Fall 2009 Soccer Begins!

Yippee! Both teams won this weekend. Son #2 played on Saturday (in the middle of the Easter Seals walk) and his squad took the game 5 to 2. He scored one of the goals. Son #1 played Sunday morning (had to be on the field at 8:30 which was a bit of a rude awakening since Saturday was our bowling night) and was on the winning side of a 6-3 result.

The volunteer effort for the Easter Seals walk on Saturday was great fun. At 7:30AM we were helping to set up the registration site and breakfast for the staff and volunteers. The three amigos got to inflate helium balloons. They were able to take a playground break until we went out to serve as route marshals. We got to stand at the halfway point where we turned people around to complete the second half of the course, and give them water and vitamin water. I found it satisfying to watch people's faces as we cheered them on, particularly the people in wheelchairs.

After the walk was over, they fed us lunch (donated by sponsors) and then we watched an exposition game by the New York Warriors. These fellows play basketball in special ruggedized wheelchairs, and the huge metal wheels are tilted. They slam into one another much like we do at an amusement park when we ride the bumper cars. I can't imagine the upper body strength needed to whip those wheelchairs around the court so quickly. This is just one organization funded by Easter Seals. They fund many more programs for people with disabilities. The folks who drove down from Rochester to organize and run the walk are very enthusiastic about what they do, and about all that Easter Seals does. Thanks to sponsors and volunteers, they are able to give a high percentage of walker and corporate donations to the organizations they fund. The best part: the kids told "Mr. Shane" (our volunteer liaison) to sign us up for next year's event!