Elite Athlete Scholarship Fund Relaunched to Benefit Adaptive Sports Athletes
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (March 24, 2022) – Thanks to the local generosity of the Butler Family, Turnstone is launching the Butler Family Elite Athlete
Scholarship Fund. This fund aims to support training and access to competitions for individual athletes pursuing Paralympic dreams.
The Butler family provided a $50,000 matching opportunity to support the elite athlete scholarship fund. Gifts to the fund will be matched up to $50,000. A committee of community volunteers chaired by Jeff Butler, a two-time Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby athlete from Fort Wayne, will determine which athletes will be rewarded a scholarship.
“As a Paralympic athlete, I know all too well how access to financial support to pursue athletics at the elite level can be challenging for most,” says Jeff Butler. “There is so much talent in our area for accessible sports, but finances remain a serious constraint. Our hope is to empower high-performing athletes to compete at their best.”
To apply for this Elite Athlete Scholarship, an individual must be 14 years of age or older, have a permanent physical disability, (i.e. spinal cord injury, amputation, vision impairment, traumatic brain injury, nerve/muscle damage that permanently impedes function), and train at Turnstone Center for Children and Adult with Disabilities, U.S. Paralympic Training Site. Turnstone uses the International Paralympic Committee’s eligibility criteria as a guideline.
Recipients may use funds accordingly to assist with participation and expenses associated with individual sport goals.
Turnstone Center is proud to support the goals of its clients and athletes as one of eleven Olympic and Paralympic Training Sites nationwide. Turnstone is committed to supporting the Paralympic movement and providing programs and opportunities for athletes to hone their skills and further their athletic goals. Turnstone offers various recreational activities and several competitive sports teams for people with disabilities throughout the year, including opportunities in sled hockey, wheelchair basketball, and track & field.
If you are interested in supporting Paralympic athlete development and helping Turnstone reach its $100,000 fundraising goal by June 30, 2022, visit https://turnstone.org/