GREAT FALLS – National Blind Sports Day was Saturday, October 6, but since there is no school on Saturdays, the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind (MSDB) celebrated on Friday.
National Blind Sports Day is dedicated to celebrate the abilities and opportunities available to Americans with visual impairments.
Instead of just having visually impaired students participate, the entire school was invited to come out and bowl at the Black Eagle Community Center.
Tyson Patterson, who is the Health Enhancement and Athletic Trainer at the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind said, “It’s just a day for them to all celebrate being active and doing things that the community and a lot of people don’t think they’re capable of doing.”
He added that it’s awesome to see the kids bowl because it’s most likely their first time.
This outing was made possible by the help of volunteer wrestlers at the University of Providence.
Jarren Komac, one of the volunteers, said, “I believe in equality and everyone should have an equal chance to be able to, you know, have fun! Being able to see how happy they are, it makes you happy too.”
A student at the MSDB was ecstatic to see his fellow classmates have a good time and succeed,” It honestly makes me proud just because the fact that so many people who are blind act as if they can’t do anything. But, it makes me very happy to see somebody who acts as if they actually can do something.”
The United States Association Of Blind Athletes hopes to make this the first of many National Blind Sports Day and with the dream of turning it into International Blind Sports Day.
Reporting by Kasey Herman for MTN News
