We are delighted to present the email interview with Joe Dornbrock

from Keystone Paralyzed Veterans of America. Look out for the

31st National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Pittsburgh, 01-06 August.

They are expecting 600-700 wheelchair athletes to come to town

for the largest annual wheelchair athletic event in the country!

Read on to find out more. 

 

-What is your organization’s name?

Keystone Paralyzed Veterans of America

 

-How / why did your organization star? (Background, History)

The national Paralyzed Veterans of America traces its start to 1946,

as paralyzed vets found that there was no support for them. 

It grew in clusters around the country until the national PVA was formed.

 

-What is your organization’s objective? (What does it do?)

The mission of Keystone Paralyzed Veterans of America is to improve

the quality of life of paralyzed veterans by

–Encouraging and supporting spinal cord injury and disease research;

–Improving access to health care and other veterans’ benefits;

–Assisting in the expansion of opportunities in wheelchair sports and

recreation;

and

–Advocating for the rights of disabled people, including the reduction

and elimination of barriers to accessibility and mobility.

 

-How long has the organization been around?

The national PVA began in 1946; the Keystone chapter, serving the interests

of paralyzed veterans in Pennsylvania, was founded in 1960.  This is our 50th

anniversary.

 

-What kind of events / activities does your organization do?

To get paralyzed vets active, we provide support for many outdoor

activities such as hunting and fishing, as well as indoor recreation such

as bowling and quad rugby, and even underwater, namely scuba diving! 

We provide members with opportunities to support other vets in the

VA hospitals.  In 2011, Keystone PVA will be the host chapter for the

31st National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Pittsburgh, 01-06 August. 

We expect 600-700 wheelchair athletes to come to town for the largest

annual wheelchair athletic event in the country.

Our work also includes advocating for health care issues for paralyzed vets,

advocating for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and

support for research for assistive technology.  Our member paralyzed vets

are involved with all of this work.

 

-How can people get in touch with your organization (or you)?

(website, email, telephone etc)

Phones: 412-781-2474 or 800-775-9323,

e-mail keystonepva@comcast.net ,

web site www.kpva.org .

 

-Any messages to Greater Pittsburgh?

The National Veterans Wheelchair Games will give our region another

great opportunity to show off to the nation.  We can’t tell folks what a

great place Pittsburgh is; we can’t even show ‘em a picture. 

We have to bring them here, and we’re pleased to be able to do that. 

We hope Pittsburgh region residents will respond with support for

the Games. 

For more, go to our web site, www.kpva.org . 

Thank you!