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Inclusion on Ice returns this weekend to Wheeling Park Ice Rink

Photos provided by Betsy Bethel-McFarland ABOVE: Community members hit the ice during the 2024 Inclusion on Ice event at Wheeling Park Ice Rink

WHEELING — The Wheeling Park Ice Rink will be open for anyone and everyone to test out their skills on the rink during the fourth annual Inclusion on Ice this weekend.

The free event will give community members of all ages, with and without disabilities, the opportunity to hit the ice from noon to 3 p.m. this Sunday at the Wheeling Park Ice Rink and White Palace.

The event’s hosts — the Augusta Levy Learning Center, Easterseals Rehabilitation Center and the Wheeling Nailers — said they considered feedback from last year’s Inclusion on Ice to ensure this year’s rendition had as much open skate time as possible. During the three-hour event, the rink will be open solely for community members to skate.

“In previous years, we have held a sled hockey game and an open skate, but there was so much demand for the open skate we decided to extend the open skate for longer,” Wheeling Nailers Community Relations Director D.J. Abisalih said. “We’re taking the information that we’ve learned from past years to take the event to another level and give the people what they want to make it bigger and better.”

Volunteers from the Wheeling Nailers, Wheeling Lightningbirds and Ohio Valley Roller Derby, among others, will be on hand to assist people on the ice during the open skate. Wheelchairs are welcome, and adaptive equipment, including walkers and hockey sleds, will be available.

Abisalih said Nailers players look forward to the event, and team members ask him every year when it is taking place.

“I have players that always want to be a part of Inclusion on Ice because of the friendships they’ve formed by going to the event and the amazing time they have,” Abisalih said. “I also see folks returning to the ice who have attended since its start because this is an event they look forward to.”

Additional activities will be available outside the rink at the White Palace, including a community resource fair, a sensory room provided by Augusta Levy, a photo booth, face painting and inflatables sponsored by Tripp’s Fun Zone. Free donuts, hot chocolate, water and other snacks will also be available at the event.

“Everyone is welcome, and all activities are free,” Easterseals Marketing Director Betsy Bethel-McFarland said. “It’s our way of celebrating inclusivity in our community and allowing everyone to experience the joy of skating.”

ALLC Development and Marketing Specialist Taylor Rhys said that 15 to 20 local organizations that serve families and children will attend the community resource fair to give out information and meet the community.

“It’s kind of like a little winter festival with the face painting, inflatables and free snacks,” Rhys noted. “I really enjoy being able to have something the whole community can be a part of.”

While the event provides an opportunity for children with disabilities to skate comfortably, Rhys added the event is also popular amongst families with parents who cannot skate.

“This gives parents who can’t skate the opportunity to have somebody help their children get that skating experience,” Rhys said. “We do want this to be an inclusive event for all abilities, but it’s also a really nice free community event for everybody in our community to enjoy. We want to give back to them for all the support that they have given to our centers and our programs.”

Local autism advocate and hockey fan David George conceived the idea for the event several years ago. He identified one of Inclusion on Ice’s goals as “bringing people together.”

“We don’t want people to think, ‘Well, I don’t know how to skate or I haven’t in a long time, maybe I shouldn’t attend,'” George said. “You can still attend the event and mingle with people. This event brings back the good old days when people interacted face-to-face, and that togetherness can be a wonderful feeling.”

George added another objective of the event was to promote inclusion and awareness of disabilities. He noted the event encourages children of all ability levels to interact with each other.

“Some kids don’t have the challenges other children at the event may have, and the free skate and other activities compel them to interact with each other,” George said. “It’s critical that kids with disabilities feel important and special, just like everybody else is.”

Bethel-McFarland thanked the event’s sponsors, including the Oglebay Foundation, RED Partnership and the J.B. Chambers Memorial Foundation, for helping make the free skate and other activities possible. George added that individual community members who support Inclusion on Ice’s goals and message have also donated to the event.

“There are people who did not grow up in this area that have been generous enough to contribute to our cause,” George said. “The idea of the community joining together is compelling to everybody.”

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