**For Immediate Release                                      July 14,
2008**

**[Area Veterans Go for Gold in National Wheelchair Games]{.underline}**

**Athletes to meet with media and demonstrate skills July 17 at 9:30
a.m.**

PHOENIX - Four Valley veterans, who are paralyzed, are on a quest for
their own kind of Olympic gold and will compete in one of the world\'s
premier events for disabled athletes later this month.

With support from the Phoenix Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System,
they will attend the 28th National Veterans Wheelchair Games being held
July 25 through 29. More than 500 athletes, all military veterans from
across the United States, Puerto Rico and Great Britain, will convene in
Omaha for the largest annual wheelchair sports event in the world.

**The athletes will be available for interviews and to demonstrate some
of their skills at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center. Photos and
video of them in action also are available.  VA Therapists will also be
present to discuss the benefits of physical fitness and recreation
therapy.**

**July 17 at 9:30 a.m.**

**Community Living Center (formerly called Nursing Home) Dugout Room**

**Location:  7^th^ Street Entrance north of the flag pole, look for NHCU
sign**

**650 E. Indian School Road**

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Area Veterans Go for Gold in National Wheelchair Games

The veterans, who also are patients of the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical
Center, are:

**Diane Brunswick, of Glendale/North Phoenix,** who served with the U.S.
Army from 1978-79. Hit by a car while serving in the military, she is a
paraplegic who will be competing in the Games for the first time. Her
event is air gun.

**Dan Koston, of Phoenix,** a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving from
1975-79. Injured in a fall, he is a quadraplegic who is competing in his
ninth Wheelchair Games and has a \"wall of full of medals.\" He will
compete in the motorized slalom competition, and also has competed in
power soccer, billiards and air rifle events. Koston is on the board of
directors of the Arizona chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America
(PVA).

**Diego Suazo, of Surprise,** who served in the Navy from 1990-94. He
competes in basketball, trap shooting, and softball. Shot at New Year\'s
party, he is a paraplegic who also is competing in the Games for the
first time this year.

**John Tuzzolino, of Ahwatukee,** who served in the Army from 1989-91. 
Injured in a motor-vehicle accident, he has won gold at the Games
before. He will compete in shot put and weightlifting events. Tuzzolino
was selected earlier this year to be one of a handful of veteran
wheelchair champions to be featured on a special Cheerios box and is
Sports Director of the Arizona chapter of the PVA.  

The veterans also are receiving some financial support from the PVAHCS
and the Veterans Medical Leadership Council to help them attend the
Games through additional hours of volunteer service, earning well over
the required number of points to qualify for assistance.

During the Games, gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded in
Olympic style to winning athletes. But all competitors already are
reaping the therapeutic benefits from participating in wheelchair
sports. These include building their physical skills and conditioning,
camaraderie with other disabled veterans, pride and increased self
confidence.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a recognized leader in
rehabilitation, and sports are important in the therapy used to treat
many disabilities. For many injured veterans, the Wheelchair Games
provide the first exposure to wheelchair athletics.

The Wheelchair Games, presented by the Department of Veterans Affairs
and Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), are open to all U.S. military
veterans who use wheelchairs because of spinal cord injuries, certain
neurological conditions, amputations or other mobility impairments. 

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Area Veterans Go for Gold in National Wheelchair Games

***More about the National Veterans Wheelchair Games***

The National Veterans Wheelchair Games is a multi-event sports and
rehabilitation program for military service veterans who use wheelchairs
for sports competition due to spinal cord injuries, amputations, or
certain neurological problems. Veterans who will compete in Omaha have
served from World War II to the present time, including veterans of
Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The Games
include 17 competitive events, such as quad rugby (murderball), slalom
(a timed obstacle course), archery and basketball.

The National Veterans Wheelchair Games are an outgrowth of the
Department of Veterans Affairs\' historic involvement in wheelchair
sports, which had their beginning in the aftermath of World War II, as
young disabled veterans began playing wheelchair basketball in VA
hospitals throughout the United States. Interest in wheelchair
basketball soon spread to other sports such as track and field, bowling,
swimming, and archery, spawning the formation of several associations
devoted to new and innovative wheelchair sports. In 1980, the VA
established a Recreation Therapy Service, using wheelchair athletics as
one of their therapeutic tools for treating disabled veterans. 

While past Games have produced a number of national and world-class
Paralympians, they also provide opportunities for newly disabled
veterans to gain sports skills and be exposed to other wheelchair
athletes. Usually, one quarter of competitors have never before
participated in any type of organized wheelchair sports competition.

The event is presented by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
and the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), with financial assistance
from corporate, civic, and veterans service organizations. Event hosts
are the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System (VA NWIHCS) and the
Great Plains Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Competitive events at the Wheelchair Games include swimming, table
tennis, weightlifting, archery, air guns, basketball, nine-ball,
softball, quad rugby, bowling, handcycling, wheelchair slalom, power
soccer, a motorized wheelchair rally, track and field.  Exhibition
events are also being planned.  Athletes compete in all events against
others with similar athletic ability, competitive experience or age.

For more information about the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, or to
follow event results as they happen, visit the Games Web site at: 
<http://www.wheelchairgames.org/>.

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