A Word From Our Members
Reflections on Detroit and the 45th National Veterans Wheelchair Games.
I guess I’m like most people... When I first heard the 45th NVWG would be in Detroit City, I didn’t have high expectations. Don’t get me wrong, I would go to The Games no matter where they hold them but having never been there, I only had the words of others to go by so my, admittedly ignorant, opinion of Detroit was negative. Never the less, I boarded that flight like a kid headed to Grandma’s house for Christmas. Eager to see my old friends from past Games, meet new athletes and see whatever fate the competition would hold in my 30th consecutive NVWG. I’m very happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised by Detroit City. The hotel and convention center were less than half a mile apart but I was amazed at how close the attractions were. We pushed from the hotel to Comerica Park to see the Detroit Tigers take on the Oakland A’s. They also have an above the road tram called The People Mover that would take you around the downtown area on a loop with about 10 stops along the way which included our hotel and the convention center with many good eateries along the way. Right next to our hotel was the tunnel to Canada. Those of us who brought our passports, caught a bus that took us under the Detroit River, through customs and into Canada for lunch and some great pics of the Detroit skyline from the Windsor river front. The location turned out to be top 5 all time, for me. (Out of 30, that is high praise). However, it wasn’t just about the fun, the competition was tough, as always. I have my individual competitions that I love like archery, discus and javelin but it’s the team sports that keep me coming back year after year. Softball consists of 8 teams and about 15 players per team. Basketball consists of 8 teams and about 12 players per team. Plenty of opportunity to meet new friends. Pickleball and cornhole, on the other hand, give you the option to pick your own teammate or be matched up with another single player. All together, there are about 23 sports available and you can have a maximum of 8 on your schedule. If you live in Central Florida and have ever wanted to try the National Veteran’s Wheelchair Games, 2027 is the year of no excuses... Orlando will host the 46th Games from July 14-19, 2027. Go to our website: PVACF.org for information on eligibility for funding.