Bermuda’s Paralympians to give inspirational talk

Past, present and future Paralympians will this evening be inspiring sportsmen and women with disabilities to follow their dreams.

There will be talks by Kirsty Anderson, Phyllis Harshaw and Sandy Mitchel (equestrian), and Jessica Lewis (track and field), as well as the Bermuda Bocce Team who hope to be going for gold in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Each will talk about their experiences in the run up to the Paralympics and those who have already competed will offer an insight into how they felt when they were there. After the presentation they will be available to talk to guests in person.

Lorri Lewis, mother of Jessica Lewis, told the Bermuda Sun: “The event is to raise the awareness that these are legit sporting events.

“I think a lot of the time people think ‘oh bless them’ and they don’t understand that they really train hard. They train just like the able bodied people do.”

The free public presentation this evening is organized by the Bermuda Paralympic Association which encourages all physically challenged persons to participate in sports and reach their full potential.

There will be opportunities for guests to donate to the Bermuda Paraympics Association. There will also be some Paralympic paraphernalia that they have collected over the years from the Paralympics such as key chains and shirts. All proceeds will benefit the association.

The presentation takes place at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute this Friday from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. There will be a cash bar and hors d’oeuvres.

The event is sponsored by the National Office for Seniors and the Physically Challenged. RSVP to [email protected]