Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Stereotypes and limitations will be conquered by more than 150 persons with disabilities at the ninth annual Accessible Recreation Day (ARD) at the University of North Carolina Wilmington from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 16 in the Student Recreation Center and surrounding facilities. People from across North Carolina with a range of disabilities will have access to more than 20 challenging sports and activities. The event is free and open to the public.

Participants, including disabled veterans, will enjoy wheelchair basketball, golf, handcycling, quad rugby, seated yoga, the ever-popular climbing wall, Tai Chi and numerous other activities. Highly experienced instructors and more than 65 volunteers including UNC Wilmington recreational therapy students and community members will guide this year's activities.

"I think this will be the biggest crowd we have ever seen," said Dan Johnson, event co-organizer and associate professor in the UNCW Department of Health and Applied Human Sciences

Event registration will begin at 9 a.m. and will run throughout the day. Groups of five or more are advised to pre-register. Food, refreshments and event T-shirts will be provided to participants free of charge.

ARD is hosted annually by the Coastal Carolina Partnership for Accessible Recreation (CCPAR), a collaboration of UNCW Campus Recreation and Recreational Therapy, New Hanover Regional Medical Center Rehabilitation Hospital, NC Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Independent Living Services, the N.C. Assistive Technology Program, Wilmington Disabled Athletic Association, the Wilmington Family YMCA and the Wounded Warrior Battalion East. CCPAR strives to ensure that people with different types of disabilities have the opportunity to participate in sports, exercise and leisure activities. The group believes that safe recreation is essential to the physical and emotional health of people with disabilities, and ARD is an opportunity to spur on this involvement.

"Our hope is always that new people will come out and reconnect with activities they have enjoyed in the past and purse new types of activities as part of their daily lives," said Johnson. "Having physical or mental limitations does not have to mean the end of enjoying recreation."

Media are invited to interview participants and capture numerous visual opportunities by request.

Media Contacts:
Joy Davis, Marketing and Communications, 910.632.3903 or davisjc@uncw.edu

Full Schedule (Subject to change):
9 a.m.-3 p.m. Ongoing registration
9:30 – 11 a.m. Wheelchair Basketball
9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Golf, Wheelchair Tennis
9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Bocce Ball, Table Tennis, Disc Golf, Assistive Technology
10 - 10:30 a.m. Chair Aerobics
10 a.m. - noon Kite Flying, Gardening
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Chair Massage, Azalea Training and Therapy Dogs
10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Climbing Wall, Petting Zoo
10:30 – 11 a.m. Seated Yoga
10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Tai Chi
11 a.m. - noon Handcycling
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Beach Games
12:15 - 3 p.m. Wii™ Games and Guitar Hero
1 - 2:30 p.m. Drumming
1:45 - 2:30 p.m. Aikido
3 - 3:45 p.m. Wheelchair Basketball with Port City Spokesmen