities participate in adaptive sports. This funding will help these organizations plan, develop, manage, and implement a variety of sports and equine therapy activities, including life-improving programs for Veterans and training for providers.

Adaptive sports are competitive or recreational sports and activities customized to fit the needs of Veterans with disabilities, including paralympic sports, archery, cycling, skiing, hunting, rock climbing, and sky diving. These activities allow Veterans to rehabilitate through recreation and encourage an active and fit lifestyle.

VA awards grants to a range of organizations, including Veterans Service Organizations, city and regional municipalities, and other community groups. In addition to equine therapy, the grants will support a variety of sports opportunities for disabled Veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces, to include cycling, kayaking, archery, hunting and pickleball.

Learn more about the awardees and details of VA Adaptive Sports Program or @Sports4Vets on social media.

The City of Reno received funding to support the Fit but not Forgotten and Military to the Mountain program. For more information about City of Reno Veteran programs visit: Reno.Gov/Adaptive

“These grants help ensure that Veterans with disabilities have access to sports and activities that build independence and quality of life,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “These heroes served and sacrificed for our country, and we are proud to help them play the sports they love.”

Army Veteran Freddie De Los Santos joined the military after 9/11. After losing a leg in a devastating injury, he took up hand cycling as part of his rehabilitation. De Los Santos is now a para-cycling champion and proud to represent the U.S. through adaptive sports. He touts VA’s Adaptive Sports program’s benefits as a compliment to his VA health care services.

“The program helped me to incorporate myself back into society – mentally, socially, and physically,” said Army Veteran Freddie De Los Santos. “It has been the most rewarding experience being able to compete despite my disability.”

Over the last nine years, VA has awarded more than $100 million in adaptive sports grants to improve Veterans’ well-being and independence. Recipients of this year’s grants are located in 30 states and Puerto Rico.

Reno.Gov/Adaptive | Adaptive Connect: Winter 2023/2024

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