Damp weather and flurries couldn’t stop more than 50 people, including the Rattlers executive team, from gathering in downtown Saskatoon at Civic Square for Spinal Cord Injury Saskatchewan’s (SCISASK) 19th annual wheelchair relay.
Despite it being a brisk Saturday morning last weekend, Mayor Charlie Clark, SCISASK president Bill Lehne and Brad Kraft, director of business operations for the Saskatchewan Rattlers, ensured that the event was kicked off with what was called the “VIP Lap”. The relay ran from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and provided participants and spectators with plenty of reasons to smile and share high-fives. Joining in the fun were members of the Saskatoon Police Service, who stopped by to cheer on some of the teams.
The ceremonial lap was all in good fun and paved the way for SCISASK’s event, which brought together nine teams, various sponsors and volunteers in support of a good cause designed to distribute charitable funds towards programs that ease access to services for those who have suffered a spinal cord injury.
“It’s all about inclusion. It brings awareness to people who don’t have spinal cord injuries and gives them the opportunity to sit in a chair and see what it’s like for people who do live with a disability,” said Lehne.
“It brings a lot of people together because a lot of teams have a combination of able-bodied people and people with disabilities, which is obviously a great opportunity to share and come together to really see what a day in the life is like for someone with this type of injury.”
Over the course of its 19 years running, the annual event has become a part of the tight-knit fabric that is the Saskatoon community. According to Kraft, the event’s purpose and reputation embodies what it means to be from Saskatoon and Saskatchewan.
“I’m a big proprietor of community engagement and in Saskatoon, you need to have it. We are kind of like a great, big small-town. Everywhere you go, you recognize somebody. If we as the Rattlers want to become a household name, we need to be a part of that,” Kraft said.
Thanks to the generosity of team pledges and sponsors, SCISASK was able to raise roughly $17,000 on Saturday. The funds will go towards covering the operational costs associated with programs that reduce barriers to accessing rehabilitation services and other initiatives that help people deal with spinal cord injuries.
“It was such an honour to have been asked to be a representative at the event and to be out beside Mayor Charlie Clark and Bill Lehne. Having a supportive crowd of teams and sponsors made it something special,” Kraft said.
“Overall, it was an important glimpse into the day-to-day experience of those who have suffered a spinal cord injury and the strength they show on a daily basis.”
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