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In
The News
June 29th , 2007
Wheelchair Games “Rocked” The Pettit Center
MILWAUKEE--- June 29, 2007 --- The Pettit National Ice Center, a U.S.
Olympic Training Site, participated in the 27th Annual National
Veterans
Wheelchair Games, held in Milwaukee June 19 to 23.
The Pettit Center hosted Wheelchair Curling, a first-time demonstration
sport for the VA Games. Especially because wheelchair curling is a
Paralympic sport, the Pettit Center was the perfect venue to debut the
sport. Fifty veterans participated in the curling program; while more
than
150 volunteers, friends and family cheered them on. The event began
with a
progression of athletes on the Olympic Oval to Scottish bagpipes.
“We (the Wheelchair Curling organizers) wanted to not only showcase the
sport of curling, but show the veterans how quickly they can take to
the ice
and have fun curling,” said Neil Doese, the U.S. Curling coach who led
the
women’s team at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games.
Led by Doese, Steve Brown, coach of the 2006 U.S. Paralympic curling
team;
and 2006 Paralympian Jimmy “Jam” Joseph; the veterans were in great
hands as
they utilized the Pettit Center’s new curling sheets. Just one week
prior
these same curling sheets were utilized by USA Curling for their Elite
and
Development Camp.
The veterans were taught proper form and technique from Wisconsin
curling
club members. After the veterans “got a handle on the rocks” they took
part
in a traditional curling shoot-out.
“To be in a first-class facility like the Pettit Center with our
first-class
veterans is just tremendous,” said Tom Wisniewski, the head organizer
of
Wheelchair Curling from the Milwaukee VA Medical Center. “We were so
happy
that we could provide such a great opportunity to all of our veterans!”
To view photographs from the Wheelchair Games, including shots of
curling at
the Pettit Center, please click this link.
For more information on wheelchair curling at the Pettit Center on July 4th, please contact Rob Multerer 414.266.0100, ext. 132 or by email at rmulterer@thepettit.com.
Contact: Rob Multerer
Director of Operations
Pettit National Ice Center
414.266.0100, ext. 132
rmulterer@thepettit.com
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