Page 4 - Desert Oracle May 2022

President’s Report

Happy May 2022 to all my Arizona Paralyzed Veterans of America Brothers and Sisters. The
2022 National Veterans Wheelchair Games will take place in Tempe, Arizona, July 7-12, 2022.

The Wheelchair Games moves from city to city annually to introduce new Veterans, partners,
and volunteers to the event and the world of wheelchair sports. With each community they visit,
they strengthen the infrastructure for adaptive sports – generating a ripple effect felt by Veterans
and people of all ages living with disabilities for years to come.

The Department of Veterans Affairs launched the Wheelchair Games in 1981 with 7 events and
77 athletes. Paralyzed Veterans of America joined the VA in 1985 to help expand the event’s
mission and reach.
The National Veterans Wheelchair Games is the world’s largest annual wheelchair sports event
solely for military veterans. The event demonstrates the unstoppable character of veterans and
seeks to foster wider respect for all people with disabilities.
The Wheelchair Games is open to all U.S. veterans with spinal cord injuries, amputations,
multiple sclerosis, or other central neurological conditions who require a wheelchair for athletic
competition. Every year, hundreds of American heroes from World War II, the Korean War, the
Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the post-9/11 era compete in this celebration of courage and
camaraderie.

Important Notice COVID-19 Mitigation: VA and PVA remain committed to honoring our
nation’s Veterans by ensuring a safe environment to deliver exceptional health care. All
participants (Veterans, Coaches, Staff, Volunteers, etc.,) must be fully vaccinated with CDC
recommended vaccinations, and be up to date with booster doses once eligible. Proof of COVID-
19 Vaccination and up to date booster(s) is required upon arrival in Tempe. Participants
including registered Veterans, caregivers, VA staff, non-VA staff, registered volunteers,
exhibitors, sponsors and other stakeholders will receive guidance addressing the COVID-19
protocols. This may change up to the beginning of the 2022 National Veterans Wheelchair
Games in July based on the situation in the country. If attendance limitations are required, those
Veterans with completed registrations will be given priority based on the order in which their
registration was received.

More than 1500 volunteers are needed during the week to help with the events, transportation
and countless other support roles necessary to make the games happen. For opportunities to get
involved and to sign up, please visit the website at www.wheelchairgames.org.

PVA Arizona Chapter’s next board meeting is on May 20,2022 at 10 AM. via zoom. If you are
not a board member but you are a member of the Chapter and you would like to attend a meeting
and possibly become a board member. Please, call Leonard Smith Chapter President at 480-739-
7068 or, the PVA Chapter office at 602 244 9168 and we will make sure you get a zoom link.

Leonard Smith Sr.
Chapter President