OPAF and NAGA Expand Partnership

The Orthotic and Prosthetic Assistance Fund (OPAF)has expanded its partnership with the National Amputee Golf Association (NAGA) to host OPAF-NAGA First Swing clinics in 2003, according to OPAF Director Jeff Reznick, PhD.

Through the agreement signed by OPAF and NAGA, OPAF will administer OPAF-NAGA First Swing clinics in San Diego, California, during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP) March 19-22, 2003 and in Reno, Nevada, during the National Assembly of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA), October 22-25, 2003.

OPAF and NAGA also agreed to bring clinics to annual meetings of state and regional AAOP chapters and AOPA associations and societies. Leaders of these organizations who wish to offer First Swing at their meetings should contact Tamara Bibby, OPAF program coordinator, for scheduling and additional information. She can be contacted at 571.431.0831; e-mail: tnb@opfund.org .

OPAF-NAGA First Swing clinics are the cornerstone of OPAF's Fit for Life™ program, an initiative that benefits individuals who may not want to participate in demanding aerobic exercise, Reznick noted. First Swing clinics are open to all therapists and O&P professionals and every individual with a physical challenge, regardless of age or handicap.

Robert Wilson, NAGA executive director, developed First Swing to instruct therapists in teaching and encouraging physically challenged individuals to learn, or re-learn, the game of golf. "First Swing clinics enable individuals to enjoy the unique, friendly atmosphere found on the golf course and to gain a greater sense of personal achievement," Bibby said.

Since late 2001, OPAF and NAGA have worked together to provide an abbreviated version of the second-day instruction. These mini-clinics offer guidance in swinging a golf club and learning how to get the golf ball airborne.

In the full two-day First Swing program, day one offers the basics of the game to therapists and to others interested in teaching individuals who face physical challenges. Practitioner participants are invited to swing a club-standing on one leg, sitting in a wheel chair, or using only one hand-to appreciate more completely the new demands that will be made upon their educational training as they teach others. The second day of the clinic is devoted to therapists who instruct physically challenged participants under the expertise of NAGA members.

"We are excited about our relationship with NAGA and very much appreciate their willingness to work with us to bring such a fantastic program to many more individuals served by the O&P community," Reznick said. "We hope that the success of this partnership will encourage further collaborations between OPAF and other nonprofits like NAGA that share our commitment to supporting an enhanced quality of life for individuals with disabilities, especially those served by members of the orthotics and prosthetics community."

For more information, contact Tamara Bibby or visit www.opfund.org/programs/life.html

OPAF and NAGA Expand Partnership

NCOPE Residents Join RDA

Online Journals Offer New Options

Online Journals Offer New Options

O&P JOBS

Certified Prosthetist / Prosthetist-Orthotist (CP/CPO) Gates Prosthetics + Mobility Clinic — Mountain Home, AR

Clinic Manager – Certified Prosthetist Orthotist (CPO) – Rogers, AR

CPO

Get unlimited access!

EDGE DIRECT

Welcome Back!

Retrieve your password

Not enough quota to unlock this post

OPAF and NAGA Expand Partnership

Support authors and subscribe to content.

Subscribe

Related posts:

NCOPE Residents Join RDA

Online Journals Offer New Options

Online Journals Offer New Options

O&P JOBS

Certified Prosthetist / Prosthetist-Orthotist (CP/CPO) Gates Prosthetics + Mobility Clinic — Mountain Home, AR

Clinic Manager – Certified Prosthetist Orthotist (CPO) – Rogers, AR

CPO

Get unlimited access!

EDGE DIRECT

Welcome Back!

Retrieve your password

Not enough quota to unlock this post