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Ad ID: 41379881
Visits: 113
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Street address: 1102 Eleanor Dr., Waterloo,IA, 50701
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Location:
Des Moines
Date Listed: Mar-12-08 Event Date(s): Mar-30-08 to Mar-31-08 Event Time: 12:30 to 03:30 THE HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS PROVIDE MAGICAL NEW EXPERIENCE FOR LOCAL WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL TEAM The Harlem Globetrotters “Magic as Ever” Tour Stops at Wells Fargo Arena March 30 Des Moines – The Iowa Chairiots of the NWBA (National Wheelchair Basketball Association) will spark a little magic of their own on Sunday, March 30 at Wells Fargo Arena. Tipping off at 1:00 pm, fans arriving early for the Harlem Globetrotters can witness a different exhibition of basketball talents. The Iowa Chairiots, a non-profit organization, offers an opportunity for athletes who are unable to fully participate in conventional basketball a way to play the sport they love. Because of rising costs of participating in this sport, the Harlem Globetrotters have partnered with the Chairiots to raise funds for expenses such as tournament entry fees, chairs for game usage, and travel expenses. By calling 515-564-8090 to purchase your Harlem Globetrotters tickets, $6 per ticket will be donated to the Iowa Chairiots, so that they can continue to offer the opportunity for Iowans, with a disability, to play organized basketball that otherwise couldn't. To contact them directly and get a ticket form, call Jack Eherenman 319-493-0090 or email JEConstruction1@gmail.com. To visit the Chairiots web site for more info on the team go to; http://iowachairiots.homestead.com/LinksPage.html “We are excited to play at Wells Fargo Arena prior to the world famous Harlem Globetrotters, and we greatly appreciate everyone who purchases fundraising tickets,” said Jack Eherenman. “Like our motto says, "Just because we have to sit down, doesn't mean we have to sit still.” Harlem Globetrotters ticket holders are invited to arrive at 1:00 p.m. to see these athletes play at Wells Fargo Arena. Doors open at 12:30 pm. Globetrotters play at 2:00pm. Tickets, priced at $87, $45, $27, $23 and $17, can be purchased at the Wells Fargo Arena Ticket Office. Call 515-564-8090 About the Iowa Chairiots - In 1947 the Black Hawk Chairiots Organization was established in Waterloo IA, and played several years traveling around the Midwest. Then in 1994 the team re-organized and was named the Covenant Chairiots thanks to Mickey Ulrich and Covenant Health System's Rehab Department. In 1997, they joined the NWBA (National Wheelchair Basketball Association) as a division 3 team playing in the Lake Michigan Conference through the 2002-2003 seasons. The team name changed to the Iowa Chairiots in 2002. They are now playing in the NWBA's Midwest Conference as a division 2 team. The Iowa Chairiots motto is, “Just because we have to sit down, doesn't mean we have to sit still ”. ### Contact: Mike Killion Phone: 515-564-8014 Email: mkillion@iowaeventscenter.com The Iowa Chairiots wheelchair basketball team is off to a great start for 2008. We will be hosting a National Wheelchair Basketball tournament at Central Middle school in Waterloo, IA on a Saturday and Sunday sometime in October to be decided later. We will be hosting teams from Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. It is open to the public at no charge for admission. We are still the only National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) basketball team in Iowa, and this is the second game of it's kind in Northeast Iowa. We are currently scheduling games for the 2008/09 season. This season we have made contacts and have opportunities to play in in St. Louis, MO., Lawrence, Kansas, Lincoln Nebraska. We still will play at fundraiser's for other groups in our local and regional area. The last few seasons we played fundraising basketball games for the Eagles’ disabled vets project, Jamie and Jim’s Make a Wish Kids, and for the 20th year we are planning on going to the University of Iowa, to play their athletes, for a game to help raise funds for the U of I’s Physical therapy dept. We have also been in contact with University of Northern Iowa’s athletic director, UNI’s therapy department director to try to plan a game at UNI to help raise funds for their athletic and therapy dept. projects. Also one at Loras College in Dubuque, IA. We will be helping with a yearly summer wheelchair sports camp we started last year at UNI for kids around the state with disabilities to attend and experience and develop athletic skills to use in their life and local school activities. We are always trying to get the information out to parents and kids who may be interested in developing an opportunity to participate in several types of sports. We are looking for people from around the state to help in many ways to open up athletics to kids in our state whom happen to have a disability. This is for those kids whom are competitive, physically able to push a wheelchair racer or basketball chair, or other things needed for certain types of sports adapted for their disability. They would probably not participate in Special Olympics and be competitive against other athletes in a particular sport. They would also use some of the skills learned for recreational use, just as we all do in our own ways, but use devices that allow them to play that particular sport. Some of these sports are the same used in Para-Olympic events, National games, and recreational sports around the world. This camp will start kids 2nd grade through high school in preparation for different sports. These athletes can grow in their sport and participate someday in the Para-Olympics, if they get to that level. This is a starting of that process for them. We are always looking to get this out to the students or anyone else that may have an interest in helping. They can work part or all of the camp. We would like to have some people that have had or would like to have some experience with kids with different disabilities to come help. Most kids are not going to need daily care, will be somewhat independent with most life skills, but may need some assistance at times, showering, transferring, carrying food or other items at times. A lot are very independent in all aspects. But we also need some nursing skills if needed just like at any athletic event. We want to do this every year and expand the camp as we can. We want to make UNI the center for the state in getting kids , most of whom have the skills but not any opportunity, involved in sports. Several kids who have gone through this type of program, that does not exist anymore, have attended UNI and one is currently running and training with the current UNI track team. This is a great program for all those involved, kids with and without disabilities, parents, families, friends, etc. To get together, meet and compete against each other is true sports competitions. Most people will be amazed at what is happening in this area, which gets overlooked often, and the benefit to everyone who comes into contact with it. Some kids on the Chairiots team and have gone through this program, are now participating in different sports, work, and colleges after high school. Some were champions and record setters in high school on their local track teams and competed at the boys and girls state track meets. That is another subject in the adult participation in sports and what is happening in our local community and around the state for adults who are competitive in sports and how we help with this group also. Our team demonstrates to the public the skills, talent and fun involved in wheelchair basketball. We want to be role models for children and even adults who use wheelchairs, and others with a limiting disability, to show that they can still stay in shape, participate in sports, give back to their community and have a good time doing it. In addition to games played, we will continue, as we have in the past few years, to dart around in our wheelchairs passing and dribbling in a demonstration with our basketballs in the My Waterloo Days, Sturgis Falls Days, La Porte City , and Jesup Days parades. We continue to actively recruit new members with disabilities to participate with us. We are also always in contact with many hospitals, physical and recreational therapy groups, and businesses who deal with people with a wide variety of disabilities. We are used on an ongoing, and as needed basis, for support for them and their families. These may be people with recent injuries or also those born with a birth defect. We try and help them along the way in dealing with the day to day obstacles, and long range goals. We give them support, information, and inspiration for helping them improve their lives. It is a life changing process that doesn't end when they get home from the hospital. We have some players from all over Northeast Iowa and continue to look for people, male , female, young, and older, who would like to participate in competitive wheelchair basketball, sports activities, and community involvement. Jack Eherenman Coordinator Iowa Chairiots Co-director UNI wheelchair sports camp Fed. Tax ID availalbe upon request Please send any correspondence to Jack Eherenman at Iowa Chairiots Inc. * 1102 Eleanor Dr.* Waterloo, Ia. 50701* 319-232-1911 or 319-493-0090 JEConstruction@hotmail.com Or JEConstruction1@gmail.com
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