VA Central California Health Care System

Veteran athletes from the VA Central California Health Care System in Fresno, Calif., pose for a group photo with VA CCHCS Recreational Therapist Michelle Trigueiro, who accompanied the Veteran athletes to the 37th National Veterans Wheelchair Games in in Cincinnati, Ohio, July 17-22.

VA CCHCS Public Affairs

FRESNO, Calif. – Seven Veteran athletes from the VA Central California Health Care System in Fresno, Calif., participated in the 37th National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Cincinnati, Ohio, July 17-22, taking home a good share of medals and representing VA CCHCS and California’s Central Valley well.

The Veteran athletes participated in events such as air pistol, tennis, archery, swimming and more, bringing back bronze, silver and gold medals, representing their determination and prowess.

Larry Green was one of the competitors from VA CCHCS this year. He served in the Army from 1985-1989 as a communications technician, and he said this year was his seventh time participating in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games.

“When you are disabled, you often feel excluded. But when you go to the wheelchair games and there are 600 or 700 other Veterans in their wheelchairs, all enjoying themselves, you feel like you belong,” Green said.

“I’d like to see more Veterans participate. You don’t have to sit on the coach. You can get out there and do things – see what’s possible and see how much fun you can have – get back to living and enjoying life,” said Green, who participated in table tennis, motorized rally, archery and air pistol this year.

“It doesn’t matter what service or era you served in. You feel a closeness and a brotherhood,” he added.

When our Veterans attend the games, they immediately see what they can do versus what they can’t do, said Michelle Trigueiro, a recreation therapist at VA CCHCS.

“For example, when they see someone jump into the pool, they say ‘if he can do it, I can too.’ It’s inspiring,” said Trigueiro.

The seven Veterans were greeted with smiles and fanfare upon their arrival back to Fresno at the airport July 23 – a fitting welcome home for a group of Veteran athletes who represented VA CCHCS and the Central Valley well.

VA CCHCS medal winners:
• Samuel Keeney (Marine): Gold - Motorized Slalom, Gold - Bowling, Gold - Air Pistol
• Larry Green (Army): Silver - Table Tennis, Bronze - Motorized Rally
• Timothy Daubert (Marine): Silver - Power Soccer, Silver - Motorized Rally, Gold - Bowling
• Martha Barnett-Chavez (Army): Gold - Archery
• Steven Burrows (Army): Silver – Archery
• Jonathan Waltiere (Marine): Silver - 100 Breaststroke Swimming, Silver- 100 Backstroke Swimming, Bronze- Shot Put
• Donald Barry Tamres (Army): Bronze - 100 Freestyle Swimming


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By Cameron Porter