Clark State Community College and Miami Valley Adapted Sports (MVAS) will host a Wheelchair Basketball event at Clark State on Thursday, October 26.

“Miami Valley Adapted Sports is a 501(c)3 Paralympic Sports Club that works through cooperative partnerships to provide recreational and competitive sporting opportunities for individuals with physical disabilities,” said Crystal Jones, co-chair of the Diversity Committee and program coordinator for the management program at Clark State.

The MVAS Raptors basketball team will compete against teams made up of students, faculty, staff and community members.

“This event is important for the community not only to bring awareness to disabilities but it also provides experiential learning by allowing the community to participate,” said Jones. “This new perspective will allow participants to fully understand how adaptive sports are not only important but very difficult as well.”

"Clark State currently has 202 students receiving disability accommodations this semester which represents three percent of the total college population," said Jones. "That’s pretty much on average with other colleges. That percentage represents students at all three campuses, online and College Credit Plus."

Jones said that by changing just one person’s understanding and perspective of those with disabilities, allows growth and change to happen within a community.

Wheelchairs will be made available to students interested in participating in the basketball game. Refreshments will be served and raffle items will be available. Proceeds and all donations will benefit MVAS.

“The event is free, and it promises to be an evening of fun and entertainment,” said Jones. “There will also be a chance for attendees to meet and talk to the Miami Valley Adapted Sports team.”

The wheelchair basketball game will begin at 5 p.m. in the Clark State Applied Science Center gymnasium on the Leffel Lane campus in Springfield.