The 24th Annual National Veterans Wheelchair Games and a team of United Spinal athletes headed to St. Louis for a week of sport and fun.
The 24th National Veterans Wheelchair Games were held in St. Louis, Missouri, June 15 to 19, 2004. This year’s Veterans Games were as exciting as ever with the theme of “Gateway to Victory,” using St. Louis’s famous landmark, the Gateway Arch, as the backdrop of the event.
Competition was held at several different locations, including the East St. Louis High School track and field, St. Clair’s Bowling Lanes, St. Louis Zoo, and Forest Park. The majority were held at the America’s Center, a venue that accommodates a number of different concerts, conventions, and meetings. The athletes were housed at the Renaissance Grand Hotel, adjacent to the America’s Center, which made transportation to the different events quite accessible and easy to use. Overall, the locale for this year’s games was a perfect choice, offering many different leisure activities to choose from and easy access and transportation to every venue.
Our local members from the Castle Point, Bronx, Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse, East Orange, Philadelphia, and Lebanon VA Medical Centers were awarded over 60 medals at this year’s games-quite an accomplishment considering the level of competition.
Individual sporting events included bowling, table tennis, 9-ball, slalom, air guns, weightlifting, swimming, archery, track and field, trap shooting, and power chair relay. As for team sports, athletes could sign up for softball, basketball, quad rugby, and power soccer.
Experiencing the games for the first time as a spectator, I was inspired by the sense of camaraderie, athleticism, and pure love of competition and sports that were displayed. The Veterans Games give veterans the chance to participate in events that they love, while socializing and reconnecting with old friends nationwide.
Congratulations to the 518 military veterans who participated in this year’s competition, from 45 states, Puerto Rico and Great Britain.
The 2005 National Veterans Wheelchair Games will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from June 27 to July 1, 2005.
Felicia Mosely is Sports and Recreation Coordinator.
