Brookings Mayor Oepke “Ope” Niemeyer and the Brookings Disability Awareness Committee presented the following award at the Mayors Holiday Celebration and Awards Event onDec. 6:
Brookings Disability Awareness Committee Award Category: A.B.L.E.
(Ability, Belief, Leadership, and Equality to Achieve Access for All)
Awardee: Larson Ice Center
The A.B.L.E. Award program is designed to recognize the outstanding commitment of a business or public entity in fulfilling the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The A.B.L.E. Award stands for ability, belief, leadership, and equality to achieve access for all. Highlighting the efforts of an outstanding business or entity may motivate others to provide improved accessibility to goods and services.
The Larson Ice Center has been selected for this years A.B.L.E. Award by the Brookings Disability Awareness Committee in part for its good work in providing individuals with physical disabilities the opportunity to participate in hockey at its facility. An important adaptation, sled hockey, has been developed for those with disabilities, and the Larson Ice Center staff have done an amazing job to bring this successfully to Brookings.
Larson Ice Centers leadership in developing sled hockey at an accessible facility allows people with physical disabilities to enjoy a sport they love without many of the typical challenges or obstacles they experience when attempting to participate at other rinks. The staff at the Larson Ice Center not only goes above and beyond to make the adaptive athletes participation as accessible as possible, but they also celebrate the athletes, treat them as equals, and have even volunteered at our events when they are not scheduled to be working.
The staff of the Larson Ice Center works behind the scenes to make the entire facility accessible to sled hockey participants, which includes not only the ice, but the locker rooms, spectator areas, and restrooms. Whenever there has been a concern brought to the staffs attention, they have worked with participants to adapt the facility temporarily to accommodate the athletes.
The Brookings sled hockey program has competed in over 40 rinks throughout the Midwest and the Larson Ice Center is by far the most accessible and accommodating for the athletes and their families. Teams from outside of Brookings report the Larson Ice Center is one of their favorite places to play because of the exceptional facility and staff. Hockey is for everyone! indeed, and the Larson Ice Center and the staff exemplifies what it truly means to be accessible and genuinely inclusive.
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