Team River Runner PDX hosts Blinded Veterans Association in Portland

Sam Drevo — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:00:16 +0000

Team River Runner
presents:
Operation Peer Support Adventure Programing
for the
Blinded Veterans Association Conference
in Portland OR Aug. 17-23
with support by DAV Chapter #1 PDX

Team River Runner (TRR) gives military veterans and their family members an opportunity to find health, healing, and new challenges through whitewater boating and other paddling sports. The benefits of TRR have as much to do with social support, finding emotional strength and re-creating personal identity as they do with athletic activity. Team River Runner PDX was founded by Vietnam vet Val Shaull. Val has been a certified raft guide since 1979, and is one of the most experienced and respected raft guides in Oregon. Retired as a decorated Portland Fire Fighter, Val is a champion for veteran support and a role model for Shane Conrad (TRR PDX president), and Talan Morrison (TRR PDX vice president).

Disabled American Veterans has never wavered in our commitment to serve our nation’s service-connected disabled veterans, their dependents and survivors. Our largest endeavor in fulfilling that mission is our National Service Program. In 88 offices throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico, the DAV employs a corps of approximately 260 National Service Officers (NSOs) who represent veterans and their families with claims for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Department of Defense and other government agencies. Veterans need not be DAV members to take advantage of this outstanding assistance, which is provided free of charge. “Adaptive recreation, a highly effective form of intervention and therapy helps many of our vets off the couch and back into life.” Don Smith, Executive Director, Disabled American Veterans, Chapter #1 Portland, OR.

Operation Peer Support was established by the Blind Veterans Association, and Steve Beres is the special events coordinator. Beres served in the U.S. Army as a Special Operations Officer, including numerous tours in the Middle East, and as a Police Sergeant with the City of Milwaukee until losing his sight from a traumatic impact injury to his face in 2002. He was retired from those careers due to the nature of the injuries but remains dedicated to pursuing excellence for himself and ensuring excellence in those around him. After losing total vision, Beres now works for the Department of Veteran Affairs as a Blind Rehabilitation Specialist serving as a role model and example to his fellow Wounded Warriors that there is life after losing sight. Even after losing total vision, and always game for a “challenge”, Beres has continued his love of extreme sports. Beres enjoys skydiving, kayaking, rafting, rock-climbing, and bungee jumping, just to name a few. Beres is also actively involved with numerous Veteran Service Organizations and works with both active duty and transitioning Wounded Warriors during their recovery and is a Certified National Veterans Service Officer. Motivated and inquisitive, Beres looks forward to using his ability to inspire and readiness to lead to ensure that his fellow veterans and Wounded Warriors receive the best quality of care, quality of life, and services available to them. Beres lives by and demonstrates his motto, “I may have lost my sight but have never lost my vision”.

The BVA group in Portland will consist of 60 blinded veterans from ages of 19 to 86 and their families. The program is designed to add some excitement and team building to the BVA national conference. From kayaking to rafting, jet boating, rock climbing, and tandem biking this is going to be an adventurous week.

Monday Aug. 17

9-12pm- Sellwood Park SE Portland OR Flatwater kayaking and rafting acitvities for 45 BVA/TRR participants
12-2pm- DAV Sponsored BBQ
2:30-3:30pm- Willamette Jet boat ride for BVA participants

Thursday Aug. 20

7am-7pm- Deschutes Whitewater Rafting trip in Eastern Oregon

Saturday Aug. 22

9am-1pm- Adaptive rock climbing at Portland Rock Gym and Tandem biking with United States Association of Blind Athletes

Contacts:
Team River Runner PDX- Val Shaull 503.805.8991, val.shaull@verizon.net,
Shane Conrad- 503.896.6014
Blinded Veterans Association /Operation Peer Support- Steve Beres – 269.830.7133, sberes@hughes.net
DAV Chapter #1 PDX- Don Smith 971.570.8999
Portland Rock Gym- Ken Ristau 503.232.8310
United States Association of Blind Athletes-
Military Sports Program Coordinator- Rich Cardillo 719.630.0422
Logistics/Filming- Sam Drevo 503.887.5033, samdrevo@gmail.com

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Sam Drevo
ACA IT / Rescue III Instructor
www.NorthwestPaddling.com
www.eNRGkayaking.com

Northwest Paddling » DAV Chapter #1 PDX

Team River Runner PDX hosts Blinded Veterans Association in Portland