Miami Dade receives grant for adaptive sports programs for veterans
From David Volz
The Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Department’s Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion (TRI) unit has been awarded a $102,462 grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.The funds will help to increase and expand the department’s adaptive sports opportunities for veterans.
“This grant will do wonders for the veterans in our community who’ve sacrificed so much on our be-half,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “When we ask people to protect us, we must commit to protecting them upon their return. Our Parks Department’s adaptive sports initiative will as-sist many of our wounded veterans recover and reclaim their lives.”
The goals and objectives of the grant program include providing adaptive sport activities designed to enhance the rehabilitative, therapeutic, and whole life health of veterans and service members from recreational through elite levels of competition.
The VA reports there are 19 million veterans living in the United States, with 1.49 million in Florida alone. The VA notes that many veterans of recent wars report episodes of post-traumatic stress disor-der (PTSD), depression, or traumatic brain injury (TBI), and have a wide variety of physical disabilities. Multiple VA studies have concluded that when veterans with varying disabilities regularly participate in adaptive sports and recreation activities, they experience vast improvements in their overall wellbeing.
“We are honored that Miami-Dade Parks has received this generous grant award from the U.S. De-partment of Veterans Affairs. These much-needed funds will allow us to provide more adaptive sports programming for local veterans with disabilities, to improve their physical and mental health, and help build their self-esteem, so they can live happier and healthier lives,” said Gisel Prado, manager, Miami-Dade Parks Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion.
Miami-Dade Parks Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion offers the following adaptive sports clinics: archery, boccia, fishing, hand-cycling, trap shooting, kayaking, waterskiing, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair softball, pickleball, and aquatics. Upon completion of the sports clinics, participants will have the opportunity to continue in the activities free of charge (excluding trap shooting).
Many participants take part in Miami-Dade Parks’ annual Adaptive Sports Experience, as well as re-gional and national sports events.
