The non-profit World T.E.A.M. will be offering teens with physical and developmental disabilities the opportunity to explore nature and engage in a wide array of outdoor sports August 9. The Adventure Teen Challenge is scheduled to be held at the Chesapeake & Ohio National Historical Park along Washington’s Potomac River. According to a recent news release from the non-profit, the event will bring together 12 Washington area competitors aged 10 to 18 years.
The competitors will be paired with able-bodied teens for a day of hiking, bicycling, and paddling. The release notes that volunteers from Push America will work closely with the competitors to safely complete the multi-mile, 3-stage course within the allotted period of time. Participants will hike one mile on a Carderock trail, ride seven miles along the C & O Canal pathway on bicycles, and paddle the canal by canoe one-half mile. After completing the final stage of the challenge, participants will then gather with parents and family for a celebration and awarding of medals, according to the release.
Kimberly Warpinski, senior event manager, designates the event as “unique” in the release, emphasizing that, “The event really teaches the able bodies teens the struggles of living with disabilities. With a little teamwork, you can accomplish anything you put your mind to”, Warpinski says.
Warpinski also traveled nationwide in 2012 as a team member of the organization’s Sea to Shining Sea ride with 14 disabled veterans riding bicycles and handcycles, “No one should let their physical or mental limitations hold them back from accomplishing something bigger than they previously thought possible,” she adds.
World T.E.A.M. Sports is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization chartered in North Carolina and headquartered in Holbrook, New York. World T.E.A.M. Sports organizes athletic events for individuals with disabilities and able-bodied citizens including mountain climbing, white water rafting, and bicycling.
For more information visit www.worldteamsports.org
Photo Credit: Van Brinson
Source: World T.E.A.M. Sports
