#Middlebury #Veterans #AdaptiveSports #CreativeArts
VETERANS POST
By Freddy Groves
Ninety-one programs around the country will share in a $16 million Department of Veterans Affairs grant to provide adaptive sports opportunities for 13,000 disabled veterans. In 2024, the money will cover programs in 30 states. To learn more about adaptive sports and arts, take a look at department.va.gov/veteran-sports to see events for 2024 and get an idea of the opportunities available – especially if you can volunteer.
The National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic needs a band of 700 volunteers, including adaptive ski instructors and clinical staff such as adaptive sports specialists. That event will be held the first week in April 2024 and will include adaptive skiing, sled hockey, rock wall climbing and more.
The National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic (to be held in late August 2024 in San Diego) will include adaptive sports such as kayaking, sailing and surfing. Registration will be from Dec. 1 to March 1 of 2024.
The Golden Age Games, for those age 55 and up, will be held in late August 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The range of competitions is vast and includes basketball, bowling, swimming and much more.
If sports aren’t your thing, don’t miss the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival. The final date for that event hasn’t been determined yet, but it will be held in Denver. For more details, see department.va.gov/veteran-sports/national-veterans-creative-arts-festival.
Scroll down to see the categories. Art (a long list of possibilities from leatherwork to painting), creative writing, dance, drama and music are among the choices. Smaller festivals are held around the country in all those categories, with winners in those competitions advancing to national judging. Contact your local VA facility to find out the deadline dates for submission of entries. Remember: You need to be enrolled in VA healthcare before you enter a local competition.
If you’re interested in any of the opportunities, contact them now to verify the details of registration dates and locations. All the programs are extremely popular, so don’t wait.
© 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.
