42nd National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Portland, Oregon (Photo: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Registration for the 43rd National Veterans Wheelchair Games, NVWG, is open until April 5. Scheduled to take place from July 25 to 30 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, this year’s games promise excitement and camaraderie. The week will kick off with a Bass Fishing Competition on July 23, setting the stage for a series of events.
To register as an athlete or volunteer, and for further details about the Wheelchair Games, visit www.wheelchairgames.org.
This year’s games will be co-hosted by the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System and the Bayou Gulf States PVA Chapter, marking the return of the games to New Orleans after 34 years. Fernando O. Rivera, director of the Southeast Louisiana Veteran Health Care system, expressed gratitude for the partnership with PVA and the honor of hosting the games in New Orleans.
The NVWG is the largest annual wheelchair sports and rehabilitation event in the world that is exclusively for U.S. Veterans. It provides a venue for Veterans who use wheelchairs as a result of spinal cord injuries, amputations, or other neurological conditions, enabling them to participate in various sports and rehabilitation activities.
The Games are open to Veterans who have experienced spinal cord injuries, amputations, multiple sclerosis, or other central neurological conditions that require wheelchair use for athletic competition. Veterans from the Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, World War II, and the post-9/11 era are all welcome to participate. Through 21 adaptive sports such as wheelchair basketball, swimming, cycling, powerlifting, rugby, soccer, and now including cornhole as a medal event for the first time this year, hundreds of Veterans will come together to compete and vie for medals.
Started by the VA in 1981 with just 7 events and 77 athletes, the Wheelchair Games expanded its mission and reach when Paralyzed Veterans of America joined forces with the department in 1985. Over the years, with the support of VA therapists promoting adaptive sports, the event has flourished, empowering Veterans with disabilities to lead more active lives and even compete nationally and internationally.
For those seeking email updates, contact Christina Bordelon, Local Organizational Chair, 43rd National Veterans Wheelchair Games, at NVWGvolunteers@va.gov to join the email group. Stay updated on NVWG events by following VA Adaptive Sports on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @Sports4Vets.
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted connection to the military, a spouse who is a Navy veteran, a father who served in the Air Force for 25 years, and a grandfather who proudly served, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.
