OPAF HOSTS SUCCESSFUL FIRST SWING CLINIC IN MILWAUKEE

OPAF HOSTS SUCCESSFUL FIRST SWING CLINIC IN MILWAUKEE

Julie Besaha

6/29/2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2004
Contact: Julie A. Besaha
(202) 223-2878

On Saturday, June 5th, 2004, OPAF brought the First Swing Clinic to
Milwaukee, thanks to Morningstar Golfers Club's
( <URL Redacted>) generous donation of the driving range
and OPAF's longstanding partnership with the National Amputee Golf
Association (NAGA).

Robert Wilson, Executive Director of NAGA, developed First Swing to
instruct physical therapists in teaching and encouraging individuals
with physical challenges 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 gain a greater sense of personal
achievement.

The first half of the clinic demonstrates the basics of the game of golf
to O&P practitioners and physical/recreational therapists, as well as
others who are interested in teaching golf to individuals with physical
disabilities. Practitioner participants are invited to swing a club -
standing on one leg, sitting in a wheel chair or from a single rider
golf car, 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 half of the clinic is devoted to the newly-instructed
practitioners and therapists instructing participants with physical
disabilities under the guidance of the NAGA instructors.

The Milwaukee First Swing Clinic was free-of-charge for all
participants. This opportunity is made possible through grants received
by NAGA from the PGA Foundation and the Disabled American Veterans
Charitable Service Trust and OPAF's grant from the Wadsworth Golf
Charities Foundation. Additionally, practitioner/therapist participants
are eligible for CEU credits from their certifying bodies.

Special thanks to NAGA instructors Bud Sanders and Dan Cox for their
expertise and their unique ability to individually touch the lives of
the Clinic's participants. Thanks to Joel Kempfer, CP, FAAOP, Dennis
Farrell, CP, and Christine Truskowski, PT, MS for their tireless efforts
in publicizing the Clinic to their patients, students, and the community
at large. Additional thanks to Joel Kempfer, CP, FAAOP for securing the
donation of the driving range from Morningstar Golfers Club and to
Christine Truskowski, PT, MS and Elsa Reyes, PT, MS for their on-site
volunteer assistance. Finally, special thanks to the staff of
Morningstar Golfers Club for helping to make the Milwaukee First Swing
Clinic a tremendous success!

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NAGA (www.nagagolf.org) is a 501(c)(3) public charity that began its
mission of providing rehabilitation through the sport of golf to
amputees in 1954. As access to the game became more available, and
recognizing the need to provide instruction to enable golf to be used as
therapy to those with any physical disability, the First Swing program
began in 1987. Since then, thousands of therapists and a like number of
individuals with physical disabilities have learned that to play the
game, all one has to do is hit the ball.

OPAF (www.opfund.org) is a 501(c)(3) public charity, the official
philanthropy of the U.S. orthotics and prosthetics community. As a
community-focused nonprofit organization, OPAF aims primarily to enable
individuals with physical disabilities-especially those served by
members of the orthotics and prosthetics community-to enjoy the rewards
of personal achievement, physical fitness, and social interaction.
OPAF's cooperation with NAGA in this announcement is an extension of
OPAF's longstanding partnership with NAGA through the OPAF Fit for Life
Program ( <URL Redacted>.