Volunteers at Queen’s University came together Saturday to provide local people with disabilities a day they’ll never forget.
Since 1991, the volunteers have come together every winter to put on an event just for people living with disabilities in Kingston. The event is called the Winter Adaptive Games began in the school of kinesiology.
For Rebecca Strickland, who has been attending since 2013, it’s something she looks forward to all year round.
“It feels great. I’m always waiting all year for it. I just think it’s a great way for me to come and be away from my adult life and just be like a kid,”
Everyone from young kids to adults get the chance to do things like playing various sports, doing crafts, decorating cookies, and even going on a horse-drawn carriage ride. It’s all set up to be as accessible and inclusive as possible.
Winter Adaptive Games co-chair Rosalie Morrish said there were around 200 volunteers for the event this year, almost double the amount of participants.
She said it’s no secret why people line up to help out.
“I see so many smiles and just so many people running around and having so much fun,” said Morrish.
Like Strickland, Justin Veenstra is a veteran of the Winter Adaptive Games.
“I feel like everyone who has disabilities should come out and try to do WAG each year,” said Veenstra.
“It makes me feel amazing and like I can just do anything,” added Strickland.
The event is no small feat as the volunteers and committee fundraise for the entire event, around $5,000, on their own, but Morrish said the result makes it more than worth it.
“Last year, someone was petting one of the horses and said it was the best day of their life. It was so cute. We just get all these little remarks,” she said.
With the 2024 Winter Adaptive Games in the books, Strickland said she’s already looking forward to 2025.
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