| Harrisonburg, VA – The 2023 USA Patriots Athletics Amputee Softball Team and Kids Campers prepare for games Saturday, July 29 at James Madison University (JMU). The exhibition games mark the conclusion of an exciting week of camp where 19 children from across the country with amputations, limb loss, or physical challenges have traveled to Harrisonburg to learn adaptive techniques and life lessons from our amputee veteran coaches. Games will feature Kids Campers, members of the USA Patriots Amputee Softball Team, members of the James Madison University Softball and Baseball Teams, and members of the Virginia Moose Association. Games are free to the public and will be held at JMU’s Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park starting at 12:00pm EST.
“Kids Camp is the biggest blessing of my life,” said retired Marine Lance Corporal and current USA Patriots Athletics President/Player Josh Wege. “My injury has given me a higher purpose than I could ever imagine. The USA Patriots can reach campers on their level which opens a door for life lessons and the ability to adapt and conquer their circumstances. When attending Kids Camp, abled-bodied individuals are the ones that are ‘different’. I love that flip on the perspective. I cannot wait for the Easton Blues and the Red Athletes to face off on Saturday showcasing the skills they have learned this week.”
Kids Camp is a program established in 2014 as a result of organizational growth. Our Athletes were eager to give back and while on the road had come across many kids who were finally meeting an adult who looked like they did. Having grown into our largest program, Kids Camp is now Supported by our Kids Camp Annual Fund and looks to raise $180,000 annually Through this effort, we are able to bring 20 children (between 8-12 years old) with amputations or limb loss for a week-long camp, all-expense paid! Our veterans serve as coaches and mentors for these children, teaching them adaptive techniques and life lessons. There is amazing power through putting Heroes on a field with children, all of whom can relate to living a life without limbs. This year’s camp includes families from Alabama, California, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.
To learn more about the USA Patriots Athletics Kid’s Camp, visit USAPatriotsAthletics.org.
About USA Patriots Athletics
The USA Patriots (formerly known as the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team) has been a registered nonprofit since 2011 after the need for continued rehabilitation options for our wounded warriors had begun to rise. Through the sport of slow pitch softball, the organization has grown in significant ways by providing athletic programming, youth programming initiatives to teach the abilities of adaptive sport by our veterans, and to engage our veterans in communities to show off the abilities they now have as post-trauma athletes.The Mission of the USA Patriots is to bring athletic and like-minded veteran amputees together to promote the benefits of inclusive sport and therapeutic recreational activities, to inspire and motivate communities of people, to support children with physical challenges, and to operate as a vehicle that offers national opportunities for continued service to our country.Likewise, we established a vision to move our vehicle forward. With all of our programs and goals in mind, it is our hope that the USA Patriots will take action as a leading veteran-centric athletic team that serves beyond the uniform by empowering, inspiring, and investing in communities across America with the belief that achievement is not without sacrifice. |
