Paralympics begin in September

The 2016 Olympic games are just about over, and the Paralympics are set to start on September 7th. According to the Paralympics website, "Around 4,350 athletes from more than 160 countries will travel to Rio to compete in 528 medal events in 22 different sports." The website has information on the athletes that are set to compete as well as the adapted sports and rules.

Check it out at:
https://www.paralympic.org/

Para-Athlete Finishes Ironman

Earlier this month, para-athlete Minda Dentler became the first woman handcyclist to complete the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, using only her arms for the full 140.6 miles. She finished the race with a time of 14:39:14.

To learn more about this accomplished athlete, visit: http://www.mindadentler.com/

The Mountain Within

The Mountain Within tells the story of a multi-ability team of people who set out to summit Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. What they find on the journey to the top is the power to overcome the obstacles within.

Interested? Email us at cedir@indiana.edu to check out this title or use worldcat.org to find it in a library near you.

Aimee Mullins

Aimee Mullins was born without fibulae, the bones that support the calf part of a person's legs. After her first birthday her legs were amputated in the hope that she could learn to use prosthetic legs, and she did--better than most people can use their biological legs. Aimee became a world-famous sprinter in college, breaking paralympic records for the hundred meter dash and the long jump.

After her athletic career, Aimee became a model and actress, appearing in the likes of Sports Illustrated. She is notable for her frank and open style (for her 1999 spread in People Magazine's Most Beautiful People, she said, "[I] don't want to be seen as a gimmicky disabled athlete...You don't hear people saying, 'Gwyneth Paltrow won an Oscar—and she's blonde!'"). She recently gave a talk on the definition of beauty, the future of prosthetics, and how readily children accept differences when free of the overbearing 'sensitivity' of adults; you can watch it here on TED.

Thunder in the Valley Games

This year, June 20th through the 22nd, Saginaw, Michigan will host the first ever Thunder in the Valley Games for athletes with physical disabilities. Opening ceremonies, classification, and registration will take place on the first day, followed by the air rifle, field, and track competitions on the second. On Sunday, the event will conclude with an archery competition and an awards ceremony and banquet. The competitions are open to any athlete, and all proceeds will benefit Michigan Sports Unlimited, Inc., whose goal is to empower individuals with disabilities by providing access to recreational activities. For more information on this once a year event and to learn how you can be a sponsor, visit www.thunderinthevalleygames.com or call (888) 988-2553.