Snowy Monaro Regional Council was pleased to once again partner with local community organisations to celebrate International Day of People with Disability, with the Celebrate Ability Festival on Friday in Centennial Park, Cooma.
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Darren wowed the crowd with tricks and tips before encouraging everyone to jump in one of the specialised wheelchairs to have a go.
- Snowy Monaro Regional Council’s Community Development Officer, Kristy Harvey
International Day of People with Disability is a day to break down disability barriers and celebrate abilities. It is marked around the world with celebrations around December 3.
The event featured live entertainment from the award-winning Cooma Challenge Ukulele Band, party rocker Josh Pavese, and the first ever public performance of the Daytime Singing Group, supported by Ability Links NSW and Carers ACT.
Snowy Monaro Regional Council’s Community Development Officer, Kristy Harvey said, “A highlight of the day was a wheelchair basketball demonstration by Darren Skuse and members of the Canberra Chargers / ACT Wheelchair Basketball. Darren is a world class athlete whose right leg was amputated following treatment for cancer when he was 16. Keen to get back into sport, Darren found wheelchair basketball and has been travelling the world sharing his passion with others.”
“Darren wowed the crowd with tricks and tips before encouraging everyone to jump in one of the specialised wheelchairs to have a go. Mini-games were played well into the afternoon as participants learned new skills and got more and more competitive”.
The day also included guided all-abilities stretching activities facilitated by LNH Physiotherapy, a demonstration by the Cooma Bocce Club, and the 2018 Celebrate Ability art exhibition.
Celebrate Ability Awards went to: Community Participant of the Year – Andrew Burgess, Volunteer of the Year award - Tammy Bailey, Community Activity of the Year – Snowy’s Place, Community Champion – Tracy Crompton, Employee of the Year – Patrick Kelly and Fletcher Lee Shield for Employer of the Year – Birdsnest.
