Five Minnesota-based teams comprised of three able-bodied people and two people with disabilities are training for a 3-day, multisport race that includes mountain bikes, whitewater rafts, zip lines, climbing, and rappelling in the Colorado Rocky Mountains from June 24 to 29.
Ten other national teams will join the Minnesota contingency under the guidance of World T.E.A.M. Sports.
Leading the event will be Erik Weihenmayer, the only blind man to summit Mount Everest, in cooperation with his nonprofit organization No Barriers USA, which helps people with disabilities to live more active lives.
Weihenmayer created the STRETCH Adventure Team Challenge for Minnesota-based Prouty Project, Minneapolis, a global strategic planning and organization development firm that challenges organizations to push the limits to think more strategically.
"This 13th annual STRETCH expedition is designed to break down barriers among people with or without disabilities, drive individual and team stretching, and support inclusivity to higher levels," said Jeff Prouty, founder and chairman, in a statement.
The Minnesota-based team participants range from age 16 to 60, including world-class, award-winning athletes who are quadriplegic, paraplegic, and blind-deaf. Able-bodied people are training next to their team members with cerebral palsy, lupus, stroke, and other disabilities.
The 2011 STRETCH goal is to raise $150,000 for the event and supporting nonprofits. Visit www.ProutyProject.com for more information.
[Source: Prouty Project]
