Let the Games Begin! Toyota Again Named Sustaining Host Sponsor of 2014 National Veterans Wheelchair Games
Washington, DC, August 13, 2014 /3BL Media/ —The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Paralyzed Veterans of America are proud to announce that Toyota will again serve as a Sustaining Host Sponsor for the 34th National Veterans Wheelchair Games, which begin today in Philadelphia, and run through Sunday, August 17. Toyota will also be providing vehicles for National Veterans Wheelchair Games officials to drive throughout the week.
“The support of our sponsors is vital to putting on an event as large as the National Veterans Wheelchair Games. We thank Toyota for their continued support of this important rehabilitative event for our disabled veterans and for their commitment to our veteran wheelchair athletes,” said Al Kovach, national president of Paralyzed Veterans of America.
This year marks the 15th year that Toyota will sponsor the National Veterans Wheelchair Games— the largest annual wheelchair multi-sports event in the world. Toyota will also serve as one of the event host sponsors for table tennis and weightlifting.
“Toyota is very proud of our 15-year relationship with the Paralyzed Veterans of America,” said Mark Oldenburg, Toyota National Fleet Marketing, Mobility and Strategic Planning Manager. “Toyota is honored to once again be the sustaining sponsor of the 34th annual National Veterans Wheelchair Games and support the brave men and women who serve our country and defend our freedom.”
The National Veterans Wheelchair Games, presented annually by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Paralyzed Veterans of America, are open to all U.S. military veterans who use wheelchairs for sports competition as a result of spinal cord injury, certain neurological conditions, amputations or other mobility impairments, and are focused on providing therapeutic, holistic treatments through adaptive sports. “These Games are empowering veterans with disabilities to improve their lives through sports and recreation,” said Dave Tostenrude, Director of the National Veterans Wheelchair Games. “The athletes return home with the attitude and information of what they can do, versus, what they cannot.”
Veterans at the Wheelchair Games will compete in 18 events: air guns, archery, basketball, boccia, bowling, field, handcycling, a motorized wheelchair rally, nine ball, power soccer, quad rugby, slalom, softball, swimming, table tennis, track, trapshooting and weightlifting. This year’s Wheelchair Games will also feature an exhibition of wheelchair lacrosse. Athletes compete in all events against others with similar athletic ability, competitive experience or age. For more information about the 34th National Veterans Wheelchair Games, please visit www.wheelchairgames.org.
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About Paralyzed Veterans of America
Paralyzed Veterans of America was founded by a group of seriously injured American heroes from the “Greatest Generation” of World War II. They created a nonprofit organization to meet the challenges that they faced back in the 1940s — from a medical community not ready to treat them to an inaccessible world. For more than 68 years, Paralyzed Veterans’ national office and its 34 chapters across the nation have been making America a better place for all veterans and people with disabilities. (www.pva.org)
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of National Veterans Sports Programs & Special Events is the recognized world leader in rehabilitative and recreational therapies for disabled Veterans. VA promotes the rehabilitation of body and spirit by operating adaptive sports clinics and competitions around the nation. Learn more about VA's adaptive sports programs and partnerships at www.va.gov/adaptivesports.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), the world's top automaker and creator of the Prius, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands. Over the past 50 years, we’ve built more than 25 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants and directly employ more than 40,000 people. Our 1,800 North American dealerships sold more than 2.5 million cars and trucks in 2013 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road today.
Toyota partners with philanthropic organizations across the country, with a focus on education, safety and the environment. As part of this commitment, we share the company’s extensive know-how garnered from building great cars and trucks to help community organizations and other nonprofits expand their ability to do good. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
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