For the third year in a row, disabled veterans, mostly from the New England area, came to the little village of Potter Place in Andover to enjoy the outdoors and earn team points cycling on the Northern Rail Trail as part of the Boston VA’s weeklong Summer Sports Clinic. On two weekdays, July 23 and 24, enthusiasm was high as four teams of veterans biked the rail trail, trying to locate all 10 scavenger hunt objects hidden along the two-mile stretch.
The relatively flat and wide granite dust surface of the rail trail was perfect for the cyclers, each one riding a bike specially adapted to his or her own disability. Some were powered by the hands alone, others by the feet. All participants had a volunteer riding buddy from New England Handicapped Sports Association (NEHSA) to keep them safe. This organization has a long history of helping physically challenged folks experience outdoor sports in the Sunapee area, especially in winter.
In preparation for the event, the local community rallied around the veterans. The Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in Merrimack County (FNRT) mowed the trail sides, raked the surface, hung patriotic flags, and organized a hospitality tent to cheer the athletes on and serve them homemade cookies and watermelon slices. One volunteer served as traffic cop at the Eagle Pond Road crossing, while NEHSA volunteers offered water and snacks there and ran a sag-wagon.
Byron’s Septic donated a 5′ by 5′ handicapped portapotty for the occasion, and the Andover Historical Society offered its space for equipment storage and staging of the event. Clinic organizers were very grateful for the help from the community. But the truth is that the community is the one that is most thankful, endlessly so, to these veterans for their service to our country.
Memorable Moments for All
There were several sweet moments on the rail trail. The highlight of the first day was a gift given to all those present of a beautiful rendition of The Star Spangled Banner by event participant Gina Fraley. Gina, who hails from the Chicago suburbs, has worked hard to recover her once prize-winning voice.
With the help of the VA, she regained the ability to speak and can sing beautifully again. She says that all music is important to her, and that she is thrilled to be able to sing again, a recent accomplishment. Her teammates rejoiced in her recovery by giving her a huge cheer at the end of the song.
Another sweet moment on the trail was noted when little Riley Courneen of Easton, Massachusetts shared some of her candy with Adam Wagner of West Windsor, Vermont. Riley was riding with her veteran mom and sister when she immediately became Adam’s buddy, much to his delight.
On the second day, Paul Nelson from Manchester, Connecticut chatted with me while munching cookies from the “cookie ladies.” He said he owes his high quality of life to his local VA in West Haven, Connecticut and to Paralyzed Veterans of America, who have supported him in every way. They provide wheelchairs, walkers, and transportation to events like this one so he can live a very full life despite his disabilities.
Paul has participated in the Summer Sports Clinic for three years, rooming each time with Robert Maclean and his eight-year-old seeing-eye dog, Belle. Paul says his wife is a little jealous of him sleeping with another female, but is making this one exception.
Organizers say they will come back next summer, and we sure hope they will!