Dare2tri, a Chicago-based sports and recreation nonprofit, will welcome service members with disabilities to its 2021 Paratriathlon Training Camp this June.
After a pause due to the pandemic, the Injured Military Training Camp will return to in-person programming, with strict Covid safety guidelines, from June 3-6.
The camp is open to veterans and active service members with disabilities such as amputation, spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, and visual disabilities.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4.7 million veterans are recorded as having service-connected disabilities.
Participants will receive instruction from certified coaches and mentor athletes at Munster High School and Wolf Lake Park located in Northwest, Indiana.
“With Injured Military Camp being one of the first of our in-person programs in 2021, we’re honored to introduce a community of veterans and active military with physical disabilities to a program dedicated to nurturing mental health through a willingness to succeed,” said Keri Serota, Dare2tri co-founder and Executive Director.
The Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research reported that about 30% of people with limb loss experience depression and anxiety.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 1.7 million veterans received treatment in a VA mental health specialty program in 2018. Adaptive sports have proven to immensely benefit not only physical health, but mental health as well.
The camp will conclude on June 6 with Leon’s Triathlon, a race that pays special tribute to active and retired military personnel.
Dare2tri, founded by Melissa Stockwell and Kari Serota in 2011, empowers individuals through adaptive sports, building self-esteem, confidence, and self-worth. Its goal is to develop a sense of community among athletes who aren’t characterized by physical activity but rather sheer determination and the desire to succeed.
For more information on Injured Military Camp or other programs offered by Dare2tri, visit https://Dare2tri.org/programs
