November 2017

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Email info@dsr.org.au or call (03) 9473 0133.

Help give kids with disability a chance to play

Girl pumping the air with excitement

From 12pm on Tuesday 21 November, we will be running our very first 24-hour appeal.

We’ve set ourselves the challenge to raise $30,000 to help kids with disability achieve their dreams of living active, healthy lives through access to sport and recreation.

Every donation made will be doubled by our generous matcher donors.

You can follow the countdown and sign up to be notified when the campaign goes live.

How you can help

If you can, please give to our campaign so we can continue helping Victorians with disability get active.

If you aren’t able to donate, there are other ways you can help us.

  • Share the word when we launch the campaign on Monday 13 November.
  • Volunteer with us in the phone room on the day.

You may also like to share your own story about how sport or physical activity has changed your life, or that of someone close to you.

Please get in touch if you’d like more info or you want to put your hand up to volunteer.

Welcome Curtis!

Curtis Palmer

We'd like to introduce you to the newest member of our team, Curtis Palmer.

Curtis is working with our wheelchair rugby development program, searching for fresh talent and introducing new people to the sport. 

Curtis has played wheelchair rugby at the highest level  professionally for over 24 years. Most noteably, he won gold at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens (representing NZ) and again at the 2014 World Rugby Wheelchair Championships (representing AUS). 

While wheelchair rugby can look daunting from the outside (it used to be called 'murderball' after all), Curtis wants to reassure anyone who has previously felt a bit intimidated that now is the time to give it a go.

He'll be taking a soft approach that sees beginners put on a pathway of gradual progression - learning the skills in a safe, supportive and encouraging environment. 

We welcome all ages, gender and skill level and have spare sports chairs for those who have never tried wheelchair rugby before - all you need to bring is your enthusiam!

Get in touch with Curtis if you'd like to try wheelchair rugby.

Less than four weeks to go!

Promotional poster for the festival

The Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Festival is a unique community event that promotes and celebrates physically active lifestyles for people of all abilities.

Featuring over 30 exhibitors and three activity zones – come and try every adaptive sport imaginable, watch a water sports demonstration and meet Paralympians at this free, accessible, family-friendly event on the Crown Riverwalk.

You can also witness the Law Enforcement Torch Run, with over 100 police and Special Olympics Athletes running from the Victoria Police Centre to the festival.

Come and celebrate International Day of People with Disability by getting active!

When: Friday 1 December, 10am-3pm

Where: Crown Riverwalk

Cost: Free!

Keep an eye on our website as we continually update the exhibitors you'll be able to meet and activities you can try.

This event is supported by the Victorian Government, City of Melbourne, Crown Resorts, Taxi Services Commission and 3CR.

DSR Kids summer camp - registrations open

Two people and a child with disability doing a high ropes course

Registrations for our fun-filled, action-packed summer camp for kids with physical disability are now open!

Challenge your sense of adventure using the Cloud Rider on the tree tops adventure course, or test your inner daredevil on the giant swing at YMCA's wonderfully inclusive Camp Manyung.

Bring lots of energy to try activities such as archery, bike riding and tennis and don't forget the memory making accessible trip to Mount Martha beach. 

All of this fun and adventure while meeting new friends and gaining independence.

Who: The camp is open to children with physical disability aged between 7 and 17 years.

When: Friday 16 – Sunday 18 February, 2018

Where: Camp Manyung, Mt Eliza

Cost:  $250 + GST which includes:

  • All sport and recreational activities
  • Accommodation
  • Transport
  • All meals
  • Personal care and engagement support
  • Access to photos of your camp experience

General registration closes Wednesday December 20.

Fill in the expression of interest form online

Save the date: Annual General Meeting

Save the date icon

Save the date for our Annual General Meeting (AGM):

When: Thursday 23 November 2017 at 6pm

Where: 341 George Street, Fitzroy

Who: Members

We would love to share our 2016-2017 annual report with you and update you on our progress over the past year.

5% off WheelTalk in December

Group of students sitting and listening

We know that things can get pretty hectic for teachers as the school year starts to wrap up, so we thought we’d make it a little easier with a Christmas bonus for school stockings.

Book a December WheelTalk session for your school and we’ll give you a 5% discount.

Just mention this offer to us when you make your booking.

Haven’t experienced our WheelTalk disability awareness program before? We explain it in more detail on our website.

Victorian Wheelchair Rugby Classic

Man playing wheelchair rugby

Two grueling days of intense wheelchair rugby action saw Harlequin Rugby Club narrowly beat the Melbourne Unicorns to take out the Victorian Wheelchair Rugby Classic title on Saturday 7 October.

You can relive all the action and excitement by watching the games on demand on our website

Or take a look at the images Aaron Upson Photography captured for us on the day.

You can also read about the event in the Bayside News.

Huge thank you to Victorian Rugby for having us as part of the Frankston Festival of Rugby and Taxi Services Commission, the Victorian Government, ETU and Protect for supporting the event. Along with My Sport Live for hosting the live broadcast of all the action.

Get bowling in Alphington

Boy playing lawn bowls

The Alphington Community Centre and Alphington Bowls Club invite you to a free, six week social Access All Abilities lawn bowls program.

Where: Alphington Bowls Club, Parkview Road (Melways 31 C11)

When: Thursdays 10am-12pm

From: October 26th - November 30th, 2017

Fruit and morning tea is provided. The venue is wheelchair accessible.

Please RSVP to Jill on 9499 7227 or email info@alphingtoncommunitycentre.org.au

Or you can enrol on their website

Wheelchair Rugby grand final

Man playing wheelchair rugby

Following on from their success in the Victorian Wheelchair Rugby Classic, Harlequin Rugby Club has also won Season 2 of the Victoria Protect Wheelchair Rugby Cup.

In a tight encounter against Melbourne Unicorns, the Quins were too strong, while Power House took out third place against Box Hill.

Congratulations to Jayden Warn, of Melbourne Unicorns, who was awarded player of the series. Many of the players are now focusing on various national team training camps.

We are grateful to Protect, ETU and the Victorian Government for continuing to support wheelchair rugby in Victoria.

Congratulations Ben!

Man ten pin bowling

A huge congratulations to one of our members, Ben Peacock, who last week won the Leader Sports Star Jim Dowsley Award.

Ben teaches cricket and tenpin bowling to people who are blind and vision impaired. 

Many of you will remember that Ben was a finalist for Coach of the Year at our Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards.

He's also put his hand up to volunteer at our festival!

You can read more about Ben and the other Leader Sports Stars online

Try wheelchair tennis at the national championships

Man in a wheelchair playing tennis

As part of the wheelchair tennis nationals, Tennis Australia is running a free come and try session.

Bring your family and friends to a fun filled day with open access to try wheelchair tennis and watch the top players in the country compete.

Sport chairs and equipment will be available to try.

Have a hit and then stay and watch the championships!

When: Saturday 18 November, 10–11:30am

Where: National Tennis Centre, Melbourne Park, Olympic Boulevard

Cost: Free

For more information contact: Greg Crump on GCrump@Tennis.com.au 

Bringing smiles to Monash Children's Hospital

Boy learning gymnastics

As part of our DSR Kids program, we visit children at Monash Children's Hospital (MCH) and the Royal Children's Hospital.

We partner with other sports organisations to introduce kids to different types of accessible sport they can take part in when they leave hospital.

In early October we had a fantastic session at MCH with Gymnastics Victoria.

You can read about it on the Gymnastics Victoria website.

Want to represent Victoria in Junior Wheelchair Basketball?

Girl playing basketball

Basketball Victoria is giving males, under the age of 23, and females, under the age of 25, the opportunity to represent Victoria as elite athletes.

Two tryout sessions for the Kevin Coombs Cup team will be held this month.

Successful players will compete in the cup competition over four days in April 2018.

You can find more information about the tryout sessions and selection criteria on the Basketball Victoria website.


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