Valdese, NC – The Valdese Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting its first ever Outdoor Adaptive Recreation Day on Friday, March 10. The event will be held at McGalliard Falls Park from 1pm-5pm, and it is free to the public.
The Town of Valdese is holding this event as a part of the larger 2023 Year of the Trail initiative taking places across Burke County that weekend and across North Carolina all year long. The goal of the OAR Day is to connect community members with resources that can help them connect or reconnect with outdoor recreation.
Town of Valdese Aquatics and Fitness Supervisor Alex Bustle, a licensed Recreational Therapist and primary planner of the event, hopes the event will highlight recreation opportunities for all. “My biggest hope is that individuals who want to be able to participate, but have not been able to participate in recreational activities, will be encouraged and motivated to engage in recreational opportunities. I also would love for the community as a whole to recognize the need for adaptive and inclusive recreational opportunities.”
Agencies, organizations, and businesses from across the state are helping to provide equipment to showcase at the event, including adaptive mountain biking, skiing, hunting and fishing, boating, and more.
Town of Valdese Parks and Recreation Director David Andersen says, “We want to provide an opportunity for the community to see that there are ways for people to access the outdoors. We want to connect them to these resources so they can participate and don’t feel like they don’t have an option when options do in fact exist. We hope to be an ongoing resource for people, as well.”
Please contact Valdese Recreation Director, David Andersen at 828-879-2132 or online at townofvaldese.com
