Wheel Chair Basketball Game brings National Disability Awareness Month to a close at Wright-Patterson AFB

Photo By Wesley Farnsworth | Fans cheer on players during the 2nd annual wheelchair basketball game held as part of the National Disability Awareness Month activities, Oct. 26, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. This is the 2nd year that a wheelchair basketball game has been held as part of the awareness months activities around the base. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Wesley Farnsworth)  

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OH, UNITED STATES

11.02.2016

Story by Wesley Farnsworth 

88th Air Base Wing

This 2nd annual game marks the end of various activities held around Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for National Disability Awareness Month and the goal was to give those without the disability a chance to see what it is like to play a popular sport with a disability.

“There are so many people that have disabilities and not just the mobility type but also mental,” said Master Sgt. Brandon M. Arenibar, event coordinator. “We do wheelchair basketball because we wanted to bring light to members that have mobility disabilities and give the public a chance to be in their shoes and to feel what it’s like to be bound to a wheelchair.”

In two fifteen-minute games, twelve Airmen and Civilians took on four players from the Miami Valley Raptors, three of which work here on base.

“This is my 2nd year participating in this game and it’s great because of the awareness it brings and demonstrates we can adapt any able bodied sport to be played in a wheelchair,” said Greg Johnson, a member of the Raptors from Xenia, Ohio. “I’ve been in this wheelchair for close to 30 years and it’s always fun to see the publics face when they try to play a sport for the first time while being in a wheelchair.”

While fans cheered on both teams, the Raptors beat out the volunteer players with a combined score of 32 to 20 between the two games plays.

“I’m extremely pleased with the turnout not only here today but over the last month at our various events,” said Arenibar. “We have really been able to highlight and promote awareness of various disabilities through the events held across the base.”

• Date Taken: 11.02.2016
• Date Posted: 11.02.2016 08:46
• Story ID: 213573
• Location: WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OH, US