Caroline Wilkerson ~ Copy Editor
On Saturday, April 13, the University of Lynchburg’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program will be hosting a cornhole tournament. According to the email sent by Deborah Brown on March 26, “All proceeds from the tournament will help benefit the University of Lynchburg DPT Special Olympics Student Processional Involvement group and will help with our annual event, the Young Athletes.”
As stated on the University of Lynchburg website, “The Doctor of Physical Therapy program truly values our students’ participation in community service and professional involvement. Each year, our students participate in almost 4,000 hours of community service per year and almost 2,000 hours of professional involvement per year through a unique program in our curriculum known as Student Professional Involvement.”
Among the myriad of community service groups provided by the University of Lynchburg DPT program, the Special Olympics are very popular. Based on the national website for Special Olympics, “The mission of special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympic athletes and the community.”
Junior, Elena Ferguson, said, “I would absolutely love to attend the DPT cornhole tournament. Having a minor in Special Education, I have a passion for serving people with intellectual disabilities. I like how the University of Lynchburg’s DPT program is promoting such a great cause as the Special Olympics, and I would definitely come out to support it.”
Senior, Taylor Morris, added, “I am very passionate about serving the community and participating in fundraisers, especially ones like the Special Olympics. I find it so wonderful that the University of Lynchburg’s DPT program is putting on a fundraiser for the Special Olympics, and if I do not physically attend the tournament, I will most likely donate to support the cause.”
The cornhole tournament on April 13, 2019, will be held at 300 Monticello Avenue (College of Health Sciences) at 11:30 a.m. Registration is open between April 1-April 11. Registration fees are $10 and can be paid through Venmo to @UofLSpecialO and you must include both names of players and/or a team name. There will be food available and prizes for the winning teams.
If you have any questions in regards to the tournament, please contact longwood_mm@lynchburg.edu.