As the last jewel of my 'triple crown” summer approaches ( the arrival of the Russians) I have increased my activities to insure this event comes off and comes off with as little stress to yours truly as possible. This Russian visit has mushroomed into quiet an event from it first origins of a little visit by a couple of Slavic Europeans in wheelchairs. One of the events which has been scheduled is to bring the Russians to our Liberty Park, Salt Lake's premier park to observe the Paras play tennis.
Tennis is a sport that the paras ( paraplegics) play when they tire if basketball, the other great sport paraplegics play to differentiate they from all the other disabilities. One of the great sports which allow people who are able bodied to stare with as much intensity and for as long as they desire at a class of gimps without free of getting hit over the head by a mortified parent. Tennis is one of the great sports that people who are able bodied love people with disabilities to participate in so that the folks with able bodies witness at how well these folks with disabilities have been rehabilitated and have re-entered the American mainstream. So, with this in mind Jennifer the person I work with in the Sister program and really, the person who is so much responsible into bringing this event off jumped on my idea of having our guest spend an evening at Liberty Park observing these folks play tennis and maybe even hitting a couple of balls themselves. In the last week, Jennifer has asked that I escalate the event into a media showcase. She has asked if I could get ice cream donated, invite the entire disabled population of Salt Lake County if not the State of Utah( which I have $75 worth. A mega ice cream social for these gladiators of the tennis court). I have emailed an associate I have at the local Fox Network. He owes me a favor and maybe he would do a story on the event. I am still going to put out a regular press release.
It has been my experience another para play sports like tennis is the game set the paraplegics apart from all the other disabilities. I am not sure what these guys well do when wheelchair vans start rolling up to the tennis courts and disgorging all manners of disabilities, quads, CPs, DD folks and who knows who else followed by more vans of TV crews followed by coolers loaded with Fat Boy ice cream sandwiches. I am sensing this could get ugly real fast and this is just from the good old American side who knows what the Ruskies will do.
Perhaps I am making storm in a tea cup. And besides the last time I checked this was the good old USof A! And the tennis courts are in a public park, PUBLIC to all! Perhaps a little coming together of all the local disabilities maybe not be such a bad idea. And really, I worked weeks to get what few bodies came out to the Freedom Tour what makes me think I am going to get more our for Russians and Ice Cream?s
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