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Media > 2005 Summer Olympics
For Immediate Release: September 8, 2005
Olympic
Spirit Sweeps Through Northeast
Center for Special Care
- Lake
Katrine, N.Y.
The second annual
Northeast Center for Special Care Summer Olympics, a week-long therapeutic
competition for those recovering from traumatic brain injury, spinal cord
injury, ventilator dependency or a medically complex condition was held
last week at the Northeast Center for Special Care campus. Held twice a
year, the Summer Games and Winter Games are designed to inspire
competitors to reach ever higher toward their community re-entry goals.
As it is with the international Olympics, the Olympic torch is an
integral part of the tradition of the Games. At the start of the Games,
Resident-Athletes from each team pass the torch to a fellow competitor,
eventually taking it throughout Northeast Center for Special Care.
The 2005 Summer Games began on a positive note when Northeast
Center for Special Care Administrator, Anthony Marmo officially opened the
games. Marmo, who is new to
Northeast Center for Special Care is an example of the significance of new
beginnings and the courage to try new things.
At the ceremony, held in Northeast Center for Special Care’s
Desert Eden, the Resident-Athletes cheered, and proudly represented their
teams with posters and badges and some wore their team colors.
During the Olympics, Northeast
Center for Special Care Resident-Athletes competed in adapted
events ranging from traditional sports to fine art work.
A number of the contests were modeled after Special Olympic
modified events, while others are unique to Northeast Center for Special
Care’s Olympic games. All
events are designed to feature the skills developed by the competitors
through programs facilitated by the Therapeutic Activities Department,
Fine and Performing Arts Department, and Rehab Department. Events included
relay races, bean-bag toss, volleyball, Nerf football and Frisbee throw,
basketball, weight lifting, obstacle course, water balloon toss and a
putting contest. Other competitions featured Risk and Monopoly
tournaments, a trivia contest, poker tournament, essay contest, chess and
checkers tournaments, pie eating contest, spelling bee, poetry and
painting contests, as well as a “Battle of the Sexes.”
Nearly 100 individual winners of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals
were named over the course of the Games, based on most improvement shown,
personal best accomplishments, and overall skill.
The winners’ names were posted in the lobby for
Resident-Athletes, staff, and visitors to see. Team medals were also
awarded based on the accumulated medal totals of the individual
participants, each of whom were assigned to one of eight teams prior to
the start of competition.
After one week of healthy
competition, the 2005 Summer Games wrapped with an inspirational closing
ceremony. Therapeutic Activities Department member Todd Langon
spoke about his own experience as an athlete; he is an amateur boxer.
Langon was in a unique position to inspire the Resident-Athletes
because he is a two-time brain injury survivor.
He delivered the most memorable words of the day saying, “A
disability is nothing more than an inconvenience that has to be overcome.
It only becomes a handicap if you let it stand in your way.”
The Resident-Athletes and staff of Northeast Center for Special
Care were treated to a special guest at the closing ceremony.
Marist College Red Foxes Men’s Basketball team Coach Matthew Brady was on
site at Northeast Center for Special Care to close the games and present
the awards. Coach Brady
encouraged the Resident-Athletes to overcome stereotypes and as an
example, he shared with the Resident-Athletes that he is able to meet all
the challenges of being a basketball coach in spite of wearing a hearing
aid, which corrects a severe hearing deficit.
He reminded the Resident-Athletes that those with special
challenges are in good company alongside Stephen Hawking, James Earl
Jones, Ray Charles, and many others who have overcome their challenges and
achieved notable things. He
thanked the staff at Northeast Center for Special Care for their work
organizing the Games and applauded the Resident-Athletes for
participation, personal effort and commitment, characteristics the
Resident-Athletes exhibited in abundance.
Brain Injury Program Director,
Gerry Brooks thanked the Resident-Athletes for the roles they fulfill as
part of the therapeutic community at Northeast Center for Special Care.
He mentioned the proud expressions he noticed on many of the faces
of the Resident-Athletes during the Olympic Week.
He spoke of the relationship between accomplishment and happiness
and congratulated the Resident-Athletes on their efforts and of
course—their success.
Using
the skills they have been re-learning at Northeast Center for Special Care
in this unique fashion has clearly proven to motivate the residents toward
their rehabilitation and community re-entry goals. As such, the program
represents an important step in the fulfillment of the Northeast Center
for Special Care’s continuing mission.
Images: (click on thumbnails for larger images)
Northeast Center for Special Care is a state-of-art rehabilitation program
for individuals with brain injury, neurobehavioral disorders, spinal cord
injury, and ventilator dependency. Established in 1999, it is
located on a lovely thirty-nine acre campus in Lake Katrine, NY. The
mission of Northeast Center for Special Care is rehabilitation, recovery
and community reentry for individuals with disabilities. Since its
inception, hundreds of individuals have "graduated" from its
programs and have moved on to integrated settings in their
communities. Among its many accomplishments, the ventilator weaning
program has earned great distinction for the Center's success in weaning
individuals off of mechanical ventilators.
Web Site: www.northeastcenter.com
Marist
College Website Bio for Coach Matthew Brady
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Media contact: Northeast Center for Special Care, Beth Faichney, Director of Community Relations
845-336-3500
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