BUFFALO, NY – Greater Buffalo Adaptive Sports (GBAS) hosted an event at Buffalo Niagara Convention Center on April 7, 2023, honoring a $35,000 grant from The Hartford and Move United used to purchase youth adaptive sports equipment.
Regional representatives from The Hartford and Move United were present for the unveiling of 10 youth chairs and 40 football helmets, as well as the donation of a custom-fit sports wheelchair for local young athlete Kaitlyn Schumacher.
“I cannot even begin to tell you how much this means to me as the mom of a child with a disability, and for Kaitlyn. This is going to help her accomplish her dream and we are just so thankful to Greater Buffalo Adaptive Sports, The Hartford, and Move United,” said Olya Schumacher, mother of Kaitlyn.
“We still live in a world where kids with disabilities are kind of left behind, so being a part of the team, being with other kids out there…is amazing and incredible.”
With more than 50 sports wheelchairs on an exhibition floor lined with partner organizations, it was easy to see the growth that GBAS has had over the past few years. This is the beginning of youth program expansion for GBAS, which attributes its success to the support of its coaches, volunteers, donors, and athletes.
Additionally, the celebration showcased other sports wheelchairs donated by local community leaders and philanthropists including Scott Bieler of West Herr and Yellamraju Kumar, M.D. These new chairs, many of which are RGK Wheelchairs, will allow adult and youth athletes to compete with more ease in national wheelchair lacrosse and football tournaments.
Allied Motion Technologies Inc., one of the latest organizations to partner with GBAS, presented GBAS Director Norm Page with a $10,000 donation to further support the organization’s programs and athletes on and off the field.
Buffalo Bandits Lacrosse athletes were also in attendance, testing the chairs by joining new and existing wheelchair lacrosse athletes in open play.
